startt 0.1.8 - Docs.rs

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feat(startt): hello 'startt' default open tool

startt solves a long-standing Windows poor design/quirk: when you do

• cmd.exe /c start …
• Explorer “Open with” or protocol handler
• PowerShell Start-Process

or anything that calls ShellExecuteEx under the covers (even with SEE_MASK_NOCLOSEPROCESS + WaitForInputIdle), the PID you get back is unusable for apps like Chrome. You can’t reliably find its window handle (HWND) or true process ID for automation, testing, or demos.

This initial proof of concept implementation of startt:

Launches your file/URL/command via ShellExecuteExW(SEE_MASK_NOCLOSEPROCESS)
Blocks until the new process is idle (WaitForInputIdle)
Snapshots all child processes (Toolhelp32Snapshot) to catch helpers
Enumerates top-level windows (EnumWindows) and filters by PID or child-PID
Matches on executable name and creation time for robustness
Centers, flashes, and optionally shakes the found window for visual confirmation
Restores minimized windows if needed, and reports both parent and child PIDs
Reports both parent and child PIDs
Ranks remaining candidates by process creation time, selecting the most recent
Filters candidates by a few things look at the code:
- PID match (parent or any child PID)
- Executable name contains the target command/document name
Optionally follows and shakes child windows with the -f or --follow flag:
- When -f is specified, startt will continue to monitor for new child processes/windows spawned by the launched process, and shake each new window once as it appears.
- This is useful for apps that spawn additional windows after startup (e.g., browsers, editors, etc.).

Usage:

startt [-f|--follow] [-F|--follow-forever] [-g ROWSxCOLS|--grid ROWSxCOLS] [-fg|--fit-grid] [-t SECONDS|--timeout SECONDS] [-hT|--hide-title-bar] [-hB|--hide-border] [-T|--flash-topmost] [-sd MILLISECONDS|--shake-duration MILLISECONDS] <executable|document|URL> [args...]

Use -f or --follow to keep watching for and shaking new child windows.
Use -F or --follow-forever to keep watching for and shaking new child windows even after the parent has closed.
Use -t SECONDS or --timeout SECONDS to specify the number of seconds each window should remain open before a quit message is sent to it. Each window is tracked individually; after the timeout, startt will send a WM_CLOSE message to that window.
Use -g ROWSxCOLS or --grid ROWSxCOLS to tile each window into a grid on the primary monitor (e.g., -g 2x2 for a 2x2 grid).
Specify a monitor with -g ROWSxCOLSmN (e.g., -g 2x2m1 for monitor 1, zero-based). -gROWSxCOLSm# is also valid.
Use -fg or --fit-grid to resize each window to exactly fit its grid cell before positioning, instead of centering at original size.
Use -hT or --hide-title-bar to hide the title bar of the target window.
Use -hB or --hide-border to hide the border of the target window.
Use -T or --flash-topmost to briefly set the window as topmost, then restore it.
Use -sd MILLISECONDS or --shake-duration MILLISECONDS to set the shake animation duration in milliseconds (default: 2000ms).

Examples:

startt was developed for use with cargo-e but can be used with any application that pops a window on windows.

startt -f -g1x4 -fg -t 10 -hT -T -sd 1500 cargo-e --run-all --run-at-a-time 4

This will shake and grid each window, resize them to fit their grid cells, hide the title bar, briefly flash the window as topmost, and use a 1.5 second shake duration. After 10 seconds, a quit message is sent to each window.

works with commands that are detached as demonstrated by cmd.exe start.

startt -f -g1x5 cmd /c "start \"parent\" cmd /k echo parent & start \"1\" cmd /k echo 1 & start \"2\" cmd /k echo 2 & start \"3\" cmd /k echo 3 & start \"4\" cmd /k echo 4"

maybe you prefer some other program.

# powershell
startt -f -g1x5 powershell -NoProfile -WindowStyle Normal -Command "1..5 | ForEach-Object { Start-Process powershell -ArgumentList '-NoProfile','-Command','$host.ui.RawUI.WindowTitle = \"Prompt $_ PID=\" + $PID; Write-Host Prompt $_ PID=$PID; Start-Sleep -Seconds 99999' }; Start-Sleep -Seconds 99999"

When grid mode is enabled, each window (parent or child) is moved to the next cell in the grid, wrapping around as needed. With --fit-grid, each window is also resized to fill its cell. This works for both the initial window and any new windows found in follow mode.