Adding text to the help command

[Doc Symbiosis]

I posted this already some time ago, but there came no helping answer. Problem is, that I really need this:

I want to add some commands, which I add to system32, e.g. cdburn.exe, to appear in the help-command ( when I type "help" in command line).

Help would greatly appreciated.

[Vadikan]

want to add some commands, which I add to system32, e.g. cdburn.exe

What you are adding are not commands, but command line applications. I think "help" just lists the Windows Command line Interpreter (cmd.exe) commands. Feel the difference?

[EchoNoise]

Impossible!

unless you can decompile and re-compile the help command, i just don't know how it is even possible...

[MHz]

Compile a HelpEx.exe yourself from a cmd file within the zip. Just click on Compile.cmd to compile it and you can add it to the systems path and just type HelpEx to list help information to console. It is low budget Help compared to Help.exe, but may suit your needs.

Download: HelpEx.zip

Edit1:

@VAD

hehe, I guess Attrib, AT, ChkDsk, ChkNTFS, CMD, Compact, Convert, DiskComp, DiskCopy, Find, Format, Graftabl, Label, More, Print, Recover, Sort, Tree, XCopy and some of the other items listed in Help are only internal commands ? Those mentioned are command line applications. Feel the difference ?

Edit2:

I decided to implement the idea for my commandline tools in the systems path. It makes remembering what I have available....easier.

Picture

Edit3:

New File Host link.

Edited December 24, 2005 by MHz

[Vadikan]

@MHz

Those mentioned are command line applications. Feel the difference ?

Oh, yeah, I do Thanks for pointing out. I admit I've never paid much attention to it.

[Doc Symbiosis]

Thanks a lot for the replies. It's exactly what, I was looking for. And yes, I see the difference, but I nice to have a possibility to see, which command line aplications are available on the system.

[Doc Symbiosis]

While playing a little, I came through another question: Is it possible to overwriter the normal standard help.exe. I tried, even during installation, but the original file is always restored. Is it possible to overwrite the help command anyhow?

[MHz]

Create a cmd file and have the new Help.exe next to the cmd and execute.

Del /q %SystemRoot%\System32\DllCache\Help.exe
Del /q %SystemRoot%\System32\Help.exe
Copy /y Help.exe %SystemRoot%\System32\Help.exe
pause

The pause is just so you can see the result.

A few seconds later, Windows will ask about inserting the Windows CD to restore the file, so just click cancel.

[Yzöwl]

or I suppose...

COPY HELP.EXE %SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32\DLLCACHE
COPY HELP.EXE %SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32

[MHz]

Nice Yzöwl, but the new Help.exe in DllCache would be useless ? You made me review my batch and realize my 2nd line is perhaps useless as the 3rd line overwrites anyway without prompt.

I think yours should be to delete 1st in dllcache then overwrite with the 2nd but you forgot the /y so you may get the prompt ?

Your examples of DOS helps to expand my knowledge, thanks.

[Yzöwl]

If the new copy of the help.exe isn't required in the dllcache directory then

DEL %SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32\DLLCACHE\HELP.EXE&&COPY HELP.EXE %SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32

The /Y should only be required if the command isn't invoked from a batch file. People do tend to mistake the /Q switch for DELETE as meaning quiet which is incorrect and should not be necessary in this case.

However if you were unsure about the files attributes you could go with

DEL /A %SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32\DLLCACHE\HELP.EXE&&COPY HELP.EXE %SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32

[MHz]

People do tend to mistake the /Q switch for DELETE as meaning quiet which is incorrect and should not be necessary in this case.

agreed. it is meant for global wildcards. *

However if you were unsure about the files attributes you could go with

DEL /A %SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32\DLLCACHE\HELP.EXE&© HELP.EXE %SYSTEMROOT%\SYSTEM32

Hmm, you lost me here. /A is for specifing an Attribute. If you do not not want to specify an attribute then why use /A ? i.e /A:H for hidden files. Perhaps your using /A when you do not need to ?

[Yzöwl]

The /A switch without additional attributes is 'non-documented'

If you try to delete any file at the command line which has System File attributes of (S) you will get an error message Could Not Find Drive:\Folder\SubFolder\file.ext

If you use DEL /A:S file.ext and file.ext happens not to be a system file you will just get the Could Not Find Drive:\Folder\SubFolder\file.ext message again.

The /A switch alone will prevent these scenarios in both cases and save you having to use the alternative method of

ATTRIB -S file.ext&&DEL file.ext

Edited December 23, 2005 by Yzöwl

[yoz7120]

@MHz tried downloading HelpEx.zip and its been removed can you please upload it again.

Thanks

[MHz]

@Yzöwl

Thanks for defining the /A switch. Nice to know it has that capability.

@yoz7120

Well that file hosting was awfully short . Uploaded to a different host, hopefully for a longer period this time.