Start, Run vs. Command Prompt

  • Thread starter Thread starter Swifty
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Swifty said:
"Start", "Run…", "conf" opens NetMeeting

Typing "conf" in the Command Prompt just says that "conf" is
not known.

So, how does "Run" know where to look?
See: http://www.swiftys.org.uk/HowDoesItKnow.html
Click to expand...

I'm not sure there's a question here, but if there is, here's
an answer.

As long as there is a subkey for the program under this
registry key, it can be launched from the Run box.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App
Paths

I believe the Command Prompt relies on entries in the Path
Environmental Variable. Enter Path in a command prompt window
to see what those entries are.

Good luck

Nepatsfan
 
From http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb776871.aspx

<excerpt>

Application Registration

When the ShellExecute function is provided with the name of an executable file in its lpFile parameter, there are several places that it can look in an attempt to find the file, including the following:

The current working directory
The Windows directory (no subdirectories are searched)
The Windows\System32 directory
Directories listed in the PATH environment variable
The App Paths registry key

The order that those locations are searched varies, though the App Paths key is preferred in Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1). The keys found under App Paths are used primarily for the following two purposes.

</excerpt>


--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


"Start", "Run…", "conf" opens NetMeeting

Typing "conf" in the Command Prompt just says that "conf" is not known.

So, how does "Run" know where to look?
See: http://www.swiftys.org.uk/HowDoesItKnow.html
 
Additionally, typing "start conf.exe" from Command Prompt should work also. The "Start" command-line uses the shellexecute.
--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


From http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb776871.aspx

<excerpt>

Application Registration

When the ShellExecute function is provided with the name of an executable file in its lpFile parameter, there are several places that it can look in an attempt to find the file, including the following:

The current working directory
The Windows directory (no subdirectories are searched)
The Windows\System32 directory
Directories listed in the PATH environment variable
The App Paths registry key

The order that those locations are searched varies, though the App Paths key is preferred in Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1). The keys found under App Paths are used primarily for the following two purposes.

</excerpt>


--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


"Start", "Run…", "conf" opens NetMeeting

Typing "conf" in the Command Prompt just says that "conf" is not known.

So, how does "Run" know where to look?
See: http://www.swiftys.org.uk/HowDoesItKnow.html
 
Ramesh said:
Additionally, typing "start conf.exe" from Command Prompt should work
also. The "Start" command-line uses the shellexecute.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I hadn't come across "App Paths" before, and the "Start"
mechanism will work fine for me, as I always have a command window open.
In fact, I can get away with just "start conf", which saves me a few
keystrokes (I deduced this as I could click "Start" "Run..." and enter
just "conf").
 
You're welcome Steve.

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows Shell/User]
Windows® Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Swifty said:
Additionally, typing "start conf.exe" from Command Prompt should work
also. The "Start" command-line uses the shellexecute.
Click to expand...

Thanks, I hadn't come across "App Paths" before, and the "Start"
mechanism will work fine for me, as I always have a command window open.
In fact, I can get away with just "start conf", which saves me a few
keystrokes (I deduced this as I could click "Start" "Run..." and enter
just "conf").
 
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