Managing Windows commands is a very important feature of the operating system. Thanks to it, the user controls the PC, can identify and stop processes that do not meet the tasks, collect information about the machine on the network and transmit it in HTML format. The capabilities of control shells simplify and automate tedious and repetitive tasks, create scripts, and combine several teams.
Controls
The command control is a child window that the application uses to enable user interaction. The controls are used in dialog boxes and provide the user with a way to enter text, select options, and initiate actions. They offer many services, for example, choose teams, view status, edit text.
A list of all command control elements, including a link to a full overview and reference information for each element, is in the documentation of the operating system. Some predefined window classes are intended to be used as user interface elements. They are known as "standard Windows controls" and "common elements." The use of these user interface controls is documented in the target categories, and not based on the management of API commands.
Standard controls
Standard controls are implemented in USER32.DLL (formerly USER.EXE) and then (Win XP +), subclassed by COMCTL32.DLL for the appearance of Luna. They are present by default and do not require initialization; they are available with versions of Windows 2, ListBox and ComboBox with Win 3. Static elements of the command management system work without user interaction.
Consider the sample code for creating a shortcut. The Static Control label must be a child of another window (main or child). To create it, you need to call CreateWindow with the STATIC class and optional parameters. Below is the basic code to create.
Static control of a control panel command is a child window that displays text, a bitmap, or icon. Static controls cannot be selected and do not receive focus from the keyboard. They operate using SS_NOTIFY, which allows you to control click and double-click detection with the parent WM_NOTIFY event. The label is placed in front of the control it refers to. Pressing Alt + Hotkey will automatically switch focus to the next possible command task control without a line of code.
Shortcuts are also used to display the corresponding physical device in single-line editing, and never act as a label, so the logical order of Z is not important. The SS_NOPREFIX style bit is used to avoid problems with the ampersand character (&).
General controls
They have been functioning since version 3, and are constantly changing both in functionality and in appearance. When using Win XP Luna style or new, standard controls are classified by the comctl32.dll code, which is a more automated option. The functionality of the Common Controls DLL depends on the version of Internet Explorer installed. Using Common Controls requires a link to comctl32.lib, including commctrl.h.
Some controls work by default, others require initialization with InitCommonControlsEx (). It depends on the OS, so it makes sense to call InitCommonControlsEx () with the right bits for the controls that the application needs. This function loads the library when the user refers to any Common Controls function, for example, CreateToolBar during DLL loading.
The dialog resource template, first introduced in Windows 2.0, reserves space for the names of user classes if they are not standard elements of the control unit of the STATIC, BUTTON, EDIT, LISTBOX, COMBOBOX, or SCROLLBAR commands. The photo below shows how to create a child window using CreateWindowEx ().
Windows Command Prompt
The command shell is known as cmd.exe command line or just cmd. It has been at the core of the MS-DOS operating system since the 1980s, it allows the user to interact directly with the OS and provides an environment for launching applications and various utilities, displaying the output in the same window. Using the cmd shell, scripts are created, edited and saved in batch files to solve automation tasks in single-system frames. This shell is not intended for remote administration.
After many years of changes in the Windows operating system, Microsoft still retains this tool, guided by the desire to help experienced users and system administrators in their work. It is in this context that the cmd management tool is especially important, because it allows you to run diagnostic and repair tools of the OS, simply by writing the appropriate command to control the Windows computer.
PowerShell
This is a command shell and scripting language provided for system administration tasks. It is built on top of the .NET platform, which is a software platform developed by Microsoft in 2002. PowerShell commands help you manage your Windows infrastructure and allow the user to remotely access the registry, file system, and management tool (WMI).
In addition, PowerShell creates complex scripts with several conditions to execute computer control commands. As mentioned earlier, cmd is a very old tool that was never intended for remote system administration. Extending functionality requires additional utilities, such as Microsoft Sysinternals PsExec.
PowerShell provides many cmdlets to simplify system administration tasks, supports automation of a wide range of tasks, such as administering Active Directory, managing users and permissions, and retrieving security configuration data. In addition, PowerShell now supports Linux.
Choosing Administration Layouts
There are many reasons why Windows PowerShell replaced the default command line in Windows 10 and was first installed in XP. Most cmd commands work well in PowerShell. Microsoft wanted to simplify the life of system administrators, so it created PowerShell command-line aliases that interpret old DOS commands.
Managing the operating system with cmd is more familiar to users. However, it is more convenient to run it with PowerShell, since a special environment is used to test scripts. In addition, PowerShell is a lively language with a strong community, ready to help those who write computer scripts. For beginners who want to start working with the shell, there is a tutorial to help you learn the basics of creating scripts and code.
Control Panel
It is part of Microsoft Windows, which allows the user to change various computer hardware and software features.
Since the introduction of Microsoft Windows 95, PU has undergone changes, including the ability to add, rename, and delete available icons and enter categories to help organize it.
On Windows 7, 8, and 10, use the search in the upper right corner of the control panel window to find the area that you want to configure. You can also use the Win search on the taskbar to find options and tools available through the Windows command bar.
In new versions of Windows, they customize the display of the control panel by changing the "View" in the upper right corner of the panel from the category of icon options to display them as a single character instead of broken down by category.
In Windows 10 and 8, Microsoft is trying to disconnect users from using the panel in favor of Win settings, but PU is still available in all versions.
On Windows 7 and 10, some options have a screen next to the links (), and UAC will ask for permission if the settings are changed.
Appearance and personalization
It is displayed when viewing the PU in the form of categories that change the appearance of Win, including setting the theme, screen saver and taskbar.
The list of "Appearance and Personalization" subcategories in Windows 10:
- Navigation - changes the way the taskbar is displayed or hidden, location, icons and other parameters.
- Access Center - Provides access to settings that simplify Windows for users.
- Use a computer without a mouse or keyboard.
- Configure alternative input devices.
- Adjust settings for mouse or other pointing devices.
- Customization of the keyboard, alternative sounds, parameters for reading and input.
- Customization for touch and tablets.
- Change font settings.
- NVIDIA Control Panel. For computers with these graphics cards gives access to the control panel.
Microsoft DOS Management Teams
Microsoft Windows users open the PU and their items from the command line.
The team is external and available on the following Microsoft operating systems:
- Windows 95
- Windows 98
- Windows ME
- Windows NT
- Windows 2000
- Windows XP
- Vista
- Windows 7, 8, 10.
Types of teams.
Team | 95/98 / ME | NT | 2000 / XP | Vista / 7 | 8/10 | Information |
Control Admins | not | not | Yes | Yes | Yes | Opens the Microsoft Windows Administration Tools window |
Desktop management | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Windows XP and earlier versions opens the properties window for Win, Vista and later versions, includes the Microsoft Windows Personalization window |
Color management | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | For Windows XP and earlier, the Microsoft Win Properties window opens with the Appearance tab open. For Win, Vista, and later, the Microsoft Windows Personalization window opens. |
Date and Time Control | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Opens the Microsoft Windows Date and Time Properties window. |
Management folders | not | not | Yes | Yes | Yes | Opens Microsoft Win folder options |
Control fonts | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Opens the Microsoft Win Fonts folder |
Infrared port control | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Opens the Microsoft Windows infrared folder, if available |
International control standard | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Opens Microsoft Win Regional Settings Window |
Control keyboard | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Opens the Microsoft Windows Keyboard Properties window |
Control mouse | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Opens the Microsoft Windows Mouse Properties window |
Control Network Connections | not | not | Yes | Yes | Yes | Opens the Microsoft Win Network and Dial-up Connections window |
Control network | not | not | Yes | Yes | Yes | Opens the Microsoft Windows Netware window, if installed and available |
Control Panel | not | not | Yes | Yes | Yes | Opens the Microsoft Windows Control Panel |
Control printers | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Opens the Microsoft Windows Printers window |
Control schedules | not | not | Yes | Yes | Yes | Opens the Microsoft Wins Schedule task window |
Control Telephony | not | not | Yes | Yes | Yes | Opens Win Location Information Window |
User Password Management | not | not | Yes | Yes | Yes | Opens the Windows Users and Passwords windows. |
Icon Editing
Users using Windows ME, XP or later can configure the control panel to display icons in the classic view or edit it using programs such as TweakUI. After installing the application, uncheck the boxes from the icons that do not need to be displayed in the "Control Panel" section.
Users add a PU icon by installing the program associated with the icon. If this does not lead to the installation of the icon, perform the following steps:
- Reinstall the software or hardware device associated with the program.
- Copy the required CPL file back to the computer.
- Manually copy, expand, and extract the .cpl file back to the Windows System or System 32 directory.
- If the software or hardware device does not have a .cpl file associated with it, the program will not create an icon on the remote control.
Manual Testing Tips
Testing or running the Win Control Panel .cpl file does one of the following:
- Manually execute the CPL files by typing control> .cpl file name> .cpl or using the rundll32 file to open the icons of the launcher.
- Open the "Date / Time Properties" window using the rundll32 file, or launch an alternative .cpl file, replace TimeDate.cpl with another .cpl file rundll32.exe shell32.dll, Control_RunDLL TimeDate.cpl.
- If you need to remove the icon from the display on the control panel, delete or move it, edit the control.ini file.
- Remove Win PU icons using the Microsoft Find utility. Users define .cpl files on the computer.
As you can see, the process of managing Microsoft Windows commands is not complicated. The manufacturer made sure that the ways to perform basic Windows tasks were clear to a large number of users, offering them several options: from command line control to working on the keyboard and mouse.
The information presented above is not exhaustive, but the user is fully able to independently understand what the essence of control commands is.