Windows XP: How do you add a program to execute using Start --> Run?

[Sqube]

If I want to run Microsoft Word, I can go "Start --> Run --> winword" and it will open Word for me.

I tried to do that with Opera, but it wouldn't work. I know that I have to go to the registry and add an entry in there to make it work (I did it once before, many moons ago), but I can't for the life of me remember how it works.

When I try to Google it, I just end up getting a bunch of results telling me how to add the Run command into my Vista Start Menu.

Help would be appreciated.

 

[Snapster]

It's not done per program but rather a directory which contains the program(s). You need to modify the PATH system variable under environment variables (My Computer Properties > Advanced Tab > Environment Variables) and add your the path of the opera directory. After a reboot you should now be able to open opera by the exe name.

more info (and how to do it in registry also)

 

[Sqube]

I appreciate the help, but that site is kinda over my head in terms of complexity. I sort of understand what the various keys are and what they mean, but I don't know how to apply that knowledge to be able to run Opera using the Run command.

I also couldn't get that Environment Variables method to work. I'm going to try to look around some more and see if I can't find the method I found way back in the day.

 

[jfunk]

It can only see exe's that exist in the PATH set in the Environment variables as talked about above. It doesn't get much easier than changing that setting, you just click edit, stick a semicolon at the end of the line and add the path to the folder where Opera exists.

Alternately, you could type the entire path into the run command (ie - c:\program files\etc...)

 

[JonnyBlaze]

right click on my computer, choose properties

click on the advanced tab, then click environment variables

under system variables choose path, then click edit

at the end of whats there add:

;c:\program files\opera

(if thats where opera is installed)


dont forget the beginning ; as that separates it from the last entry currently there

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: jfunk
It can only see exe's that exist in the PATH set in the Environment variables as talked about above. It doesn't get much easier than changing that setting, you just click edit, stick a semicolon at the end of the line and add the path to the folder where Opera exists.

Alternately, you could type the entire path into the run command (ie - c:\program files\etc...)

:roll: Still using Windows 98 eh?

Add an app path for the program in question. Don't bother modifying the 'path' statement, that is depreciated.

Bill

 

[jfunk]

Geez, sorry...he had just said that regedit was a little above his head. Is there some particular reason that he should not use the path statement?

 

[Sqube]

Alright, turns out that I was just doing the damn PATH statement wrong. I did it again and it works fine now.

Thanks for the help.

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: jfunk
Geez, sorry...he had just said that regedit was a little above his head. Is there some particular reason that he should not use the path statement?

Yes, the path statement is notorious for creating software incompatibilities. Think someone puts a dir on the path with a different version of an expected binary. The App Paths were created to deal with this.

 

[nweaver]

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: jfunk
Geez, sorry...he had just said that regedit was a little above his head. Is there some particular reason that he should not use the path statement?

Yes, the path statement is notorious for creating software incompatibilities. Think someone puts a dir on the path with a different version of an expected binary. The App Paths were created to deal with this.

put a symlink into the /bin directory 😀

again, windows convolluted filesystem bites the user....

/flamesuit on

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: nweaver

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: jfunk
Geez, sorry...he had just said that regedit was a little above his head. Is there some particular reason that he should not use the path statement?

Yes, the path statement is notorious for creating software incompatibilities. Think someone puts a dir on the path with a different version of an expected binary. The App Paths were created to deal with this.

put a symlink into the /bin directory 😀

again, windows convolluted filesystem bites the user....

/flamesuit on

Path searching incompatibilities aren't unique to just Windows....

 

[nweaver]

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: nweaver

Originally posted by: bsobel

Originally posted by: jfunk
Geez, sorry...he had just said that regedit was a little above his head. Is there some particular reason that he should not use the path statement?

Yes, the path statement is notorious for creating software incompatibilities. Think someone puts a dir on the path with a different version of an expected binary. The App Paths were created to deal with this.

put a symlink into the /bin directory 😀

again, windows convolluted filesystem bites the user....

/flamesuit on

Path searching incompatibilities aren't unique to just Windows....

no, but having a horrible way to address drives/partitions/filesystem and no "common" place for things is. sorry, but the whole drive letter thing is crap. I didn't realize this until after using *nix for a while. This is another nice thing about Debian, is they require packages to follow some standards prior to being added, such as (iirc) requiring a man page, putting files into the correct spots (/etc, /bin/ usr/bin, etc).