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Author Topic: IDEA: Generic windows command line gui builder  (Read 12648 times)

tyee

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IDEA: Generic windows command line gui builder
« on: September 10, 2016, 12:34 AM »
I'm not a coder obviously but have used autohotkey to make a gui I need for a cli program. It would be nice to have a generic gui builder that allows radio button groups, edit and drop down lists, etc. and that's about it. What I would really like is to be able to graphically choose options for any of these gui widgets by right clicking on these widgets, not typing in code. So for instance if I select a radio group to place on the form, place it, right click it, and fill in the radio button name/command line for each button, done. So it's basically using forms instead of writing code, which prevents a lot of looking up autohotkey (for instance) syntax for all commands which is major time consuming especially if I make a gui once a year. I have to start from scratch again, but with the form asking me what to fill in, it's a lot faster.

Ath

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Re: IDEA: Generic windows command line gui builder
« Reply #1 on: September 10, 2016, 01:24 AM »
And if it worked a bit sideways? A gui that helps you configure a generic gui-for-a-cli-program? Where you select the parameters and their meaning + possible values. And the generic gui presents the screen of configured options and runs the cli for ya'.
It would end up being written in AutoIt3, if done by me, but would be the perfect NANY-2017 chore for me :)

Target

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Re: IDEA: Generic windows command line gui builder
« Reply #2 on: September 10, 2016, 02:37 AM »
would the AHK smart GUI script do what you want?

IainB

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Re: IDEA: Generic windows command line gui builder
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2016, 06:26 AM »
Ooh! That looks like it might be rather nifty.

MilesAhead

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Re: IDEA: Generic windows command line gui builder
« Reply #4 on: September 10, 2016, 07:27 AM »
If you look in this forum there are a few similar to how Delphi forms were done, although usually smaller in scope:

https://autohotkey.c...ds/viewforum.php?f=6

I haven't run this one to see what the designer looks like.  But the code is fairly recent:

https://autohotkey.c.../viewtopic.php?t=303

MilesAhead

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Re: IDEA: Generic windows command line gui builder
« Reply #5 on: September 10, 2016, 08:35 AM »
And if it worked a bit sideways? A gui that helps you configure a generic gui-for-a-cli-program? Where you select the parameters and their meaning + possible values. And the generic gui presents the screen of configured options and runs the cli for ya'.
It would end up being written in AutoIt3, if done by me, but would be the perfect NANY-2017 chore for me :)

That sounds kind of interesting.  Like a generator to produce stuff like XCopy Gui where you check the boxes for options and whatnot?

Edit:  Sounds like it could be especially useful for some of the OS cli programs with hard to remember options(and often difficult to type tool.)


rjbull

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Re: IDEA: Generic windows command line gui builder
« Reply #6 on: September 11, 2016, 04:18 PM »
I don't know if this might help: Dr. Batcher (payware, has been featured on Bits du Jour):
Dr.Batcher is the simplest in use batch file editor available on market. You can create batch files even if you have never done it before. Writing batch files has never been easier!

Still Dr.Batcher provides with powerful tools for advanced users that are familiar with batch files and their syntax. Enjoy full-featured batch files development environment with syntax highlighting, code tooltips and bookmarks. Write batch files code faster and easier!

Highlights:
  - Support for all Windows and DOS batch files
  - Simple mode for novice and professional mode for advanced users
  - Batch to EXE compilation support
  - Backup script wizard: generate your own batch files for backup create/restore in a few clicks
  - Lots of templates and examples of batch files

The following are varying degrees of improved consoles, but don't have the sort of GUI features you ask for:

hamradio

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Re: IDEA: Generic windows command line gui builder
« Reply #7 on: September 11, 2016, 06:04 PM »
I thought of this being able to handle it perhaps...

The Form Letter Machine

4wd

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Re: IDEA: Generic windows command line gui builder
« Reply #8 on: September 12, 2016, 12:06 AM »
Slightly offtopic, back in the Amiga days there was a program that could execute a CLI command to get the parameters, analyse the parameters, and then present a GUI with the appropriate checkboxes, radio buttons, input fields, etc.

At least I think it was the Amiga, often wondered whether something similar was available for Windows but occassional searches failed to find anything.

tyee

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Re: IDEA: Generic windows command line gui builder
« Reply #9 on: September 12, 2016, 11:18 AM »
Thanks for the tips guys. @4wd, yes that's what I'm after sort of. Let's say I want to use autohotkey. I have used a gui creator like I said above, but I have to refer to the autohotkey manual to fill in the code to do actions after the gui creator creates the code for the widgets only. What I want is a gui creator that has every single autohotkey command written in it's code so that I can right click a widget and have a drop down menu appear with every single autohotkey command listed there within a specific category like "file commands", "network commands", etc. Using autohotkey or any language currently you have to look up the code in a help file, I want all that built into forms to fill in so syntax errors hardly ever occur unless you fill in the form incorrectly. So it's basically putting all the commands into forms to fill out and not write code, the gui will take the form info and create the code for you. Way less chance of errors and a lot faster, unless you program for a living and know all the commands and syntax in your head which this request is not for. I found only one app that does this, it's called Neobook but it's $200, but it does what I describe above. Do you think it could be done or is it just too time consuming to translate code commands into forms?

DmitriPopov

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Re: IDEA: Generic windows command line gui builder
« Reply #10 on: September 19, 2016, 08:12 AM »
My "Make Batch Files" tool acts like a GUI wrapper for CLI, including complicated commands. I can give you a free key in exchange for a review, if you are interested.
Documenting software is always a pain. But I can give you painkillers.

MilesAhead

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Re: IDEA: Generic windows command line gui builder
« Reply #11 on: September 19, 2016, 08:57 AM »
My "Make Batch Files" tool acts like a GUI wrapper for CLI, including complicated commands. I can give you a free key in exchange for a review, if you are interested.

Out of curiosity can you give details on the "free endless trial?"  My guess would be the version downloaded works without support or upgrades?  But I don't see it spelled out anywhere.

wraith808

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Re: IDEA: Generic windows command line gui builder
« Reply #12 on: September 19, 2016, 11:03 AM »
My "Make Batch Files" tool acts like a GUI wrapper for CLI, including complicated commands. I can give you a free key in exchange for a review, if you are interested.

I'd never heard of that.  I'd like to take you up on it if you're interested!  :Thmbsup:

tyee

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Re: IDEA: Generic windows command line gui builder
« Reply #13 on: September 19, 2016, 11:35 AM »
@DmitriPopov, that's sort of what I want but I need it for, let's say, autohotkey, not batch files. Understand what I mean? Your app works with windows batch commands graphically but batch commands don't make radio buttons, drop down list boxes, etc. That's what I need, those widgets dragged and dropped on a form, then right click any widget and see a form with all the options for that widget. Fill in the form and now when I run the compiled app it does the command I chose in the form. No looking up command syntax's, much faster.

Along with Neobook, here is the closet to what I want, only app in the world that I have found that can create a gui quickly without knowing any programming language, but still not drag/drop, you have to write the xml code, but it can be copied/pasted into your app. If something like this can be made using drag/drop and choosing commands with dropdown choices it would be awesome.

http://tinytools.obj...e-view.de/Tools/FroG
« Last Edit: September 19, 2016, 11:45 AM by tyee »

DmitriPopov

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Re: IDEA: Generic windows command line gui builder
« Reply #14 on: September 19, 2016, 01:55 PM »
Out of curiosity can you give details on the "free endless trial?"  My guess would be the version downloaded works without support or upgrades?  But I don't see it spelled out anywhere.

It says about it's limitations on first launch :) "Endless trial" does not allow to save projects. All other functions are not limited, and there is no time limit or nag screens.
Documenting software is always a pain. But I can give you painkillers.

DmitriPopov

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Re: IDEA: Generic windows command line gui builder
« Reply #15 on: September 19, 2016, 01:56 PM »
I'd never heard of that.  I'd like to take you up on it if you're interested!  :Thmbsup:

Great! :) Can I send you your key via PM?
Documenting software is always a pain. But I can give you painkillers.

wraith808

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Re: IDEA: Generic windows command line gui builder
« Reply #16 on: September 19, 2016, 02:02 PM »
I'd never heard of that.  I'd like to take you up on it if you're interested!  :Thmbsup:

Great! :) Can I send you your key via PM?

That would work.  And include an e-mail where I can get in touch with you, and I'll confirm that way.

Thanks!

DmitriPopov

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Re: IDEA: Generic windows command line gui builder
« Reply #17 on: September 19, 2016, 02:11 PM »
Along with Neobook, here is the closet to what I want, only app in the world that I have found that can create a gui quickly without knowing any programming language

PowerBasic is a pretty simple programming language and it has drag-and-drop form designer. Well, not exaclty what you are looking for, but you can do more with a little programming than without programming at all.

https://www.powerbasic.com/pbforms.php
Documenting software is always a pain. But I can give you painkillers.