I am looking for a windows spy application

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I am looking for a windows spy application

Hello Everyone,

A few years ago I downloaded an application for windows that would let me see the windows handle, class names, zorder, etc... of applications with I dragged a icon over the window. It also let me change the visibility of the controls on the application IIRC. I know the icon the application used was in the shape of a crosshair and it replaced the current mouse pointer as long as the left mouse button was pressed. Anyway my question is if anyone knows the name of this application that I am talking about and if it is still available to download somewhere.

Thanks, Dave

+2 A:

Spy++ came with Visual Studio. Someone mentioned once that it's now UISpy, or ManagedSpy, but I'm not sure if that has any merit.

Alternatives:

UISpy: (part of the Windows SDK)
WinSpy++: http://www.catch22.net/software/winspy
Winspector: http://www.softpedia.com/get/Security/Security-Related/Winspector.shtml
WinID: http://www.dennisbabkin.com/php/download.php?what=WinID
ManagedSpy (for forms): http://windowssdk.msdn.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/ms727247.aspx

vol7ron 2010-10-28 00:14:18

Thanks for the reply and I just tried WinID and it is not even close to the application I was talking about in terms of the features it offered. As I said I recall one of the features being the ability to enable / disable controls on the target app from within spy application itself. Like if I hovered over a disabled button I could enable it using the spy application. WinID does not seem to offer that.

dave 2010-10-28 00:48:55

You're right, but the thing you want is Spy++. See the other list of alternatives, specifically WinSpy++

vol7ron 2010-10-28 01:31:28

Is it Win Explorer? http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/winexp.html

ruslik 2010-10-28 00:14:52

No it wasn't that one I am sure but thanks for the link anyway it looks simple and that is always a good thing. If I cannot find the one I was talking about I will probably use this one instead even tho it doesn't do all the one I was talking about does.

dave 2010-10-28 00:49:40

Thanks for the help again.

dave 2010-10-28 01:14:04

+1 A:

Yes -- it's Spy++, which is included in the Microsoft Windows SDK.

Jerry Coffin 2010-10-28 00:15:19

Hmm the application I downloaded was not part of any other package. Maybe someone just ripped that app out of a larger package and put it up on their site years ago when I first obtained it not sure but I distinctly remember it being standalone.

dave 2010-10-28 00:46:01

@dave: yes, Microsoft changes how they package things fairly regularly. OTOH, I don't recall its doing what you describe in the other comment (enabling a control).

Jerry Coffin 2010-10-28 00:54:56

I think the win explorer app that ruslik mentioned is closest to what I was looking for anyway even tho it's not the same application it will do for what I want it to do. Thanks for the help everyone.

dave 2010-10-28 01:13:31

ansaurus

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