WT - CMD

Overview

The wt command is a powerful utility used for opening Windows Terminal, a modern terminal application that supports multiple tabs and panes, which allows for using Command Prompt, PowerShell, and other command-line shells and apps. It is particularly useful in developer workflows needing multiple command-line environments or when managing multiple projects simultaneously.

Syntax

The basic syntax to open Windows Terminal using wt is as follows:

wt [options] [command ; ...]
  • options: These are flags or settings applied at the launch of the terminal.
  • command: Commands that run immediately upon opening the new terminal instance. Multiple commands can be separated by semicolons (;).

Options/Flags

  • --profile, -p <profile-name>: Opens a new Windows Terminal window using the specified profile.
  • --title <title>: Sets a custom title for the terminal window.
  • --tabColor <color>: Sets the color of the tab; commonly used for organization by project or environment.
  • -- new-tab: Opens a new tab instead of a new window.
  • --hold: Keeps the terminal open after the execution of an initial command.
  • -- maximize: Launches the terminal in a maximized window.

For more specific configurations, refer to the official Windows Terminal documentation.

Examples

  1. Opening a new Terminal:

    wt

  2. Opening a PowerShell tab in a new Terminal:

    wt new-tab -p "Windows PowerShell"

  3. Running a script in a new tab and keeping the tab open:

    wt -p "Command Prompt" powershell.exe -NoExit myscript.ps1

  4. Opening multiple tabs with different profiles:

    wt new-tab -p "Ubuntu"; new-tab -p "Cmd"

  5. Setting the terminal title:

    wt -p "Cmd" --title "My Command Prompt"

Common Issues

  • Profile Not Found: If a profile specified does not exist, Windows Terminal will default to the standard profile. Ensure profile names are spelled correctly.
  • Commands Not Executing: Be sure to separate multiple commands with semicolons and check the syntax.

Integration

The wt command can be integrated with batch scripts or as part of a larger workflow to automate the setup of environments:

@echo off
wt -p "Cmd" --title "Project Logs" tail -f ./logs/logfile.log; new-tab -p "Ubuntu" --title "Development"

This example would regularly be used to monitor log files while simultaneously working on development in another tab.

  • cmd: Opens the traditional Command Prompt.
  • powershell: Starts Windows PowerShell, useful for scripting and automation.
  • bash: On systems with WSL installed, this command opens Bash, which provides a Unix-like environment.

For more information, refer to the official Windows Terminal documentation.

This manual endeavors to provide all necessary instructions to effectively use the wt command in various scenarios, enhancing productivity and workflow organization within Windows environments.