How to do things
AI Noob vs. Pro

List biggest files
List newest files
Show subdir sizes
Search in files
Replace word in files
List dir differences
Send files in LAN

Free Open Source:

Swiss File Knife

a command line
multi function tool.

remove tabs
list dir sizes
find text
filter lines
find in path
collect text
instant ftp or
http server
file transfer
send text
patch text
patch binary
run own cmd
convert crlf
dup file find
md5 lists
fromto clip
hexdump
split files
list latest
compare dirs
save typing
trace http
echo colors
head & tail
dep. listing
find classes
speed shell
zip search
zip dir list

Depeche View
Source Research
First Steps

windows GUI
automation

command line
file encryption

free external tools,
zero install effort,
usb stick compliant:

zip and unzip
diff and merge
reformat xml
reformat source

cpp sources

log tracing
mem tracing
hexdump
using printf

articles

embedded
stat. c array
stat. java array
var. c array
var. java array
view all text
as you type
surf over text
find by click
quick copy
multi view
find nearby
fullscreen
bookmarks
find by path
expressions
location jump
skip accents
clip match
filter lines
edit text
highlight
load filter
hotkey list
receive text
send in C++
send in Java
smooth scroll
touch scroll
fly wxWidgets
fly over Qt
search Java

how to turn your Windows Command Prompt (CMD.exe) into a powerful tool.
By default, the Windows command line is not well configured: not enough lines of scrollback, no QuickEdit mode, etc., therefore many people don't use it. but with a few steps, some how-to-use knowledge, and tools like swiss file knife and depeche view, working with the command line is faster than anything else.
Configure the Windows Command Prompt this way:

  1. create a command line shortcut on your desktop:

  - over Start/Programs/Accessories/Command Prompt,
 press right mouse button, then select Copy.
  - go to an empty place on the desktop.
  - select Paste.

  2. on the new desktop shortcut, press right mouse button,
then select Properties.

  3. in the Command Prompt Properties, set
  - Options: activate QuickEdit and Insert mode.
  - Font   : select 7 x 12
  - Layout : Screen buffer size: Width 160, Height 3000
          Window size       : Width 160, Height   30
4. close Properties by clicking OK. 5. double-click on the Command Prompt icon to open a shell. Now you have a well configured power shell: - any command output is remembered up to 3000 lines, so even with long directory listings, you can always scroll back. - you may select any text you see with the left mouse button, then click right button to copy the text to clipboard. - once you copied something to clipboard, click right button again to paste text from clipboard. this way you can copy/paste file- names very quickly in the command prompt, running file copies etc. much faster than by any explorer click-around. - to pause a program that dumps output to the shell, do a dummy-select of text with the left mouse button. to continue program execution, press right button, or enter. Automatic Command Completion Question: how do you enter the directory VeryMuchToTypeFooBarSystem ? Answer 1: type "cd verymuchtotypefoobarsystem" this is actually what most users do, and it's a waste of time. Answer 2: type "cd very" and then press the TAB key. since Windows XP, command completion is default. Under Win98, completion it is NOT default, but can be activated through regedit: set the registry entry
HKEY_CURRENT_USER
Software
Microsoft
Command Processor
CompletionChar
to value 9 which is the code of the TAB key.
Using the free Swiss File Knife Now that you're on the command line level, have a look at the multi-function tool sfk and the realtime text viewer depeche view, and experience how power searching and processing of whole directory trees can boost up your daily work.