"Start", "Run…", "conf" opens NetMeeting

Typing "conf" in the Command Prompt just says that "conf" is not known.

So, how does "Run" know where to look?
See: http://www.swiftys.org.uk/HowDoesItKnow.html

Swifty <Steve.J.Sw***@gmail.com> wrote:
I'm not sure there's a question here, but if there is, here's
an answer.

As long as there is a subkey for the program under this
registry key, it can be launched from the Run box.

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App
Paths

I believe the Command Prompt relies on entries in the Path
Environmental Variable. Enter Path in a command prompt window
to see what those entries are.

Good luck

Nepatsfan

From http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb776871.aspx

<excerpt>

Application Registration

When the ShellExecute function is provided with the name of an executable file in its lpFile parameter, there are several places that it can look in an attempt to find the file, including the following:

The current working directory
The Windows directory (no subdirectories are searched)
The Windows\System32 directory
Directories listed in the PATH environment variable
The App Paths registry key

The order that those locations are searched varies, though the App Paths key is preferred in Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1). The keys found under App Paths are used primarily for the following two purposes.

</excerpt>


"Start", "Run…", "conf" opens NetMeeting

Typing "conf" in the Command Prompt just says that "conf" is not known.

So, how does "Run" know where to look?
See: http://www.swiftys.org.uk/HowDoesItKnow.html

Additionally, typing "start conf.exe" from Command Prompt should work also. The "Start" command-line uses the shellexecute.
From http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb776871.aspx

<excerpt>

Application Registration

When the ShellExecute function is provided with the name of an executable file in its lpFile parameter, there are several places that it can look in an attempt to find the file, including the following:

The current working directory
The Windows directory (no subdirectories are searched)
The Windows\System32 directory
Directories listed in the PATH environment variable
The App Paths registry key

The order that those locations are searched varies, though the App Paths key is preferred in Windows XP Service Pack 1 (SP1). The keys found under App Paths are used primarily for the following two purposes.

</excerpt>


"Start", "Run…", "conf" opens NetMeeting

Typing "conf" in the Command Prompt just says that "conf" is not known.

So, how does "Run" know where to look?
See: http://www.swiftys.org.uk/HowDoesItKnow.html

Ramesh, MS-MVP wrote:
Thanks, I hadn't come across "App Paths" before, and the "Start"
mechanism will work fine for me, as I always have a command window open.
In fact, I can get away with just "start conf", which saves me a few
keystrokes (I deduced this as I could click "Start" "Run..." and enter
just "conf").

You're welcome Steve.

Ramesh, MS-MVP wrote:
Thanks, I hadn't come across "App Paths" before, and the "Start"
mechanism will work fine for me, as I always have a command window open.
In fact, I can get away with just "start conf", which saves me a few
keystrokes (I deduced this as I could click "Start" "Run..." and enter
just "conf").

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