Author Topic: IDEA: Small shell switcher for windowsXP (Read 28700 times)

dtrud0h · « **on:** April 30, 2005, 01:00 PM »

With the many advanced filemanagers and replacement shells at large today I think it would be useful to have a small program that would allow a user to add, remove, and change shells at their leisure.
I think that with the Bluebox shell there was at one time an included app that would do this, but my recent re-interest in alternative shells has left me wanting a DECENT program of this sort. The program could run in a dos box with no gui, just text menus but would include the features I've laid out.
The program should be able to log a user off and back on again after changing the shell in the registry, or at least log the user off and change the shell, requiring the user to log on again.
I can almost get this function using a bat file, except I don't have the right version of DOS to get the 'Choice' commands needed. Someone who knows how to code could probably code this in a few hours??
Any way, that's my idea.

Edvard · « **Reply #1 on:** May 02, 2005, 01:09 PM »

I myself am wanting just such a thing. There are many shell-switchers and alternative shell managers out there, but the switchers re-boot instead of logoff, (I'm on NT4 here at work, which reboots like bricks swim) and the managers sit in memory (

) so at the moment, I am looking into doing the very thing you have described with an AutoIt script which can be compiles into an exe. If I can in the near future, I'll post the script here (easy enough) but don't let me stop someone else from giving it a go...

Malacandra · « **Reply #2 on:** June 27, 2005, 12:19 PM »

I am new to the forum but saw your post while scanning.
I have a small utility which switches my shells fine on WindowsXP also logging me of it can be downloaded from:

http://homepage.ntlw...acandra/SwitchIt.zip

Just unzip it and put it in any directory you want no install is necessary.
To uninstall just delete the Exe and Ini Files.
It is 486KB and can be run in the system tray if you want.
It will create an INI file the first time it is run which you can add or remove entries to.

Hope this Helps,

"Time Is Precious, Waste It Wisely"

Malacandra

mouser · « **Reply #3 on:** June 27, 2005, 02:04 PM »

thanks malacandra! that's really nice of you.

ps.
hahaha i love the quote.

Malacandra · « **Reply #4 on:** June 27, 2005, 04:18 PM »

No Problem Mouser, Glad to Help

Might be able to port it to a Dos App if anyone wants it, will have a think.

Not sure what use this would be but........

"Time Is Precious, Waste It Wisely"

Malacandra

Malacandra · « **Reply #5 on:** June 28, 2005, 05:21 AM »

Hi again,

Just had to create an account on my XP box for my girlfriend and she couldn't get her head round anything else but exploder.
So I've modified the SwitchIT program so it can be used on just the Current User's settings,
this way anyone else using your computer can still have exploder if they want.

I've uploaded the new version to the same URL as above hope this new "feature" maybe found useful.

I know it works on XP as that's what I've got, anything else... give it a try and let me know here.

The only caveat to add is that when uninstalling you will also have to remove the "Shell" value from the
Registry Key "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows NT\CurrentVersion\WinLogon"
if you have set it for that user.
If it's set for the same as HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE it shouldn't be a problem it's just a superfluous setting so could be left.

"Time Is Precious, Waste It Wisely"

Malacandra

P.S. Just spotted the elevation to my status, thanks.

Edvard · « **Reply #6 on:** June 28, 2005, 03:31 PM »

Thanks Malacandra, I was hoping someone would come up with something before I did, (not much time here)
However, I have written a quick-n-dirty-get-back-to-explorer utility for emergencies (like when you are testing a new shell or a beta update to your favorite and it doesn't go quite right) which I have written in AutoIt3 along with a compiled executable. I have no webspace ATM somebody wanna babysit it?

mouser · « **Reply #7 on:** June 28, 2005, 03:35 PM »

anyone who has some code to share and needs a place, just email me [email protected] and we will be happy to host it.

if you want some web page/ftp space for several tools we'd be happy to do that as well.

Malacandra · « **Reply #8 on:** June 29, 2005, 03:58 AM »

Your Welcome Edvard,

Just to let you know I have managed to trim the EXE file in size by removing a load of unused compiler rubbish.
It's now just 189 KB so should take up less valuable disk space.

That's what you get for not checking your default compiler options.

Back to Coding Snacks then........

"Time Is Precious, Waste It Wisely"

Malacandra

mouser · « **Reply #9 on:** June 30, 2005, 09:00 AM »

thanks to both malacandra and edvard.

i'm loving how this coding snacks section is going !

i added edvard's tool to coding snacks page (https://www.donation...dingSnacks/index.php)

i'd be happy to add anything by malacandra as well if you need hosting.

Malacandra · « **Reply #10 on:** June 30, 2005, 10:58 AM »

Thanks for the offer mouser but I'm not sure the rest of my software conforms to the "must not be similar to stuff out there" thing that Coding Snacks is made for.
I have some of my other stuff on WinSite all are welcome to go and try them if they want.
All are FREEWARE and worth every penny.

If they conform to DonationCoder rules, feel free to upload them to DonationCoder.

Here are the info card URL's :

PlaceBar ( Changes the Windows 2K/XP Places Bar in open/save dialogs. )
http://www.winsite.c.../Info?21000000037402

IEButton ( Add Buttons to launch Programs or Web Pages to the Toolbar in IE. )
http://www.winsite.c.../Info?20500000039057

StopRun ( Monitors Startup for alterations and lets you add/remove/modify entries. )
http://www.winsite.c.../Info?19500000036777

"My Time IS Precious and I HAVE Wasted It Wisely."

Malacandra

mouser · « **Reply #11 on:** June 30, 2005, 11:12 AM »

I wish i could say with confidence that i've wasted my time wisely. some of it hopefully.

those programs sound quite nice!

malacandra, we are still trying to figure out best ways to provide a good home to freeware authors so that they will receive donations and stuff.

if the files are already hosted somewhere and you are happy with that, and you already have web space, then there's probably nothing to be gained by creating another mirror at donationcoder.com

however, it is our intention to provide a home to freeware that doesn't have a good home, so if you find yourself lacking in web space or if winsite is not satisfactory, we would be happy to provide it to you.

otherwise, the links are probably good enough - though it might be nice if we set up a page here on donationcoder.com to list software made by members..

Foxen · « **Reply #12 on:** July 03, 2005, 01:55 AM »

alternate shell I use that comes with a shell manager...
www.geoshell.com

if you want to manage startup items, dont use an addin program use whats built into windows!
it's called msconfig. start>run type in msconfig and hit enter or ok.

dtrud0h · « **Reply #13 on:** July 03, 2005, 02:04 PM »

Hi Malacandra,
Sorry it took me so long to respond to your post, I've been installing a new hraddrive in my laptop for a few days now and took a while to find all the favorites for firefox. Anyway thanks for posting this it's exactly what I've been looking for, I love blackbox and hardly ever use explorer for anything, however sometimes I just don't have time to update my menu and have trouble finding something, or need to use explorer for something quicklike and to have to shutdown and reboot to get there is a real pita.
Again thanks alot and also thanks to Edvard who gave the idea some thought as well.