AppPaths entries can be aliases

[vefatica]

I didn't know this but the name of a subkey of "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths" need not be the name of an existing app. There is no VS22.EXE here but there is this AppPaths entry.

v:\> regdir /v /d HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\VS22.EXE

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\VS22.EXE

   : REG_SZ : C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE\devenv.exe

  Path : REG_SZ : C:\Program Files\Microsoft Visual Studio\2022\Community\Common7\IDE

And "VS22" at the TCC prompt or the Run dialog (Win+R) starts visual studio.

 

[Joe Caverly]

Indeed.

TinyC is started by running tcc.exe.

Which is why I have it set in App Paths as tnyc.exe

E:\Utils>regdir /v /d HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppPaths\tnyc.exe
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\tnyc.exe
   : REG_SZ : E:\Program Files\tcc\tcc.exe

tnyc.exe does not exist as a file on my system.

Joe

 

[vefatica]

What's special about running TCC like that?

 

[Joe Caverly]

Tcc.exe is the executable name for Take Command Console, and for Tiny C Compiler.

Tnyc.exe differentiates between the two.

I could have just used a Take Command alias instead.

Joe

 

[AnrDaemon]

Do note that it won't work everywhere transparently. But it's a really good way to extend reachability of your apps without clogging your %PATH% with one-shot destinations.

Hint: A subkey value of the apppaths entry named "path" will prepend its value to %PATH% variable before starting the application. Use that wisely.