idea: flexible (universal) commandline front-end

[basc]

I don't want to be greedy, but is there a utility where I can insert, or drag-and-drop, a commandline (accepting arguments) utility on the first row, and add one other row for each argument relevant? (With history and commenting logging, and perhaps envirenmental settings when relevant, talk about being greedy) (and perhaps command string pasting, to be distributed)

For example:
1.  c:\program files\imaginary\imaginary.exe (could be any programme)
2.  --option1 --option2
3.  d:\my images\picture1.jpg
4.  -o
5.  d:\my images\picture2.jpg
6.  empty

would presumably combine two images, assuming the syntax is accepted by 'imaginary.exe' of course.

I had a use for this a couple of times, I wonder if anyone else finds this useful. (I think it's a gem;)

I'm backing away a bit from this, but I thought the idea is good. This one is for use for other people then, where I wanted to share this with you.

[rjbull]

I'm not really sure what you're asking.  But, have you looked at mouser's Drag and Drop Shell Robot?

Drag and Drop Shell Robot  is a utility to help power users easily peform operations on large numbers of files and folders.

You can create any number of configuration files by specifying a target application and various commandline parameters or options. To use the program, you simply select a configuration file and drag & drop files and folders onto the queue window, and click Start. Then sit back while the operation proceeds through your files. You can also export commands to a batch file instead of immediate operation.

[basc]

Thank you for your suggestion, but no, it's a little different.

I can however explain myself by means of this utility;
It's a graphical user interface, but what type of programme it's used with doesn't really matter. The command line string you see in the middle of the screenshot would then be divided up or split up by switches and filenames to rows according to the number of types of argument changes. (In the screenshot I count, combining same types of argument for one row, including the first exe path, roughly eight or maybe four, I'm not familiar with this programme).

It's a command line argument or parameter helper, where any (argument accepting) programme can be inserted, and any file can be dropped in as an argument. Kind of like a 'programme.exe %1 %2' shortcut on the desktop, but then graphical.

Thank you for allowing me to explain.

One step further, but that goes beyond the scope, is that the programme interpreted the user's intentions, and automatically corrects the syntax (notifying the user), according to a database, that the programme positioned in the first row accepts the arguments syntax it's programmed to do. (For example a 'mix' instruction on say, row four, where it gets positioned after another argument instead of before, would be translated back to '-m' or montage for Magick, offering any more options if available.)

For example
'mount -t loop image.iso /mnt/isoimage iso9660 -o' would be illegal and
'mount -t iso9660 -o loop image.iso /mnt/isoimage' would be correct.

For the original idea, imagine a window graphical border around '/mnt/isoimage' where any other image file can be dropped (this is Linux, but for Windows it's about the same, in this case 'mount' has probably to be a Windows tool located in the %path% environment).

[SleepingWolf]

Thank you for your suggestion, but no, it's a little different.

I can however explain myself by means of this utility;
It's a graphical user interface, but what type of programme it's used with doesn't really matter. The command line string you see in the middle of the screenshot would then be divided up or split up by switches and filenames to rows according to the number of types of argument changes. (In the screenshot I count, combining same types of argument for one row, including the first exe path, roughly eight or maybe four, I'm not familiar with this programme).

-basc (July 29, 2009, 05:25 AM)

How is it different? I scanned your post and it reminds me of a similar "dream" I once had, and have since forgotten as "Drag and Drop Robot" really should do the trick (however I've rarely toyed with it). If it is not what you want (few free tools are) can't you learn to live with it or request your features from the Author. He'd no doubt love to make it more relevant to thousands more users.

My feature suggestion for D&DR, which may exist for all I know, would be for the program to do a hidden "program.exe -?" or  "program.exe -help" or "program.exe --h" or various combinations in order to read the help instructions for the command-line program and then display this info and allow for drag and dropping of the various command line elements (in much the same way Word might allow you to drag and drop textboxes). Or a help file could be automatically read in order to scan the appropriate help-switch and other switches. Think of the possibilities.

BTW, what screenshot are you referring to?

[rjbull]

@basc:

I think now what you're suggesting sounds a bit like the "User Tools" setup in some editors, except you want it with smart handling of the command-line switches?  Sounds like a lot of hard work to make the smart handling universal enough.  Sleeping Wolf's idea of quietly scanning the switches is interesting, but there could be problems as some switches are mutually exclusive.

[basc]

It seems such a utility does exist. Right here. I'm going to check on Drag and Drop Robot.

I need some more time with Drag and Drop Robot, it could actually do just that what I wished for.

@SleepingWolf,
the screenshot I was referring to was on the Drag and Drop Shell Robot page. I focussed on the command line string in the middle. I did somehow mistaken it for a graphics specific application, whereas my thoughts went to a GUI for commands interface accepting anything. I'll run it tomorrow. I like your feature suggestion for it, that would be useful.

@rjbull,
it seems that I have some research to do. I may find this in the user tools within some apps; but I would argue that it might be relatively easy, one of course if Mouser's work is just underrated and the work was already done, and two that the app would initially just host the full but divided up commandline string, to be passed to the cmd console.

Drag and Drop robot seems more capable though, than what I intended. And it's maybe just right.

Just watched the flash video. Wow. Say no more. (Please do;)