rkulp

asked on 3/30/2017

In Windows 10, how do I open a command prompt at a folder with specified foreground and background colors?

In Windows 7 I used the registry to be able to open a command prompt window rooted at a folder using the method given by Honeycutt in Microsoft Windows XP Registry Guide on page 98. The procedure is as follows:

In HKCR\Directory\shell, create the subkey cmdhere
In HKCR\Directory\shell\cmdhere, set the default value to CMD Prompt Here
In HKCR\Directory\shell\cmdhere, create the subkey command
In HKCR\Directory\shell\cmdhere\command, set the default value to C:\Windows\Sustem32\cmd.exe /k cd "%1"

This is repeated in HKCR\Drive. The result is a menu item "CMD Prompt Here" which appears when right clicking a folder. Clicking the menu item opens the command prompt window.

In Windows 10 this opens the window but with the error: "The system cannot find the path specified." and the window opens int the C:\Windows\System32 directory.

I would like to know how to correct this and to use the /t:fg parameter to set the foreground and background colors. (See https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb490880.aspx. ) Using the run capability on the start menu, I have tried every permutation of cmd.exe /k cd "D:\" /t:fg that I can think of (replacing f and g with the correct numbers, including the cd in the quotes, etc.) and always get the same result. Help would be greatly appreciated.

Windows OS

Last Comment

JesterToo

8/22/2022 - Mon

JesterToo

3/30/2017

In Win 10 you can open a cmd prompt at a specific folder by highlighting that folder in file explorer and pressing "shift + right-click". Not sure how you can control the colors, though.

John

3/30/2017

You can change the Command background colour

http://www.intowindows.com/how-to-change-command-prompt-background-color-in-windows-10/

Then save the properties and it should come back in the same colour

JesterToo

3/30/2017

John,
I believe that only changes the colors for the shortcut instance... I already tried that but it doesn't seem to "stick" when using the shift+rightclick method in file explorer. Apparently, it is launching a "clean" version of cmd.exe.

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John

3/30/2017

You might be correct. I use cmd.exe from the start menu, not context or keystrokes.

Shaun Vermaak

3/30/2017

Something I wrote 9 years ago, you can adapt it for one set of colours

Add this to registry

HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Command Processor
AutoRun 
RndColor.bat

Open in new window

Save as RndColor.bat into C:\Windows\System32

@Echo Off

SET rnd=%random%

REM ECHO %rnd:~5,1%
REM ECHO %rnd:~4,1%
REM ECHO %rnd:~3,1%
REM ECHO %rnd:~2,1%
REM ECHO %rnd:~1,1%
REM ECHO %rnd:~0,1%

IF NOT '%rnd:~5,1%'=='' SET rnd1=%rnd:~5,1%& SET rnd2=%rnd:~4,1%& GOTO BUILD
IF NOT '%rnd:~4,1%'=='' SET rnd1=%rnd:~4,1%& SET rnd2=%rnd:~3,1%& GOTO BUILD
IF NOT '%rnd:~3,1%'=='' SET rnd1=%rnd:~3,1%& SET rnd2=%rnd:~2,1%& GOTO BUILD
IF NOT '%rnd:~2,1%'=='' SET rnd1=%rnd:~2,1%& SET rnd2=%rnd:~1,1%& GOTO BUILD
IF NOT '%rnd:~1,1%'=='' SET rnd1=%rnd:~1,1%& SET rnd2=%rnd:~0,1%& GOTO BUILD
IF NOT '%rnd:~0,1%'=='' SET rnd1=%rnd:~0,1%& SET rnd2=0& GOTO BUILD

:BUILD
REM ECHO %rnd%
REM  ECHO %rnd2%%rnd1%

GOTO %rnd2%%rnd1%


Goto END

:00
Color 0A
Goto END

:01
Color 0B
Goto END

:02
Color 0C
Goto END

:03
Color 0D
Goto END

:04
Color 0E
Goto END

:05
Color 1A
Goto END

:06
Color 1B
Goto END

:07
Color 1C
Goto END

:08
Color 1D
Goto END

:09
Color 1E
Goto END

:10
Color 1F
Goto END

:11
Color 27
Goto END

:12
Color 2B
Goto END

:13
Color 2E
Goto END

:14
Color 2F
Goto END

:15
Color 37
Goto END

:16
Color 3A
Goto END

:17
Color 3B
Goto END

:18
Color 3E
Goto END

:19
Color 3F
Goto END

:20
Color 47
Goto END

:21
Color 4A
Goto END

:22
Color 4B
Goto END

:23
Color 4D
Goto END

:24
Color 4E
Goto END

:25
Color 4F
Goto END

:26
Color 57
Goto END

:27
Color 5A
Goto END

:28
Color 5B
Goto END

:29
Color 5C
Goto END

:30
Color 5E
Goto END

:31
Color 60
Goto END

:32
Color 64
Goto END

:33
Color 67
Goto END

:34
Color 69
Goto END

:35
Color 6A
Goto END

:36
Color 6E
Goto END

:37
Color 6F
Goto END

:38
Color 70
Goto END

:39
Color 72
Goto END

:40
Color 74
Goto END

:41
Color 75
Goto END

:42
Color 79
Goto END

:43
Color 7C
Goto END

:44
Color 80
Goto END

:45
Color 84
Goto END

:46
Color 87
Goto END

:47
Color 8E
Goto END

:48
Color 8F
Goto END

:49
Color 97
Goto END

:50
Color 9A
Goto END

:51
Color 9B
Goto END

:52
Color 9E
Goto END

:53
Color 9F
Goto END

:54
Color A0
Goto END

:55
Color A1
Goto END

:56
Color A4
Goto END

:57
Color A9
Goto END

:58
Color AC
Goto END

:59
Color AD
Goto END

:60
Color B0
Goto END

:61
Color B1
Goto END

:62
Color B4
Goto END

:63
Color B5
Goto END

:64
Color B9
Goto END

:65
Color BC
Goto END

:66
Color BD
Goto END

:67
Color C0
Goto END

:68
Color C1
Goto END

:69
Color C5
Goto END

:70
Color C7
Goto END

:71
Color CB
Goto END

:72
Color CE
Goto END

:73
Color CF
Goto END

:74
Color D0
Goto END

:75
Color D1
Goto END

:76
Color D4
Goto END

:77
Color D9
Goto END

:78
Color DA
Goto END

:79
Color DB
Goto END

:80
Color DE
Goto END

:81
Color DF
Goto END

:82
Color E0
Goto END

:83
Color E1
Goto END

:84
Color E2
Goto END

:85
Color E3
Goto END

:86
Color E4
Goto END

:87
Color E5
Goto END

:88
Color E9
Goto END

:89
Color EC
Goto END

:90
Color ED
Goto END

:91
Color F0
Goto END

:92
Color F1
Goto END

:93
Color F2
Goto END

:94
Color F3
Goto END

:95
Color F4
Goto END

:96
Color F5
Goto END

:97
Color F9
Goto END

:98
Color FC
Goto END

:99
Color FD
Goto END

:END
REM cls

Open in new window

Shaun Vermaak

3/30/2017

Here is video of what it does
http://somup.com/cbevqsWV3

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Shaun Vermaak

3/30/2017

So when batch starts check for folder and change colour appropriately

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Qlemo

3/30/2017

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rkulp

3/30/2017

ASKER

Thanks a bunch for your quick replies. Using the run feature on the menu, the cmd.exe /k cd "D:\" does not open the window at D:\. I haven't figured out how to present the t:fg parameter. Everything I've tried fails to work. The shift + right click also fails to open the command window -- it just acts like a right click. I may have caused that with the modifications I did to the register, but it does the same thing on an unmodified computer.
The random colour thing is neat. I'll have to figure that out once I get the window to open at the right directory.

JesterToo

3/30/2017

shift right click...

This worked as advertised for me. Did you have a folder selected when you tried it? It won't work unless you've selected a folder first.

Also, you canselect a folder and click on file to get a submenu that includes "open command prompt" as a option.

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rkulp

3/30/2017

ASKER

I did have a folder selected but not a file. The same behavior occurred on folders in the right hand pane and the left hand pane. I did get the color to work right based on the following link: http://sourcedaddy.com/windows-7/cmd-options.html. So, to get my desired white background with black text I use: cmd.exe /t:F0. I still have to work on getting to the right directory.

rkulp

3/30/2017

ASKER

I got it to work using the following command: C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe /t:F0 /k cd "%1"
I have no idea why it didn't work with C:\Windows\system32\cmd.exe /k cd "%1"

rkulp

3/30/2017

ASKER

I appreciate everyone's efforts.

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JesterToo

3/30/2017

Is this still the command you used in the registry key?

Congratulations!