What is /w switch in 'cmd /w' for DosBox

[FUBARinSFO]

Hi:

Anybody know what the purpose or effect of the '/w' switch is in [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Directory\shell\DOSBox\command]

@="CMD /w cd \"%1\""

It's not listed as a command-line switch for the Windows XP version of cmd.exe, and I can't see any difference in behavior from simply omitting it.

Thanks.

N.B. The DoxBox registry tweak is presented in "DOSBox in drive and directory context menu" at http://unattended.msfn.org/unattended.xp/v...cfd85aec3658b9/

[Yzöwl]

If you mean the commands as presented here, then I'd suggest it's wrong and should read:

@="CMD /k cd \"%1\""

Basically the /w switch should be a /k switch

However, I think you'd possibly find this better:

@=hex(2):25,00,43,00,4f,00,4d,00,53,00,50,00,45,00,43,00,25,00,20,00,2f,00,6b,\
  00,20,00,70,00,75,00,73,00,68,00,64,00,20,00,25,00,4c,00,00,00

[FUBARinSFO]

Did not know if it was an error or not. But afaik, it needs no switch at all to operate, at least on XP SP2 systems I'm running.

[Yzöwl]

Sorry but the /k switch is needed.

Yes, contrary to popular belief, the window will stay open; but the command will fail.

What you'll actually get is the parent of the directory you right-clicked on not the directory itself!

[FUBARinSFO]

Sorry but the /k switch is needed.

Yes, contrary to popular belief, the window will stay open; but the command will fail.

What you'll actually get is the parent of the directory you right-clicked on not the directory itself!

Interesting, but it turns out you are sort of half-right. Selecting a specific folder on the right pane, you get the parent as you note. But selecting the parent folder on the directory/folder tree on the left pane you get the correct folder view. Adding the /k switch doesn't change this behavior, on my system.

There are several implentations of command prompt here floating around. This one seems to be a little less useful than the others, because of this anomalous behavior.

-- Roy Zider

[Yzöwl]

There are several implentations of command prompt here floating around. This one seems to be a little less useful than the others, because of this anomalous behavior.

Surely your thinking is wrong, the only method working in both panes is the most useful one and that is one using the /k switch. The without switch method your touting is only useful to users working with a left tree pane which isn't often the case. Even the cmdhere.inf file as provided by Microsoft in many of their resource kits uses the /k switch!

[FUBARinSFO]

I don't know what my "way of thinking" has anything to do with this. It's just the way it is, and there are other implementations that seem to do it better. I this particular case, with this particular registry key, the /k switch is either ignored or is irrelevant.

-- Roy Zider

[Yzöwl]

Is there a particular reason why you've chosen to argue about this?

You appear to use your file manager tool with only a two pane system as opposed to the majority of Microsoft Windows users and as a result find the switch pointless. What you therefore mean to say is, 'Due to the way in which I use my PC, the /k switch is irrelevant'.

Microsoft creates the same registry key as do the majority of tweaking websites. The method they employ works for their file explorer, in either pane and also in the third party file managers which utilise the same registry keys. For the majority of Microsoft Windows users, Microsoft, MSFN, a massive number of tweaking websites and more importantly me, recommend a flawless method for general use.

If you'd like to champion some of the 'several implementations' you've come into contact with, I'm sure that I and many of our members would be only to pleased to try them and, as you did, comment accordingly.