Executor is a small program that you can use to replace the windows "run" dialog box. Free, accessible, convenient and highly useful, read on for what I do with it.
Dated: Monday, January 14, 2008.
As many of you will know, windows "run" allows you to "Type the name of a program, folder, document, or Internet resource, and Windows will open it for you." This means you can enter a web address, a file or folder on your system, and have it opened.
Run, however, has several shortcomings. you generally need to enter the full path to a program, unless it's specified on your command path or has a shortcut in the registry. there's no easy way to add programs with quick keywords - for instance, if you use a program frequently, you might want to have a short word (or even a few letters) to type, rather than the whole path name. Furthermore, there are no parameters. What could be more useful than opening up your run box and typing "google Randy laptop" to have Google search launch in a separate window? Apply this logic to other websites that you might use (such as Wikipedia, dictionary.com and Amazon), and you can surely see the benefits of such rapid access to information.
Executor offers you all this and more. Auto-Completion is always active, and you can determine the order in which it gives you choices. For instance suppose you'd launched Google with a specific search, and then wanted to run a file on your USB flash drive (under drive G:). Does Executor offer your old Google search as soon as you press g? Does it just populate the box with the word "google", ready for a brand new search? or does it try to match the file or folder you're looking for? You decide - it's your choice. of course the point soon becomes moot, because as soon as you specify a colon after the g, the google searches are no longer an option and it's clear you're opening a file, rather than a web page. But this is just one more example of the time Executor can save you.
Executor can add items from your control panel and start menu to its keyword list, or you can do it yourself for the programs you use most often. I did it that way and can't remember the last time I even accessed my start menu or desktop. Windows+r is simply a keystroke away, with all the power of Executor behind it.
of course there are more features than I've mentioned - the built-in calculator, for instance. You can decide for yourself if you like Executor - but I certainly give it a wholehearted recommendation.
Executor's homePage is Http://executor.dk
Hits: 4,703.