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https://github.com/skitzum/commander

Commander: Easily manage and execute shortcuts, from CMD and PowerShell commands to .exe and .bat files. Features include placeholders for dynamic input, two-step confirmation, customizable themes, and JSON-based storage.
https://github.com/skitzum/commander

command-line-tool gui-application json network-diagnostics powershell pyqt python shortcut-manager shortcuts windows-utilities

Last synced: 11 months ago
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Commander: Easily manage and execute shortcuts, from CMD and PowerShell commands to .exe and .bat files. Features include placeholders for dynamic input, two-step confirmation, customizable themes, and JSON-based storage.

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README 

          

Commander is a **Python + PyQt** application that manages a collection of handy shortcuts—each shortcut can be:



- A simple **CMD** command (e.g., `ping google.com`)

- A **PowerShell** command or script (e.g., `.ps1` files)

- An **.exe** or **.bat** program

- Commands with **placeholders** (like `{host}`) that prompt the user at runtime



It provides:



- A **table** with name, command, tags, and category.

- **Light/Dark** theme toggle switch.

- **Search** bar for filtering by text in name/command/tags/category.

- A **category sidebar** for advanced filtering.

- **Two-step execution** (Execute → Confirm) to avoid accidental runs.

- Add/Edit/Delete for new shortcuts (persisted in a JSON file).

- Support for **multiline PowerShell** scripts via external `.ps1` or an embedded approach.



---



## Features



1. **Searchable Table**

    

    - Real-time filter by name, command, tags, or category.

    - Category sidebar to quickly navigate or show `(All Categories)`.

2. **Light/Dark Mode**

    

    - A toggle switch in the search bar area.

    - Setting saved to JSON so it’s remembered next time.

3. **Two-Step Confirmation**

    

    - Prevents accidental command execution by requiring “Execute” → “Confirm.”

4. **Add/Edit/Delete Shortcuts**

    

    - Add new shortcuts with a **ShortcutDialog** (input name, command, description, tags, category, etc.).

    - Option to mark “Requires user input?” for placeholder substitution.

    - Link `.exe`, `.bat`, `.ps1`, or embed multiline code.

5. **Placeholder Logic**

    

    - If `requires_input` is set, Commander scans the command for tokens like `{host}`.

    - Prompts the user for each placeholder at runtime.

    - Substitutes them before execution.

6. **Automatic Shell Detection**

    

    - If the command ends with `.exe`, Commander runs it directly.

    - If `.ps1`, it uses PowerShell.

    - Otherwise, defaults to `cmd /k`.

7. **Easy Portability**

    

    - All data stored in `shortcuts.json` in the same folder.

    - Just drop the folder on a flash drive—Commander references relative paths if you choose.



---



## Installation & Requirements



1. **Python 3.7+** (recommended)

2. **PyQt5** (For the GUI).

3. **Windows** environment for best results (Currently all commands are Windows specific).



Install dependencies:



bash



Copy code



`pip install pyqt5`



---



## Running Commander



1. **Clone** or **copy** the Commander files (including `main.py`, `shortcuts.json`, etc.) to a folder.

2. **Open** a terminal or command prompt in that folder.

3. **Launch**:

    

    bash

    

    Copy code

    

=======

    

4. The Commander window appears. You’ll see:

    - A **search bar** (with a theme toggle switch).

    - A **category sidebar** (left).

    - A **table** listing your shortcuts (right).

    - Bottom buttons for adding/editing/deleting.

    - An “Execute” button.



---



## Adding a Shortcut



1. **Click** “Add Shortcut.”

2. Fill in:

    - **Name**: A label (e.g., “Ping Google”).

    - **Command**: The command or path (e.g., “ping google.com” or `E:\HwInfo\HwInfo64.exe`).

    - **Description**: Optional brief text.

    - **Tags**: Comma-separated tags (e.g., `network, ping`).

    - **Category**: For grouping (e.g., `Networking`).

    - **Requires user input?**: If you have placeholders like `{host}` in Command, check this box.

3. **Press OK**. The new shortcut is saved to JSON and appears in the table.



---



## Editing or Deleting a Shortcut



1. **Select** the row in the table.

2. **Edit Shortcut** or **Delete Shortcut**:

    - **Edit** opens the same dialog, pre-filled. Change fields, then OK.

    - **Delete** asks “Are you sure?”

3. Changes are saved automatically to `shortcuts.json`.



---



## Running a Shortcut



1. **Select** the row you want.

2. Click **Execute**.

3. Button changes to **Confirm**. Click again → the command runs.

4. If it’s a `.exe`, it launches. If `.ps1`, it uses PowerShell. Otherwise, default to `cmd /k`.

5. If the command has placeholders like `{host}`, you’ll be prompted for each placeholder first.



---



## Handling Multiline PowerShell



**Recommended**: Put your multiline script in a `.ps1` file. Then your “Command” might be:



arduino



Copy code



`powershell.exe -NoExit -File "E:\Commander\Scripts\FindRecentFiles.ps1"`



_(Or you can embed multiline code directly in the Command field and write it to a temp file on-the-fly, but that requires more code changes. See the documentation for details.)_



---



## Building an Executable (Optional)



If you want a **single-file `.exe`**:



1. Install [**PyInstaller**](https://www.pyinstaller.org/):

    

    bash

    

    Copy code

    

    `pip install pyinstaller`

    

2. In your folder, run:

    

    bash

    

    Copy code

    

    `pyinstaller --onefile main.py`

    

3. It creates `dist/main.exe`. Put `shortcuts.json` (and any `.ps1` scripts you need) **beside** that `.exe`.



---



## Troubleshooting



- **Placeholder logic** not working? Make sure you don’t **overwrite** the local `command` variable after replacements, or skip the `requires_input` check.

- **Not picking up `.exe`**? Double-check your extension logic or see if the path is spelled correctly.

- **No shortcuts** appear? Possibly your `shortcuts.json` is empty or in a different folder. Add debug prints or check the console for file paths.



---



## Contributing



Feel free to open a PR or share improvements:



- More advanced search or category logic.

- Additional shells (e.g. WSL?).

- Integration with external tools or an embedded console approach.

- Much more robust handling for .exe creation with better instructions

- Groups that can run multiple commands at a time

- Need more ideas for great commands to add to default JSON

- Resizing columns correctly so long commands don't take up the whole window



---



## License



Commander is licensed under the MIT License. You can freely modify and distribute it.