Here are published some handy utilities for Windous operating systems.
If not otherwise noted, programs run on both Win98 and WinNT systems.
Some utilities may encounter problems on Win95 system due to incompatibilities
in image-lists etc...
All programs presented here are free-ware, no source available. Use at your own risk.
Most of the programs have got no setup. Simply unpack or copy them to destination directory.
Alt-packages, if required, need to be in same folder or in PATH...
Recomended location is C:\Util . If installed elsewhere, some configuration information needs to be edited...
(For some freeware source code for Delphi 5-7, see Source page...
Most of the sources were previously published via delphi programmer forum at builder.cz...)
All programs are in a status of preliminary beta release. Anyhow, without a positive feedback from users I am not going to move them to a different status category...
Most of the utilities below require the base packages,
which can be downloaded here: AltPkg_0504b.zip(714k)
To reduce download size, the packages are NOT included with each utility.
Remark: if at least 1 program holds these packages loaded in memory, other start quite fast...
(For ex. AltMix is a good candidate for this...)
AltBrowser
A different approach to dual-pane browser. (use param "/2" to start really in dual-pane mode)
Key shortcuts partially compatible with Servant Salamander by ALTAP.
For list of shortcuts: everywhere is popup-menu with keys, by clicking to button with free-size a help item is also available
Left-right panels are set by activating browser windows.
(The "second panel" for current browser is the previously activated one...)
Handles .rar (up to 2.50) and .zip archives, read-only.
In a default setup it does not use shell trash-bin!
Anywhere else but on disks it does not use trash-bin at all!
Planned: FTP, catalog, etc...
Recomended usage with TextView from LiteEdit, GrView, IeView etc... (Now the zip includes TextView and LiteEdit...)
Download AltBrow_200811.zip, version of August 2020. (4.43 M) (Contains NEW Alt package, 1612, LiteEdit, GrView)
This preliminary version is localized into Czech language.
To remove the localization and use English version, delete or rename files AltBrow.frm and AltBrow.str and restart the program...
[NT!] - This program requires Windows NT (2000,XP)
Program to create and switch desktops.
Using Win+Numpad0..9 keys you can switch up to 10 separate desktops.
Programs, once started on a desktop, cannot be moved to another desktop,
there is no screen-enlargement trick.
Some programs may not be compatible with multi-desktop workstation. Run
such programs on a central desk (called "default")...
(For ex. - Outlook express have been reported to have problems if started on other desktops)
Win+/ starts command-prompt on current desktop, which allows you to start other applications.
Further, per-desktop initialization batch may be configured via registry - see included .reg file...
On Win7, HkTool does not work on other desktops. Instead import AltDesk_HkTool.reg
into registry, so that AltDesk parses HkTool.ini (check path in the reg file...)
Download AltDesk5.zip. (649k) (Includes HkTool, does not require alt packages...)
Version of 22.12.2011, published 14.4.2012 checked for Win7 compatibility...
Status: This is a final version, no improvement ideas...
HkTool
A simple hot-key list.
Can register hotkeys including "Win" key (the key with a flag logo),
which does not conflict with most applications...
Starts applications on current desktop, optionally re-activates
previously started application (including switching to the desktop,
where the application runs)
Status: This is a final version, no improvement ideas...
AltReg
Registry editor
Cannot be easily disabled by a virus, (system regedit can)
Limitations: cannot rename keys, export is not 100% compatible, import is not implemented, cannot edit binary values...
(Do you know how regedit renames keys?
Copies key with new name and deletes old... Use RegMon to see that...
I'm afraid little of loosing unicode version or security descriptors by my tool,
so I don't do that here...)
(Export is more readable by including most values in their readable form
instead of binary - for ex. REG_EXPAND_SZ - so that it is well searchable,
but re-importing may loose the expand-sz ability... Same applies to multi-line
values...)
Advanced searching, selecting, exporting more branches at once...
MRU history of entered values and key-names, multi-level key create etc...
Registry map and bookmarking for a fast access into common keys.
Download AltReg_3_102.zip. (462k) (Includes 2 executable versions, 1 requires Alt packages, while the other is stand-alone.)
Status: Evolution have stopped in a blind branch... Newer version is partially finished, anyhow I am too lazy to continue it...
ColorSel
Simple color selector, which can select RGB colors and copy
to clipboard in configurable format. (Configuration by right-click on Copy button)
Keeps history of copied colors.
Can paste color in hex or dec formats
Start with "/sys" param to edit system colors.
Dragging from bottom panel to peek on colors on screen...
Status: This is a final version. It is as simple as possible with no improvement idea.
ClipWatch
(This image is in real size, the left green part is window title for moving...)
Forces selected locale (cz,ru,pt...) on text, copied to clipboard
by ansi applications
Optionally removes rtf content (to be more precise: it does nothing, if clipboard contains RTF text or OLE, unless it is directed by you to strip them...)
Can store log of texts, copied to clipboard
Can store images (including PrintScreen) copied to clipboard
Co-problem: If some other application registers clipboard watching (for ex. delphi)
and does not unregister cleanly, clip-watch does not receive clipboard notifications.
Anyhow, there is a check-box to re-establish clip-watch notification...
Status: This is a final version. It is as simple as possible. Do you have any improvement idea?
Clock
Simple round analog clock
Size window with Alt+Arrows, move with Arrows or mouse, Shift for precise move/size...
With parameter "/sun" shows solar clock (direction to sun, if you look south onto monitor)
With parameter "/dst" assumes daylight-saving-time even if windows have not been told so
(DST is important to subtract 1 hour to get sun position... Sun does not use dayligt saving...)
((If you configure windows not to move time-zone with DST, file-dates do not change twice a year...))
Status: This is a final version. It is as simple as possible. Do you have any improvement idea?
LogView
View multiple log-files as they grow...
Param "-f" prevents loading log-file when program starts (just follow new lines)
Detects unicode log-files on win-nt...
Detects, if log-file restarted...
050221: Improved memory management - now uses only text-length + 4 bytes_per_line...
Recomended to start with -ffiles... flag from batch, so that it does not load previous log contents, just waits new lines...
Whole log can be reloaded with F5 key, flushed from memory by Ctrl+F8 key...
Additional logs can be opened by dropping file or from bottom line by command
open filename.log
If the file-name contains spaces, it must be quoted...
This version probably does NOT handle UNICODE logs well - planned to be corrected soon...
Highlighting by command
high Log|Sql|Ini|C|Sql|Pascal|none
(same highlighters as lite-edit)
Can load/store "desktop" for easy re-open of multiple log-files...
Status: It's just enough for what I needed that. I am not going to continue this any more. I may share source with a guy, who will like to continue that...
TaskView
Advanced task viewer.
Can view/delete startup items, extension DLLs of explorers etc...
By showing "Manufacturer" column you can detect on first-sight, which software is suspicious...
Can view process memory with limited editing capabilities
Can view process handles and threads, close them, set events, release semaphores etc...
Thread context view displays a commented stack (call targets, objects).
Can view and edit environment and current directory of running processes
Can view, load and unload DLL in a process
Can view windows in process or on desktop, close windows, send messages etc...
Can view network sockets, all or per-process (Win2k only)
Can view objects of programs, written in Delphi 5-7
View object-directory of Win-NT, view and search in PhysicalMemory section etc...
View list of kernel modules
View/browse highlighted process memory (new 0504).
View/browse highlighted kernel memory (requires Win2k or WinXP, Administrators membership, does not work with PAE)
View all handles, threads (Admin required)
Can display raw results of NtQuerySystemInformation to detect spoofing
Can view/edit security descriptor where appropriate (process, handle, share, ...)
Contains Advanced Registry Editor, use TaskView /reg
Contains PE module (exe,dll) viewer, use TaskView /mod filename.dll
Contains simple hex editor, use TaskView /hex filename
Contains simple disk editor, use TaskView /hd C: and press F4
Most of features are available on Win-NT systems only, only a basic information is available on Win-9x...
For an alternative to this, see www.sysinternals.com,
whose ProcExp program has inspired me to write this tool...
For a list of commands available on each screen, type "help" command...
This tool is not for end users!
It is a programmer tool or toy.
It does NOT warn you before you make a mistake...
You should know, what you are doing and why...
Works only partially on Win 6+ (Vista, Win7) - handle listing may not work, thread view may not work.
Environment editation has been fixed...
Download TaskView.zip(2.58 M) (Includes new alt-package, textview and alt-reg...)
(Version of 2019-10-07)
The old manual is not being maintained much...
Status: I am working on this now, so expect soon updates...
ProcLog
This is a DLL...
It may be used to:
-> Log every started process to a file
-> Prevent starting selected commands (programs)
-> Automatically load a specified DLL into specified programs.
Download ProcLog.zip(285k) (Standalone)
(Not suitable for novice users, registry knownledge is required to install or uninstall...)
Status: This is as simple as possible. Do you have an idea of improvement?
Compile
Front-end for Delphi command-line compiler dcc32, tested with dcc version 13.0 (Delphi 5)
Repeated compilation (optionally in case of error only)
Run compiled application optionaly
Runs specified programs before or after compilation
Renames project.cfg to dcc32.cfg, so that correct options are used
Download Compile.zip(108k) (Command-line, standalone, with source)
Status: This is a final version. It is as simple as suitable...
Cpl
Starts control panel applets...
for example:
"cpl desk" opens screen properties
"cpl sysdm" opens "this computer" properties
etc... for complete list of available CPLs use "cpl -l"