PromptHere v. 2.9.1.0

[MilesAhead]

PromptHere v. 1.0

http://www.favessoft.com/hotkeys.html

PromptHere is a variation on the old Command Prompt Here.
Instead of using a Registry hack, it uses a Tray Hotkey.

It does not create any Registry entries, .ini files or any files for that matter.

"Install" just consists of unzipping  the exe and readme to an empty folder.
You may want to create a shortcut for your StartUp or taskbar.

Usage:  Leave running in Tray.  Press Alt Middle Mouse Button to open a command prompt
for folder(s) selected in Explorer.

I don't like to let go of the mouse just to hit a hotkey so even though HomeFolder does a similar
task this variation allows me to hang onto the mouse.  Also it's somewhat different in that it can
open more than one prompt.  If you have c:\bookmarks and c:\temp selected when you
Alt Middle Mouse Click then a prompt will open for each with the directory set to that folder.

If you only wish to open one command prompt for the folder you are in, use HomeFolder instead.
It reads the current folder from the title/caption info.

Both are available on the page linked above.

[joby_toss]

Not working with other files managers... 
Not working on files... 

Still helpful! 

Thank you!

[MilesAhead]

It's only designed to work with highlighted folder(s) in explorer.  If the window class is not CabinetWClass or ExploreWClass it will not activate.  Those are the Explorer window classes. The attribute for the selected item is checked to make sure it's a directory.

The context menu type may be what you want for inside a file manager.
For one with a different approach you can take a look at HomeFolder.
If a program window is the active window, such as Firefox browser, and you
hit Control NumberPadMinus you'll get a command prompt in the directory
where that program's exe file is.

Different ways to skin the cat.

[MilesAhead]

PromptHere v. 1.1

I find I do try to use this utility as joby_toss suggested.
It's intuitive to select something in the folder you are working
in and hit a hotkey to open a prompt there.

I eliminated "paranoia mode" and set the hotkey active even if the
current window is not an explorer window.  Hopefully there aren't
too many apps out there using Alt Middle Mouse Click.

Now it should work in file managers.
(I tried it in FreeCommander and it seems ok.)

Also if you select one or more items that
are not folders, a single prompt will open
with the enclosing folder as working directory.

(I limit it to one to avoid the silly circumstance where
24 selected files in a folder would provoke opening
24 prompts to the same working directory.)

I've dodged the more difficult case of being in
an empty folder.  If there's nothing to click on
in the folder anyway it keeps the utility simpler
if you just go up one folder and select.  This
avoids a whole bunch of code to read the
window text and extract the folder.  The
HomeFolder utility already does that. (HomeFolder
is AutoIt3 and this utility is in AHK or else I'd just
cut & paste to add it in.)

Thanks joby_toss for prodding me to make this
logical enhancement.

I've updated the hotkey page.  PromptHere 1.1 is available for download now.

[MilesAhead]

Hmmmm, I have a feeling cranioscopical will scold me for not thanking
joby_toss for Prompting me to make this update!!!


Sorry!! I couldn't resist!!

[cranioscopical]

Hmmmm, I have a feeling cranioscopical will scold me for not thanking
joby_toss for Prompting me to make this update!!!


Sorry!! I couldn't resist!!

Another command performance!

[MilesAhead]

Hmmmm, I have a feeling cranioscopical will scold me for not thanking
joby_toss for Prompting me to make this update!!!


Sorry!! I couldn't resist!!

Another command performance!

[MilesAhead]

PromptHere v. 1.2

Now clicking on an empty space in an Explorer Window with nothing selected
will open a command prompt with the enclosing folder/drive as the working
directory.  I took the lazy way out and used macros.  The side-effect is
if you Alt Middle Click an empty spot in C:\Temp you'll get a command prompt
with C:\Temp as the working directory but your Explorer Window will now be open
to C:\.

For this reason it's smoother to select a file in the folder if one is
available. The macro just saves having to backspace, select the
folder you were in, then Alt Mouse Click.  Same effect in one shot.

But since the original folder in the above scenario should still be selected, you
only have to hit Enter to reenter it.. theoretically at least.

[MilesAhead]

PromptHere v. 1.3

I know what you're thinking.  If I only have to press Enter to get back
to the original folder as described above, why don't you just press it
with the Macro for me?

Good question.  Answer is 1.3.  It presses Enter to return to the original folder.
Please understand with macro kludges it's not so guaranteed to work.  But
it should go as expected most of the time.

[joby_toss]

Hmm...I was hoping to get this


instead of this


when a file is selected.

Also a custom hotkey combination would be nice (to avoid conflicts).

Thanks!

[MilesAhead]

I don't quite get the purpose of pasting into the command prompt.  If you double click the file is it not opened in the current folder?  I'm missing what the functionality is.

On the selectable hotkey I'll have to look into the easiest way to do it.  Maybe a little popup chooser that writes an .ini file or something.

[MilesAhead]

PromptHere v. 1.4

I implemented simple user selectable hotkey via .ini file.

If the program detects an invalid hotkey in the .ini file setting
on start up it will show an error dialog and quit.  To revert
to default hotkey, delete the .ini file and run PromptHere.

I also changed the About box so that the current hotkey
is shown.

See AutoHotkey reference for detailed info on hotkey
format.  The Readme has been updated with info on simple
modifier keys to change from Alt to Control or Shift or
combinations thereof. Also usage notes and history have been
updated.

[MilesAhead]

Hmm...I was hoping to get this

btw the above is easy to do. I'm just curious why you'd like that output.
I think most users would expect the current behavior, but I can easily add
your variation as an option via the .ini file. Maybe have an option
PasteFilename=1 to enable.

[joby_toss]

That was indeed a bad example!
I just grabbed the file that was in front of me. Sorry about that!

The usefulness of such functionality resides in the ability to add different arguments to an .exe file (for example MiniCap or other command line tool, or adding /portable parameter to ImgBurn etc.).
So I was thinking of .exe files...

[MilesAhead]

I see what you're driving at.  I'll mess around with it. In the meantime please download the latest version (1.5) as I fixed a bug where clicking a file in the root directory instead opened a prompt in the PromptHere working directory.  Splitting the file path returns blank for Directory if in the root.  I added a test for that and use the drive instead in that case.

[MilesAhead]

PromptHere v. 1.5

Fixed bug where clicking a file in the root of a drive opened a prompt in the PromptHere working directory instead of the drive root folder.

[MilesAhead]

PromptHere v. 1.51

Now looks for PasteFilename option in .ini file.
If set to non 0, such as PasteFilename=1, then after
opening the prompt due to clicking a filename, the filename
is pasted into the command line.  As I have it now it's not
quoted if there's a space in the filename.  (Hopefully not too
many people create .exe files with spaces in the name.)

[MilesAhead]

PromptHere v. 1.52

Now when pasting the filename if the filename itself has one or more spaces,
it is wrapped in double quotes.

This version is available for download currently.

[MilesAhead]

PromptHere v. 1.53

Added PasteFilename option to .ini file auto save.

[joby_toss]

This looks good!
Thank you!

[MilesAhead]

This looks good!
Thank you!

You're welcome.  Glad you like the program.

[joby_toss]

Let's see what others think!

Follow me!



One question: I think this doesn't fully support Unicode. Is this right?

[MilesAhead]

Let's see what others think!

Follow me!



One question: I think this doesn't fully support Unicode. Is this right?

I have not adapted any of my software to accommodate unicode.. other than some C++ shell extensions that nobody uses anymore as they are 32 bit DLLs I wrote around 2001 or so.

Others here are more versed in ahk but my understanding is there's a user-written build of ahk with native unicode support as well as some other enhancements.

http://www.autohotkey.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=34070

I haven't looked at it yet to see if it's a magic bullet.  But it does seem to have some interesting enhancements.

(edit: looks like this is only available as source code.
I'll have to explorer other avenues afa unicode and ahk.  At this point I don't want to install VC++ 2008 express just to compile it.)


What I can do for the time being is include the source code in the download.  The program is very small.  The changes to accommodate unicode would be centered in the Clipboard and Send functions.  You may also add your own custom functions if you like.

I've uploaded a new zip with source included. You can download anytime.

[MilesAhead]

btw thanks for the plug.

I'm going to look into that _L ahk build if for no other reason than he adds a
#if general purpose directive or modifier of some sort and I need to find out
more about what's involved with unicode at some point.

[MilesAhead]

PromptHere v. 1.5.3.3

Included .ahk source and program icon in download.
Compiled without UPX compression to avoid av
"false positives."

Uploaded just now to hotkey page.
It should update on Softpedia in a day or 2.

edit: forgot to zip the icon file with the rest of the stuff.
New zip uploaded.