Welcome!

By registering with us, you'll be able to discuss, share and private message with other members of our community.

SignUp Now!

Unable to Specify INI File

Jay Sage

Jay Sage

Jun
570
4
When I run the following command (from TCC or even CMD)

tcmd.exe @c:\temp\tcmd17.ini​

TCMD starts up, but the ini file is nevertheless the default file

C:\Users\Jay\AppData\Local\JPSoft\TCMD.INI​

What am I doing wrong? I think I am following what is written in the help files for specifying a custom INI file.

-- Jay
 
This works here, from Start\Run and also from a TCC prompt.
Code: 
v:\> g:\tc17\tcmd @g:\tc11\TCMD.INI
 
Vince,

How do you know that it worked? I'm finding the situation somewhat confusing. When I did some edits using the Options tab, they seem to have appeared in the specified INI file, but the variable _ininame shows the default name. So maybe the problem is with the _ininame variable.

-- Jay

P. S. No, I just tried deleting the INI file in the default directory and running the command with the specified directory, and it came up in the mode for no INI file. So there is definitely something wrong here. It's also not a new problem. I had it at least with version 16. I just gave up and let TCMD use the default INI file. It is annoying, though, when one is trying to run two different versions of TCMD.
 
Jay Sage said:
How do you know that it worked? I'm finding the situation somewhat confusing. When I did some edits using the Options tab, they seem to have appeared in the specified INI file, but the variable _ininame shows the default name. So maybe the problem is with the _ininame variable.
Click to expand...

%_ININAME returns the name of the .INI file used by TCC.
 
I know it worked because TCMD17 started with TCC11 in a tab. No doubt the v11 ini file I specified named TCC11 as comspec.
 
Rex, with each new version for ten years I've been expecting you to scuttle the .INI file and move everything into the registry. So far, you've lost me every bet.
 
Charles Dye said:
Rex, with each new version for ten years I've been expecting you to scuttle the .INI file and move everything into the registry. So far, you've lost me every bet.
Click to expand...

Whenever the subject has been broached, a significant percentage of users go berserk and demands that the ini directives stay in a file.

However, *some* stuff is in the registry -- the TCMD window positions, autohide status, menu customizations, etc.
 
Thanks to all who pointed out the TCMD and TCC don't automatically use the same INI file. That solved my problem. It was a bit messy to get everything working, but I seem to have succeeded now.

Rex, is there any reason why each version of TCMD/TCC could not by default use an INI file with the version number in it? That would make life easier for those of us trying to run two different versions.

-- Jay
 
TCMD17.INI, TCMD18.INI, TCMD19.INI, ... (with TCMD.INI as a fallback) ... all in APPDATA (which I don't use) ... seems reasonable.

OTOH, Jay, if you put the INI files in the install directories, each version would have its own default.
 
Rex,

Sorry. I forgot that you have to read a lot of messages and would not remember all the background in this thread. I meant that version 17 of TCMD and TCC should, by default, use TCMD17.INI. Version 18 would use TCMD18.INI.

Vince, are you saying that TCMD and TCC would look first in the directory where tcmd.exe and tcc.exe are located, before looking in the APPDATA area? That would solve the problem, but it appeared to me that TCMD created its INI files in the APPDATA area. I'll experiment now to see what happens if I copy my TCMD17.INI in the APPDATA area to TCMD.INI in the "C:\Program Files\JPSoft\TCMD17x64" directory.

-- Jay
 
The help says this (which raises a question, see below).

When starting Take Command or a Take Command Console(TCC) shell:

If there is an @d:\path\inifile option on the startup command line, Take Command will use the path and file name specified there.

Otherwise, the default TCMD.INI file name is used, and the search starts in the directory where the Take Command program file is stored. If the .INI file is not found, Take Command will look in the %LOCALAPPDATA% directory.

If no .INI file is found, all options are set to their default values. A new .INI file will be created, using the default location and name, as explained above.
Click to expand...

Question: "Default location" ??? A default location is not mentioned. Considering that it looks **FIRST** in TCMD.EXE's directory, I'd consider that the default location. But, in fact, if no INI file is available, TCMD creates it in %LOCALAPPDATA.

It'd probably be a good idea if the help was more specific and mentioned %LOCALAPPDATA\JPSoft.

So, Jay, yes, it looks in first in the directory where the EXEs are. I have an ancient TCMD.INI in the appdata tree; it never gets used.

Another question: If the INI file were in, say, "C:\Program Files\JPSoft\TCMD17x64" would TCC/TCMD, unelevated, be able to modify it if the default permissions were in place?
 
vefatica said:
Another question: If the INI file were in, say, "C:\Program Files\JPSoft\TCMD17x64" would TCC/TCMD, unelevated, be able to modify it if the default permissions were in place?
Click to expand...

Yes it would be able to modify - but there would be a copy in %LocalAppData%\VirtualStore\
 
Charles G said:
Yes it would be able to modify - but there would be a copy in %LocalAppData%\VirtualStore\
Click to expand...
Ah so! ... Windows smoke and mirrors.

Moving from X86 to X64 (if/when I do) on a system where 95% of my software is 32-bit should take that to a new level.
 
vefatica said:
Question: "Default location" ??? A default location is not mentioned. Considering that it looks **FIRST** in TCMD.EXE's directory, I'd consider that the default location. But, in fact, if no INI file is available, TCMD creates it in %LOCALAPPDATA.
Click to expand...

It is documented; see "Locating the TCMD.INI File" in the "Initialization (.INI) Files" topic.
 
rconn said:
It is documented; see "Locating the TCMD.INI File" in the "Initialization (.INI) Files" topic.
Click to expand...
How am I to gather that %LOCALAPPDATA is the default location?
Locating the TCMD.INI File

When starting Take Command or a Take Command Console(TCC) shell:

If there is an @d:\path\inifile option on the startup command line, Take Command will use the path and file name specified there.

Otherwise, the default TCMD.INI file name is used, and the search starts in the directory where the Take Command program file is stored. If the .INI file is not found, Take Command will look in the %LOCALAPPDATA% directory.

If no .INI file is found, all options are set to their default values. A new .INI file will be created, using the default location and name, as explained above.
Click to expand...
 
I am using TC 32.10 on Windows 11.
I cannot find tcmd.ini file in the directory when TC program is stored nor in any Local App Data. The only place where I could find it is C:\Users\All Users\JP Software\Take Command 32 directory. I have no contribution in creating so many directories. However :
  • I found no way to save something in that ini file when using Options, even when pressing OK ; I have tried to do that also by copying that ini file in the program directory
  • I cannot use my old btm files (by old meaning used before with Windows 10) in an TCC window - always the btm file is opening in Terminal window. I am accessing the btm file through the shortcut created by OS, as before Windows 11.
  • I do not know how to use the settings for a custom Command Prompt window as they do change nothing. For example I used the following settings :
X : 200 Y: 200 Width : 800 Height: 600. Maybe it is a wrong option.

I am confused. Any idea will help.
Thank you
 
If you open the OPTION dialog and look at the title bar, it should tell you where the .INI file is stored. Or use echo %_ininame

Whether new consoles open in Windows Terminal or the traditional console window is controlled by Windows, not by TCMD.INI or anything in Take Command.
 
Charles Dye said:
If you open the OPTION dialog and look at the title bar, it should tell you where the .INI file is stored. Or use echo %_ininame

Whether new consoles open in Windows Terminal or the traditional console window is controlled by Windows, not by TCMD.INI or anything in Take Command.
Click to expand...
Using echo %_ininame : C:\ProgramData\JP Software\Take Command 32\TCMD.INI
This is the fourth directory but I found indeed an updated ini file. Thank you.

How could I avoid Windows control of a console ? Is it enough to point to the correct tcmd.ini file address ? The btm file is changing comspec to tcc, but after it is opened. I have tried to create a new terminal console by using tcc but no effect.

Thank you
 
I don't have Windows 11, but I believe that if you open a "real" console (not Windows Terminal) and open the system menu (Alt-Space) and go to "Defaults", then to the "Terminal" tab, you will find a "Default Terminal Application" setting. If opening a real console is difficult, you should be able to do so by executing c:\windows\system32\conhost.exe.

On Windows 10, I have only two options for "Default Terminal Application" ... "Windows Console Host" and "Let Windows Decide". You may have more options.
 
Again, that's not controlled by Take Command. But you can access it in Windows Terminal: Settings -> Startup -> Default Terminal Application. On my system it's set to "Let Windows decide" and that seems to work well for me. But you can also set it to force either "Windows Console Host" (the traditional console) or Windows Terminal (the new one).
 
I get the console host. I assume there must be some circumstance where "Let Windows decide" picks Windows Terminal instead, but I haven't figured out when that might happen.
 
Would there be any issue with starting TCC/TCMD by using conhost.exe explicitly?

Example:
Code: 
conhost.exe tcc.exe

I've done this before,
and have not experienced anything unusual.

Joe
 
Joe Caverly said:
Would there be any issue with starting TCC/TCMD by using conhost.exe explicitly?

Example:
Code: 
conhost.exe tcc.exe

I've done this before,
and have not experienced anything unusual.

Joe
Click to expand...
You can also use the OpenConsole.exe (from WindowsTerminal) in the same way and to the same effect (a console). It might have more features than conhost.exe. I'd use it if it didn't have white scroll bars (while Windows has a dark theme).
 
Thanks @vefatica,
I'm going to run TCC.EXE with OpenConsole.exe for a few days,
and see if I have any problems.

I'm using the OpenConsole.exe from VS2022, as it is newer.

Joe
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top
[FOX] Ultimate Translator
Translate