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Quick Command Shells

Windows Command Shellcrap sucks!

In typical usage, to do some command-line junk in a particular directory, the sequence of tasks goes something like this:

  1. Click Start > Run.
  2. Enter “cmd” and click “OK”.
  3. Type in cd.
  4. Open Windows Explorer to the directory in which you need to be (this step alone can take about three and half days).
  5. Copy and paste the directory name from the address bar (or drag the directory’s icon) into the command window and hit enter.
  6. Perform your task.

I want to automate all but the last step.

  1. Create a folder in My Documents named Shells.
  2. Go to SYSTEMROOT\system32 and create a shortcut of CMD.exe. Move the shortcut into your (almost new) Shells directory.
  3. Right-click the shortcut and choose “Properties”.
  4. After the text C:\WINDOWS\system32\cmd.exe, enter /K “cd name of initial directory“. Don’t forget the quotes!
  5. (Optional) Click on the Layout tab. If you have a 1280 × 1024 window, set your Window size to 157 × 48.
  6. Voila!

Now, when you double-click the shortcut, you will have (an optionally maximized) command shell right in the directory you need! No more annoying cd command!

Command Shells Toolbar Of course, to get the full benefit, you will need quick access to your command shortcuts. I like to create a toolbar that points to my shells directory. Right-click the taskbar and choose Toolbar > New Toolbar. Browse to and choose your Shells directory. Then, shove it the far right until just the name and a double-arrow appear. You can then click the double-arrow to have rapid access to your shells.