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Windows Vista Open Command Window Here In Windows XP Too

Copyright © Walker 25 Mar 2007 14:14
One of the Windows Vista top secret - Press SHIFT key while right click on a folder to bring up Windows Vista built-in, hidden Open Command Prompt Here context menu.Although Windows Vista GUI looks attractive and fun to work with, some tasks are just too simple and convenient if get them done in Command Prompt processor, or the Windows Vista command line utility!
To make Vista command line processor easier to use, Windows Vista comes with a built-in, hidden Open Command Window Here context menu, which is only seen by pressing SHIFT key while you right click a folder.

I used to right-click my C# project folder for Open Command Windows Here, to bring up Windows Vista Command Prompt window with its path pointing to the right-clicked folder and get csc.exe (C# command line compiler) to compile the C# source code files in a second (without having to type a long change path command).

Or, type notepad testing.vbs in the command prompt window to create a new VBS scripts for testing in the right-clicked folder (or to open the VBS scripts if it’s already there).

Sometimes, I used the same trick to run pscp.exe or psftp.exe for secure file transfer

How to add a Open Command Window Here context menu in Windows XP?

Although there is no Open Command Window Here built-in for Windows XP or earlier, there is a simple trick to get it done.

1) Open up My Computer window and click on Tools menu
2) Click on the Folder Options sub-menu
3) Click on the File Types tab of Folder Options dialog box
4) Locate and highlight Folder file type from the list of registered file types
5) Click the Advanced button follow by the New button in the pop-up dialog box (Edit File Type)
6) Type Open Command Window Here in the Action text box
7) Type C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe /k cd %1 in the Application used to perform action text-box.
8) Click OK all the way to close all opened dialog boxes.

That’s all! Just a simple job to get a similar Windows Vista Open Command Window Here context menu in Windows XP!



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  1. Earl February 7th, 2008 11:50 AM

    I have Vista and did exactly what you suggest and it does not do what you say it does? Imagine that?

  2. Walker February 7th, 2008 1:11 PM

    Earl, for Windows Vista, you should follow this guide – How to add an elevated Open Command Window Here in Windows Vista:

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    [...] you’re using Windows XP SP1 and above or that VSS feature is available, a VSS-aware application will work to copy the open file [...]

  4. Manny August 12th, 2009 1:07 AM

    Microsoft has a PowerToy that adds a “Open Command Window Here” menu item to folders: http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/downloads/powertoys/xppowertoys.mspx