Running Add/Remove programs

[Joe McArthur]

I would like to be able to run Add/Remove programs from the (Run) command
line. When I invoke it from the Control Panel icon I see (from the Task
Manager) that a new process 'mshta.exe' appears to correspond with it.
Furthermore, I see that mshta.exe is indeed a program file in my \winnt
\system32 directory. However, when I attempt to run mshta.exe from the Run
box, nothing happens. Please enlighten me. Thanks.

Joe

 

[Ray at]

Rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL appwiz.cpl
Or just appwiz.cpl

Ray at work

 

[Joe McArthur]

Thanks Ray, that works. I take it then that all the control panel
applications are <some file name> with a .cpl extension? How does one
map any given control panel app to its corresponding, executable file
name? Thanks.

Joe

 

[Ray at]

I think that most of them are just the .cpl file. The add/remove programs
one likes to be pretty by using an HTA (html application) I suppose. So, my
guess is that the appwiz.cpl just calls the .hta file and is setup like this
for backward compatibility's sake. But, something like the display
properties (desk.cpl) is probably all contained within the .cpl file.

The mappings to what .cpl files do what seem to be in a few different places
in the registry. Like,
HKLM\software\Microsoft\windows\current\explorer\controlpanel\nameSpace has
~some~ of the info.

If you just wanted to make a listing, you could quickly get all the .cpl
files by searching for *.cpl files (most are in system32) and then just run
them all to see what they do. When you throw together this list, make it
into a web page and put it on the Internet somewhere for the rest of us. ;]

Ray at home

 

[Ben Goodall]

I just search for *.cpl files and then match them up to what makes
sense. For a majority of them you can tell.

 

[Joe McArthur]

The mappings to what .cpl files do what seem to be in a few different
places in the registry. Like,
HKLM\software\Microsoft\windows\current\explorer\controlpanel\nameSpace
has ~some~ of the info.

Not in mine.

If you just wanted to make a listing, you could quickly get all the
.cpl files by searching for *.cpl files (most are in system32) and
then just run them all to see what they do. When you throw together
this list, make it into a web page and put it on the Internet
somewhere for the rest of us. ;]

A web page is not going to happen, but if I do go to the trouble of making
the list, I will post it here. Let somebody else, who likes to maintain
such web pages, put it on their site.

Regards,
Joe

 

[Joe McArthur]

(e-mail address removed) (Ben Goodall) wrote in

I just search for *.cpl files and then match them up to what makes
sense. For a majority of them you can tell.

Thanks. I'd say about half of the file names were obvious to me, as to
what function they matched up with.

Joe

 

[Joe McArthur]

Here's the list (Obviously some are specific to my machine)...

File Name Function
------------- ------------------------------
access.cpl Accessibility Options
appwiz.cpl Add/Remove Programs
cwcprops.cpl Soundfusion Audio Properties
DESK.CPL Display Properties
fax.cpl Fax Properties
hdwwiz.cpl Add/Remove Hardware Wizard
inetcpl.cpl Internet Properties
intl.cpl Regional Options
irprops.cpl Wireless Link
joy.cpl Game Controllers
jpicpl32.cpl Java Plug-in control panel
main.cpl Mouse Properties
mmsys.cpl Sounds & Multimedia Properties
ncpa.cpl Network & Dialup Connections
nwc.cpl ??? - Does nothing visible
odbccp32.cpl ODBC Data Source Administrator
powercfg.cpl Power Option Properties
QuickTime.cpl Quicktime Settings
sticpl.cpl Scanners & Cameras Properties
SYSDM.CPL System Properties
telephon.cpl Phone & Modem Options
timedate.cpl Date/Time Properties
tp4ex.cpl Trackpoint Accessibility Properties
TP98.CPL Thinkpad Configuration
wuaucpl.cpl Automatic Updates

Joe