Tip to start command prompt from windows folder - Add this option in shortcut menu

Are you tired of typing the complete path of the folder at command prompt to get-into your folder, usually ? Please stop doing it from now onwards.

Follow the steps given in the Microsoft's site http://support.microsoft.com/kb/320148 to add a option in shortcut menu, using which you can open the command prompt for a windows folder, in just one click.

Give it a try.

Text Editors to open large files

Have you ever tried to open large text files (file size more than 400MB) in editors like notepad or wordpad. You cannot use these editors to open large text files, even Microsoft is also saying about this limitation.

Refer this link: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/59578

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/211489

Okey, then how could we open these large text files. Is there a way to do that. Yes, there are multiple text editors availble to solve this issue. Some of these editors are availble at a free of cost through internet download and the other editors for cost. Cost will vary depends on the maximum file size limit, license to number of users and other additional features.

We will see some of the editors available at free of cost.
1. VIM Editor for Windows

  This is GNU open source software. This is the same as Linux VIM editor. But don't worry, you will have both GUI and console versions. You can use this editor to open files of sizes in GB!. But i never tried file size of more than 4GB. This editor's interface is excellent and very easy to use. Used gvim7.2 version for testing.

From this link: ftp://ftp.vim.org/pub/vim/pc download latest version of gvimxx.exe install file.

2. Notepad++

 Notepad++ is also GNU open source editor written in C++ and uses pure Win32 API and STL which ensures higher execution speed. Used this editor to open file of size 2.1GB. This editors interface is also easy to use. Used Notepad++5.5.1 version for testing.

You can download this editor from the link: http://notepad-plus.sourceforge.net

I used system with Intel Core2Duo 2.00GHz processor with 3GB of RAM, running on Windows XP SP2, for testing.

I will keep update this post with more GNU editors details.

There are plenty of commercial editors available with various features. You can do web search and find the one suitable for you.

How to auto answer prompts in Windows batch script

To auto answer prompts in Windows batch script, try the following command.

"echo <answer> | <batch command>"

Ex: The del /P command option will prompt for user's confirmation before deleting the file.

So if you are using this option in your batch script, it requires manual input to proceed further.
To avoid this manual input, use the command "echo Y | del /P " in your batch script to answer the prompt.

You can try this echo command to pass input (ex: answer for username and password prompts) to your console application, when it is invoked through batch script.

How to open the explorer window from command prompt

Here is my first tip on how to open windows folders from a command line. From the command line type "explorer ." and press enter. This will open the current command line directory's explorer window.

The same way if you type the command "explorer .." and press enter. What will happen..? any guess. You are correct, this command will open the parent directory of this folder in explorer window.