eXpress Share Utility wndctl.exe

Filed under: Deployment Solution, Deployment Solution for Dell Servers Features/Benefits, Remote Management, Command Line

Submitted by CondorMan on 20 June, 2008 - 15:55.

I just discovered a nifty utility in the eXpress share called wndctl.exe. You can use it to lock the keyboard and mouse prior to any install/script and unlock it later. It can also activate, minimize, maximize, restore, hide, show, flash, close, disable, enable, tile, cascade, center, move, and resize window(s).

wndctl.exe can be found in any of the following places (in x86 and x64 versions):

Bootwiz\platforms\Winpe\x86\Optional\Boot
Bootwiz\platforms\Winpe\x64\Optional\Boot
Bootwiz\platforms\Winpe2\x86\Optional\Boot
Bootwiz\platforms\Winpe2\x64\Optional\Boot

The syntax for wndctl.exe is:

wndctl <command> [<"window title text">] [<n>]

<command> is the command to perform, and is one of the following:

-activate	Make the window active
-minimize	Minimize the window [for <n> seconds]
-maximize	Maximize the window [for <n> seconds]
-restore	Restore the window to prior state
-hide	Hide the window [for <n> seconds]
-show	Show the window [for <n> seconds]
-flash	Flash the window title bar [<n> times (def=3, 0=forever)]
-close	Close the window
-disable	Disable the window [for <n> seconds]
-enable	Enable the window [for <n> seconds]
-transparent[:<m>]	Make the window transparent [for <n> seconds]
-opaque	Make the window opaque [for <n> seconds]
-tile_h	Tile all windows horizontally on desktop
-tile_v	Tile all windows vertically on desktop
-cascade	Cascade all windows on desktop
-center	Move window to center of screen
-move:<x>,<y>	Move window to <x> and <y>
-size:<w>,<h>	Resize window to <w> and <h>
-top	Make window topmost
-bottom	Make window bottommost
-mid	Make window not topmost
-title:<title>	Set window title (to <title>
-poweroff[:force,noprompt]	Power system off
-shutdown[:force,noprompt]	Shut system down
-reboot[:force,noprompt]	Reboot system
-logoff[:force,noprompt]	Log user off
-lockuser[:force,noprompt]	Lock workstation
-lock	Lock input for all windows [for <n> seconds]
-unlock	Unlock and allow input for all windows

<"window title text"> is the title bar text of the window to operate upon.
- The * wildcard can be used for partial window title matches.
- If *, then all windows are used.
- If not specified, then the current window is used.
- Ignored for the -lock and -unlock commands, which affect all windows.
<n> is the number of seconds or times before the command is terminated.
- (Number of times to flash window for -flash command.)
- If not specified, then the command is permanent,
- Press any key to end before time expires.
- Ignored for the -activate, -close, and -restore commands.