Firing up programs by pressing [Windows R] and typing an alias is a very fast way of launching some applications in the Windows operating system. The selection of available aliases, that is something like [cmd] or [regedit] is rather limited and there is no obvious way of adding new aliases to the list. That’s being changed with the AddToRun program that provides an easy to use interface to add new aliases to the run dialog.
There is not really much to explain about the interface itself. It consists of two elements. The first is being used to browse the local computer system to select a file. The second to select an alias for that file that will be added to the operating system. One nice effect of this procedure is that the program does not need to be running after the alias has been added. Removing an alias on the other hand is not as straightforward as the program does not keep track of the added aliases. This means the only way to remove one is to pick the file again and select the remove button instead of the add button.
The new alias is immediately active and will from then on launch the selected file in the run dialog window. AddTorun (via Addictive Tips) is a portable software application that is a great help for users who do not like to add shortcuts to a system path. That’s another valid option to add files as a run alias as every shortcut in a system path folder can be executed from the run dialog.
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Couldn’t you just add a shortcut to any of the directories listed in $PATH ? :-O Though of course, just as in *nix it’s prioritized in the order they are listed.
yes you can :)
very good piece of software thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
CMD and REGEDIT aren’t aliases; they’re in the default Windows path.
You can use Executor – http://executor.dk which provides much better functionality
Launchy is still the ONLY way to go IMO.
Why use launchy if you don’t have to? Why does every Launchy user think that they’ve discovered the golden command line? The run prompt is preferable for people who don’t want yet another 3rd party app sitting in their tray. Nice pick, easier to use than adding to $PATH.
Here’s an oldie but goodie, a free app that does like AddToRun but with a few extra options, plus you have a list view of EVERY entry that exists on your system. I know it doesn’t say anything about working on Vista, but it does as i have used it for quite a while now.
Check it out here http://www.izoxzone.com/product/app/ap/index.htm