The JPK Experience

obviously when there is no batch option in the ide, command line is handy.

Being able to invoke editor functions at a higher level from a command line would be powerful.  Example "select func*, rename to newfunc*, move to module newfunc*" where I'd end up having newfunc.h and newfunc.cpp modules with all the sub elements appropriately reworked (yes, this sort of thing can be done with templates too, but I'm thinking of more radical code transformations).  I often resort to writing custom mini parsers to rejig a large code base to add or modify specific behaviours.  With the proper regular expression/SQL like integration, this could be used to automate code generation also.

Searching through code to intelligently extract useful information is another common task I find myself doing more and more simply because new API's from any given vendor tend not to have good documented examples, so those I've written are then ones I have to fall back on.

I've even resorted to using desktop search engines to perform this task efficiently.

A cross between http://www.openmdx.org/ .. http://www1.bell-labs.com/project/proteus/ .. and http://www.codesmithtools.com/features/default.aspx is what I'd like to see integrated into an IDE, but with an SQL like syntax and linkage to an SQL DB.

I use command lines really because I have to for somethings, aspnet_regiis, aspnet_regsql etc if they were not command line utilities I probably wouldn't use them through the command line as they really do not do much for you in a command line scenario, they could definately be a gui interface.  I most definately do not compile via the command line.

Now some tools I use vial command line and I think are very appropriate in the command line all the time. IPConfig, ping, tracert, netstat.

Net stop and net start are also ones I use all the time when I am developing windows services. So much quicker and easier and faster to just do a "Windows Key" + R and typically cmd is alreay in there so I hit enter type in my command and awy I go.  I also will install and uninstall services from the command line as well.

The biggest thing though is creating a batch file. I probably have more batch files around on my desktop to set up my PC in different ways for developing and testing and so on. for example I yes will use a Virtual server primarily for development, however I do have MSDE 2000, and SQL 2005 etc installed on my laptop however I do not use them all the time so instead of leaving them run all the time in the background using up CPU and ram I have them shut off but if I need them just a few double clicks on the desktop launches either one of those or heck I sometimes do a series of things launching sql server and biztalk and IIS and then again I fire off another one to shut them all down. So my biggest use for command line is batch files to either launch start shutdown or modify a way an app is running as I need it. This is much easier as I usually have to perform many tasks in a certain order. Much easier to script them. so as far as a UI for these tasks. Well there is one however it is quite bulky talkes a while to fire up defeates the purpose of command line as it is quick and fast and allows you to script things. Other things like NUNIT and NANT and so on aslso have command line interfaces for this exact same reason to script them to happen at certain times or to batch things.

The list of tools that benefit from having a command line interface is pretty extensive. I'd rather address my remarks to ease of use. Make "cmd line here" a permanent resident of right click dropdown menus so you are already in the directory yiou need to be. 2-settle on /? as the universal switch for help--also in the consoles