Re: "start" for Cygwin

[Charles Wilson <cwilson@ece.gatech.edu>]

Michael --
   Did you want to add this to cygutils?  I'm getting ready to release 
1.0.0 and I'd like to put start(cygstart, whatev) in it for v1.0 rather 
than later -- if its going in at all.  If you'd rather keep it separate, 
that's fine too.

--Chuck


Michael Schaap wrote:

> Hi,
> 
> I've written a little "start" utility, which is similar to "cmd /c 
> start", only better.
> It allows you to let Windows start a program or open a file or URL.
> 
> For instance:
>  - it understands POSIX paths (e.g. "start /tmp/hello.txt")
>  - it can open files which don't have the "executable" flag set (ntsec)
>  - it can start things minimized, hidden, etc. (e.g. start --minimize
>    hello.txt")
>  - it can run non-default actions (e.g. "start --print hello.txt",
>    "start --explore .", "start --action=whatever myfile.ext")
>  - it's a lot faster than "cmd /c start"
> 
> I believe it should run on all Windows versions from Win95 up, but I've 
> only tested it on Windows 2000.  (Anyone using Win9x/ME, can you please 
> let me know if it works?)
> (It's been a while since I did any serious C programming, so the code 
> might be sloppy in some places.  Improvements and bug reports are welcome.)
> 
> You can download it at: http://www.mscha.com/start_0_9.zip .
> 
> (Chuck, if you think this would be a good addition for cygutils, feel 
> free to include it!  After all, I did "borrow" some of the code 
> framework from it.  :-) )
> 
> I'll include the output of "start --help" below.
> 
> Best regards,
> 
>  - Michael
> 
> --------------------------------8<-------------------------------
> 
> start version 0.9, by Michael Schaap
> 
> Let Windows start a program or open a file or URL.
> 
> Usage: start [OPTION]... FILE [ARGUMENTS]
> 
> Action options
>   -a, --action=STRING        Use specified action instead of default
>   -o, --open                 Short for: --action open
>   -x, --explore              Short for: --action explore
>   -e, --edit                 Short for: --action edit
>   -f, --find                 Short for: --action find
>   -p, --print                Short for: --action print
> 
> Directory options
>   -d, --directory=STRING     Set working directory
> 
> Show options
>   --hide                     Hides the window and activates another window
>   --maximize                 Maximizes the specified window
>   --minimize                 Minimizes the specified window and 
> activates the
>                              next top-level window in the z-order
>   --restore                  Activates and displays the window. If the 
> window
>                              is minimized or maximized, Windows restores 
> it to
>                              its original size and position. An application
>                              should specify this flag when restoring a
>                              minimized window
>   --show                     Activates the window and displays it in its
>                              current size and position
>   --showmaximized            Activates the window and displays it as a
>                              maximized window
>   --showminimized            Activates the window and displays it as a
>                              minimized window
>   --showminnoactive          Displays the window as a minimized window. The
>                              active window remains active
>   --showna                   Displays the window in its current state. The
>                              active window remains active
>   --shownoactivate           Displays a window in its most recent size and
>                              position. The active window remains active
>   --shownormal               Activates and displays a window. If the 
> window is
>                              minimized or maximized, Windows restores it to
>                              its original size and position. An application
>                              should specify this flag when displaying the
>                              window for the first time
> 
> Help options
>   -?, --help                 Show this help message
>   --usage                    Display brief usage message
>   --version                  Display version information
>   --license                  Display licensing information
>   --reference                Open MSDN reference for ShellExecute
> 
> With thanks to MSDN: 
> <http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/shellcc/platform/Shell/reference/functions/shellexecute.asp> 
> 
> 
> Please report any bugs to <cygwin_start@mscha.org>.
> 



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