CMD.exe replacement [closed]

Solution 1:

Edited: I've been using ConEmu (http://conemu.github.io/) for quite some time now. This one is a wrapper too, since it is not really possible to replace the Windows console without rewriting the whole command interpreter. Below the line is my original answer for an earlier alternative.


Not exactly a replacement (actually, it's a prettifying wrapper) but you might try Console (http://sourceforge.net/projects/console/)

Solution 2:

I've been using JPSoft's products a long time (starting back with 4OS2 and 4DOS), and currently use Take Command 9. It works with existing batch files, has it's own improvements on top, a tabbed interface, and filename coloring options.

Looks like their site is having some problems right now, but you can find them at: http://jpsoft.com/

Solution 3:

I use Take Command 9.0. I have used JPSoft's products for years. It has a tabbed interface. I have Take Command start with Take Command, Powershell, and CMD.exe each in their own tab. It doesn't do syntax highlighting. Take Command is syntactically compatible with CMD.exe and enhances each command quite a bit and adds many more.

PowerShell isn't a complete replacement for CMD.exe or Take Command. I find myself using both. You might ask why I would still use CMD.exe and it is because I will use Take Command to test a batch file that is limited to commands that work in CMD.exe and I then need to deploy the batch file on a workstation/server that doesn't have Take Command on it. I can create/test in Take Command and then verify it works in CMD.exe before deploying it.

I don't know of any IDE's that provide Intellisense for batch files specifically. If they did it would only be for a few keywords anyway. Most of the time in batch files you are running commands that are external to the batch language and wouldn't be included in the Intellisense.

I use Textpad to edit my batch files. Take Command has a debugger and it has logging capabilities which makes it very easy to test your batch files.

Solution 4:

PowerCmd is a trial-ware wrapper for cmd.exe and costs 30$

It offers:

  • tabs
  • a "normal" selection mode
  • copy'n'paste
  • highlighting
  • auto complete
  • buttons to start Python, Powershell and others

Solution 5:

If you want a more feature-rich UI for Powershell, try PowerGUI.

http://powergui.org/index.jspa