XP command-line toolbar/power-toy?

[ColKurtz]

I have long used the Address Toolbar on my XP system tray/taskbar to launch commands (like in this little pic)... like CMD or NOTEPAD, MSI commands, whatever.... things you normally launch from Start->Run. Recently it has started searching for webpages when I enter terms. Being an "address bar" that seems like what it's supposed to do in the first place, but I've gotten rather used to launching commands with it. It still works fine on other systems at the same XP patch levels.

Is there a proper toolbar for this -- a "command line toolbar"? I see little applets, but many are garageware which I'm a bit leery of. I'd rather have an integrated toolbar if there is one. Or if anyone knows how to fix the address bar issue.... an admin showed it to me several years ago and i've seen other geeks do this so I'm wondering if anyone has seen this and knows how to get it run local executables again.

TIA.

 

[ChronoReverse]

Have you tried using the start menu line for that purpose? I think it does work as run.

 

[ColKurtz]

"start menu line"? Sorry, I don't follow. Like a pinned command window in the start menu? I realize there's a thin line between the quest for efficiency and laziness, but having to click the start menu and another field is "2 clicks" just like start -> run. With many admins being CLI-based, and a toolbar for every other freaking thing out there , I thought there would be a command-line toolbar out there somewhere.

 

[ChronoReverse]

Press the Windows key on your keyboard. Then start typing the command and press enter. You've saved using the mouse at all!

 

[ColKurtz]

Sadly, I don't have a windows key (thinkpad t42p). I always wondered what it was for. Thanks for the reply, but looks like i'm still looking.

 

[ChronoReverse]

Oh you're not on Vista, what was I thinking lol. Do you think this change could have come about because of IE7. On my machine I have to type in the exact path and filename (including the exe extension) =(

It's too bad you don't have a windows key because Windows+R is a nice way to bring up the run command. I guess you could press ctrl+esc then R.