i'm looking to do more with xp via the command prompt. what can i do with the console and/or run box? i'm getting used to using the run box to load programs and folders, etc. and using the console to do things like ipconfig, but i want to learn more. what else can i do?
thanks.
Try typing "help" into there to find out a lot of commands...
I myself use cygwin as my "console" which I like it has *nix type commands.
thanks for the reply. i'll take a look at cygwin. is it skinnable or customizable?
i've been meaning to learn linux, but could never get around to it. how would i go about learning cygwin?
Also take a look at:
and
Support WebCast: New Microsoft Windows XP Command-line Tools and Troubleshooting Utilities
There is also a Resource kit for Windows Server 2003 focused on the command line, but I don't know if it's freely available.
Cygwin is a UNIX emulator. Its very powerful. It lets you run lots of open source software in Windows.
well, i just want to be able to use a more powerful command line in xp, but i don't really know what to use, what to do, or how to learn.
the console in xp doesn't seem very useful, though. how would i learn cygwin or something like it?
Cygwin isn't "skinnable" per say but if you run it in RXVT then the border is skinned and you can make the window transparent. The only thing is the scrollbar isn't skinnable but you can pick between 3 different scrollbar types or turn it off and use your mousewheel to scroll inside the window.
As for starting to learn it you could or should try googling "linux commands" or "unix commands".
Oh yeah, I also find Cygwin an invaluable tool to "unlock" (for lack of a better word) some features that most people don't use or even know exist in XP. It, and object desktop are 2 of the first things I install on a fresh XP system. 
Like for example... by default everyone is administrator but if you lower the account type to power user or restricted then some programs may fail to start or you won't be able to modify certain files. And this is because of ownership\permissions and you can use commands in cygwin like chown, or chmod to manage this.
You can do this by running a cygwin terminal as another user (you can do this while still being logged in using, for example your power user account), and running those commands on the files.
Every so often there might be a file that you can't delete from explorer. But you can in cygwin.
And yes, you can compile some unix programs through cygwin. You can even run an x-server and run *nix desktops in a window.
hmm i've never had any experience with linux. what kinds of things can you do in the console?
Originally posted by dreamz@Jan 2 2004, 01:07 AMhmm i've never had any experience with linux. what kinds of things can you do in the console?
In Linux you can do EVERYTHING in the console.
Every GUI app is just a frontend to a console program. Well, not every one, but most.
If you really want to use the commandline though, you have to use a real unix. Cygwin will only take you so far.
i just want to do more in xp with the console, but i can't think of anything to do with it.
Originally posted by contrasutra@Jan 1 2004, 11:07 PMIn Linux you can do EVERYTHING in the console.
Every GUI app is just a frontend to a console program. Well, not every one, but most.
If you really want to use the commandline though, you have to use a real unix. Cygwin will only take you so far.
Even though it's still farther than most people (who use windows) want to go. 
:6
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