Windows (er, Microsoft) PowerToys 0.15 hits

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Looks like MS has squashed a whole lotta bugs in the previous version. There’s a description here: Current PowerToy Utilities FancyZones FancyZones –
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Mr. Austin, GreatAndPowerfulTech, Elly

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I’m simply lost of words…

Alas! Are they still on ver 0.x something? With such cadence and momentum release v1 with almost no bugs can be tentatively scheduled sometime in early 2030, methinks?

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Mr. Austin

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Lost for words, obviously! Where is the ‘edit’ button when one needs it…

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If they keep shipping new PowerToys every couple of months while fixing bugs in the existing ones, it really genuinely doesn’t matter how long it takes for them to label it “1.0”.

But if you are stuck on the idea, then read their PowerToys Version 1.0 Strategy page.  It’s all open source, too, so get in there and help.

Edit for content. Please follow the –Lounge Rules–

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Looks like JokeToys to me

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The fact that there were over 100 issues on such a simple set of utilities is emblematic of how buggy Windows has begun, and how hard it is to develop software for Windows.

See for example an issue where powertoys interfered with opening Outlook. If the Windows ecosystem is so fragile that a simple set of first party utilities breaks things like this, then how on earth are third-party developers of anti-virus software, etc, supposed to avoid breaking things?

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Mr. Austin

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Is this emblematic of Windows or a new project using a source control system where everything must be reported and committed? Would you rather the development not be done in the open?

Often third party vendors are their own worst enemy. They often use undocumented APIs which can be changed at any time. Anyone who has done development interacting with a complex OS has been tempted to take shortcuts for performance or ease of implementation. That is asking for the type of trouble A/V vendors have run into more than once. Another issue with third party programs and drivers is that the vendors do not move quickly enough once they receive notice that an API is being changed or security rules are being modified. They often assume because Microsoft has placed backward compatibility at a premium that would continue forever. They have their own priorities and sometimes don’t care if old products still work – HP printer drivers being a prime example.

--Joe

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Upon opening it, I get
RuntimeBroker.exe – System Error
“…overrun of a stack-based buffer in this application.”

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Did you install version 0.15.1?

Did you file a bug report on github?

--Joe

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Yes.
No.

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[glnz]

For those of us who are not techs, is there a description of these PowerRangerToys in normal English?

And how would I know I am getting the latest release, and where would I go for the next 100 bug fixes?  Sorry, but github is only for the cognoscenti, not for tourists like me.

Thanks.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by glnz.

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[glnz]

Also –

1. Do I need to be an admin to install these?  If yes, I won’t be able to install these at work, unless there is a “portable” version.  (Is there?)
2. After they are installed, do PowerToys run continuously in the background as an app and so take up a bit of RAM and CPU time?

Thanks.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by glnz.

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Here’s a description from Github:

“Current PowerToy Utilities
FancyZones
FancyZones – FancyZones is a window manager that makes it easy to create complex window layouts and quickly position windows into those layouts.

Shortcut
Windows key shortcut guide – The shortcut guide appears when a user holds the Windows key down for more than one second and shows the available shortcuts for the current state of the desktop.

PowerRename
PowerRename – PowerRename is a Windows Shell Extension for advanced bulk renaming using search and replace or regular expressions. PowerRename allows simple search and replace or more advanced regular expression matching. While you type in the search and replace input fields, the preview area will show what the items will be renamed to. PowerRename then calls into the Windows Explorer file operations engine to perform the rename. This has the benefit of allowing the rename operation to be undone after PowerRename exits.”

You do not have to be an admin to install PowerToys but you do have to be able to respond to the UAC prompt for admin credentials. There is not a portable version of PowerToys.

The latest release v0.15.1 has an update checker and will notify you when a new version is available. Until the Store version is available you’ll have to go to the github [age and download the new update.

You have the choice whether to start PowerToys when you logon to Windows or not. The “Power Rename” utility is added to the shell context menu (i.e File Explorer right click) and will be available whether the actual PowerToys program is running or not.

--Joe

2 users thanked author for this post.

Elly, glnz

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[glnz]

Joe – thanks.  Where’s the best place to go to get the installer?  Not sure how to do that off of Github.

However, for me, it’s a bit of “meh”.   I’ll keep an eye out to see if others here think they’re worth it.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by glnz.

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It is easy to get from Github. Go to the releases page – https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/releases and click on the .MSI file for the latest version which is v0.15.1 right now.
If you still don’t like that you can go to Majorgeeks – https://www.majorgeeks.com/files/details/microsoft_powertoys.html

--Joe

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Elly

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[glnz]

Joe – well, I tried it, but it didn’t work!  Not much happened except that I had one or two PowerToy processes running in the background.  Holding the Win key for a second didn’t do anything.  Its settings window stayed a blank white.  I’m Win 10 Pro 64-bit v 1909.

I uninstalled.  Thanks very much for good details.

• This reply was modified 5 years, 2 months ago by glnz.

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Why has not Microsoft made a “TweakUI” powertoy for Win10?

I’ll pass on these Windows Powertoys because TweakUI or something similar is not there

in the meantime, I’m gonna use the Winaero Tweaker app on Win10

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See their upcoming release plan at https://github.com/microsoft/PowerToys/wiki/Version-1.0-Strategy. Since this is open source I’m sure you can put in a request for TweakUI.

--Joe

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