Windows Vista Command-line Links

I had made a post examining methods that I use to locate files that were hidden from the Windows Explorer application.

I was pretty comfortable using the command-line interface for Windows 2000 and XP, but when I tried to use one on my Vista system, it just wouldn't quite work like I expected.

So I had to hit the Net and do some research.

I eventually worked out the commands I wanted.  But the research made it very clear to me that some things have changed in Vista's command-line interface (CLI) and I had better collect some links for future reference:

Vista Command-Line Interface Links

• The Command Prompt in Windows XP- Introduction - Yes, I know it says XP and I am supposed to be talking about Vista but this is a great place to start a refresher course in the CLI.  Basic concepts and some special operators that turbo-charge your command line power.

• Windows Vista Help: Command-line reference for IT Pros - Microsoft's page devoted to Vista CLI commands.  Scroll to the bottom and then select the command you need the details about.  You will hop over to a TechNet page devoted to that command.  Full of detail on the switches and structure formatting.

• New Command Line Tools in Vista Beta 2 « Computer Bits - Quick list of many of the "new" CLI commands that have been included in Vista with a brief description of the function.  At it points out, most of these "new" commands aren't really new, but were available in resource tool-kits but are not natively included in Vista.

• Windows Vista Command Line List and Reference - Another quick list of many Vista CLI commands and brief descriptions.

• Tim Sneath : The Coolest Command-Line Tool in Windows Vista - Tim examines the "Robocopy" command in Vista CLI.  It has a lot of neat features and capabilities that copy and xcopy just don't have.

• Steve Lamb's Blog : How to list running processes and kill them via the command line - This isn't just a Vista function.  You can do a similar thing in XP, but it is still cool.  Expanded just a bit more over at James O'Neill's blog : More on the Vista command prompt

• PsTools Suite - Windows Sysinternals - Ok, I'm cheating here just a bit but since we were on the subject of listing processes it seemed in order. This suite is not included in Vista, but is a great collection of "...command-line utilities for listing the processes running on local or remote computers, running processes remotely, rebooting computers, dumping event logs, and more."

• A frighteningly useful Vista command line - Great brief post on how to takeown(ership) of a file or folders, then icacls with admin-rights to bend them to your will.  Kinda like the "Imperio" curse in Harry Potter, methinks.

• Clip - Saving command line and powershell output directly to the clipboard - Scott Forsyth's WebLog - Tired of working in the CLI to manually copy and paste your output into a Windows application?  Scott reminds us of the use of the "pipe" command coupled with "clip".  This sends the command's screen output results to the Windows clipboard! Example: DIR | CLIP or ipconfig /all | clip

Bonus Windows Vista CLI tips

• Tim Sneath : Windows Vista Secret #1: Open Command Prompt Here - Hold down the shift key in Vista when clicking a folder and now a "Open Command Prompt here" item will be listed in the context shell menu. XP users can get a similar functionality with the XP Power Toy "Open Command Window Here."

• Tim Sneath : Windows Vista Secret #2: Copy as Path - Same as above but also now you have a "Copy as Path" option added that works for both files and folders. Or you can use my personal freeware favorite (XP but I am using fine in Vista), ClipPath.

--Claus