Unix tools in GUI for Windows

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Unix tools in GUI for Windows

I'm a Windows user and would really like to have the power of the Unix command-line for things to speed up programming. (clean up datafiles, search for occurrences of things in files, file/folder operations/ etc.)

Now I know that using Cygwin and a few ports, I could use these command-line tools in Windows as well.

However, the idea of diving into cryptic command-lines seems hardly tempting.

Is there a GUI which has all the UNIX command-line tools, and which allows for simple drag/drop, connect the lines, set some properties, preview, and save the scripts?

I don't think you will get around doing it the old fashioned way. To my knowledge there's no GUI for this. But keep in mind that the command line is also a paradigm for the Unix tools and they would not transfer to a GUI very well.

tliff 2009-09-24 07:53:58

why not? If you picture every tool as a box, which can be connected to other boxes (pipes). And the properties of boxes (commandline switches), I can see this working very well.

Toad 2009-09-24 08:04:06

Try this software:

Connection Manager

Vijay Sarathi 2009-09-24 08:02:53

link? Google isn't helping much.... only delivers wifi connection managers ;^)

Toad 2009-09-24 08:06:27

If you were to use a Unix-like OS with a GUI — you would quickly realise that the GUI is not as polished as the Windows GUI.

And to use the command-line tools in such as system you would open an 'xterm' or 'Konsole' which looked pretty much like Cygwin anyway.

So you have to decide do you want to try command-line stuff (with Cygwin) or not.

The command-line needs be only as cryptic as you want, and there is a learning curve which you can't avoid, but you can attack at your own pace.

pavium 2009-09-24 08:04:59

I think you missed the point. A only need a tool (with a gui) which encapsulates the various (most used) unix tools in such a way that you don't need the commandline tools

Toad 2009-09-24 08:09:34

Maybe ... I just don't see how you could best use unix tools *without* the command-line interface. Do you mean a graphical representation of boxes (a la your comment to tliff) where you join them together, much as you do command-line tools, with pipes? This *might* be possible, but unix tools are designed for a different paradigm, emphasising *simplicity* and the command-line is (after a bit of practice) *simple*.

pavium 2009-09-24 08:24:34

I think a gui is much simpler. No need to remember all the cryptic options

Toad 2009-09-24 08:37:52

I suppose it's all relative. I have trouble when I have deal with a GUI and a help file, for example, says click on 'qaz', then click on 'wsx', then click on 'edc', and the instructions disappear after the first click.

pavium 2009-09-24 10:30:45

if the names on the buttons are qaz and wsx, yes than we gain nothing ;^)

Toad 2009-09-24 15:06:44

I'm not sure about how far this will go. Windows is inherently GUI based and the command line is (atleast culturally) seen as a step backwards.

However, there are attempts in the UNIX world to bring command line power to the desktop. I'm not sure how much it helps you but it might start some productive trains of thought. The relevant link is here. As far as I can tell, most of them rely on extending the file browser (explorer on windows) with plugins and simple scripts to automate tasks. Perhaps this is an approach you can try.

Noufal Ibrahim 2010-01-02 08:58:21

ansaurus

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Unix tools in GUI for Windows

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