why does command line in Windows XP suck so much?

[ZippyDan]

this has ALWAYS bothered me in Windows but i only thought to ask about it now

scenario (a specific example of a generally annoying behavior):

i downloaded a large file and i need to run an fsum check on it. fsum is a command line program.

1. if i double click on fsum, a command line window flashes open for a second, then disappears. i wish the window would stay open so i could type more commands

2. the file i want to check has a very long name, if i drag the file onto fsum and release, fsum runs in a command line and checks the file and then disappears before i can read it

WHY CANT THE COMMAND LINE WINDOW STAY OPEN OMFG

so instead, i have to go to start -> run, type cmd, then i have to cd\ my way down a loooong directory tree (cd\documents and settings, dir, cd\administrator, dir, cd\my documents, dir, cd:\my downloads, dir, cd:\my videos, dir, cd:\etc. etc. ad naseum) and then i have to fsum a ridiculously long file name (fsum -crc32 [ABC]blahblahsdhskdjahdlkjhsadkljash_ssadj11223242_aslkdjsa[42323243].avi).

so the entire process takes me 5 minutes when it should take me 30 seconds just because windows refuses to keep the command line window open when running a command line program from the UI

WHY

is there a way around this? am i a newbie user?

~Zippy!

 

[xcript]

IIRC, you can drag/drop a file onto the CMD window and it'll paste the full path in for you.

Alternatively, you could create a batch file that executes fsum then waits for input from the user before exiting. Paste the below text into notepad, save as fsum.bat and drag/drop a file onto it.

 

[Shawn]

right click on the file, goto the program tab, and uncheck Close on exit.

 

[xcript]

Originally posted by: Shawn
right click on the file, goto the program tab, and uncheck Close on exit.

Or that.

 

[ZippyDan]

Originally posted by: Shawn
right click on the file, goto the program tab, and uncheck Close on exit.

this would be a fantastic solution for my new command line power usage that would free me from the shackles of long years of ignorance if only i could actually find such an option on fsum.exe

 

[Varun]

I can't find the option either on cmd.exe. The option does exist on the old Command.com file, however I doubt you would find that very useful as it doesn't support any of the nice new features, and doubtful it would support long file names either.

Anyways, can you not just go start/run CMD enter
and then use your fsum program from the command line? This will keep it open after the program is done.

 

[ZippyDan]

Originally posted by: Varun
I can't find the option either on cmd.exe. The option does exist on the old Command.com file, however I doubt you would find that very useful as it doesn't support any of the nice new features, and doubtful it would support long file names either.

Anyways, can you not just go start/run CMD enter
and then use your fsum program from the command line? This will keep it open after the program is done.

did u not read what a hassle it is to navigate to the correct directory through the 7-dir-deep-tree and then type in long ass filenames?

~Zippy!

 

[Varun]

Originally posted by: xcript
IIRC, you can drag/drop a file onto the CMD window and it'll paste the full path in for you.

Did you not read what was already posted to do that for you?

 

[rbrandon]

Originally posted by: ZippyDan

Originally posted by: Varun
I can't find the option either on cmd.exe. The option does exist on the old Command.com file, however I doubt you would find that very useful as it doesn't support any of the nice new features, and doubtful it would support long file names either.

Anyways, can you not just go start/run CMD enter
and then use your fsum program from the command line? This will keep it open after the program is done.

did u not read what a hassle it is to navigate to the correct directory through the 7-dir-deep-tree and then type in long ass filenames?

~Zippy!

Download the open command window here powertoy from microsoft. Use windows explorer to navigate to the folder you want, right click it, click open command window here.

 

[ZippyDan]

the powertoy is perfect. i only wish that MS would make powertoys standard instead of something i have to DL for each machine