Windows BATCH: How to disable QuickEdit Mode for individual scripts?

Question

QuickEdit mode can be useful if you wish to quickly highlight and copy text directly from the command prompt instead of redirecting output to a file. However, it has its drawbacks. If you have a batch script running, selecting text in the console will pause the script execution until the text is deselected. This can be a problem if the script is expected to continue without pause.

How can one disable QuickEdit mode for certain BATCH scripts?

Answer 1

Unfortunately, there is no way to edit the QuickEdit setting of the current CMD Console instance from command line. We can, however, temporarily disable the global QuickEdit setting and start a new console instance. There are a couple ways to do this, each with its own perks (pros) and drawbacks (cons). Both of the following solutions require the ability to modify the registry.

1. REGEDIT

   • PRO: Compatible with any common Windows system

   • CON: Requires the creation of temporary REG files

   • Code (goes at the beginning of your script):

     if exist "%TEMP%\consoleSettingsBackup.reg" regedit /S "%TEMP%\consoleSettingsBackup.reg"&DEL /F /Q "%TEMP%\consoleSettingsBackup.reg"&goto :mainstart
     regedit /S /e "%TEMP%\consoleSettingsBackup.reg" "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Console"
     echo REGEDIT4>"%TEMP%\disablequickedit.reg"
     echo [HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Console]>>"%TEMP%\disablequickedit.reg"
     (echo "QuickEdit"=dword:00000000)>>"%TEMP%\disablequickedit.reg"
     regedit /S "%TEMP%\disablequickedit.reg"
     DEL /F /Q "%TEMP%\disablequickedit.reg"
     start "" "cmd" /c "%~dpnx0"&exit
     
     :mainstart
     

2. REG

   • PRO: Does not require creation of temp files
   • CON: Not available on Windows 2000 and earlier without Resource Kit

   • CON: Different versions have different syntax (accounted for in code below)

   • Code (goes at the beginning of your script):

     set reg50=::&set reg51=::&(reg /?>nul 2>&1 && set reg51=)
     if %errorlevel%==5005 set reg50=
     set qkey=HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Console&set qprop=QuickEdit
     %reg51%if defined qedit_val (echo y|reg add "%qkey%" /v "%qprop%" /t REG_DWORD /d %qedit_val%&goto :mainstart)
     %reg50%if defined qedit_val (reg update "%qkey%\%qprop%"=%qedit_val%&goto :mainstart)
     %reg51%for /f "tokens=3*" %%i in ('reg query "%qkey%" /v "%qprop%" ^| FINDSTR /I "%qprop%"') DO set qedit_val=%%i
     %reg50%for /f "tokens=3*" %%i in ('reg query "%qkey%\%qprop%"') DO set qedit_val=%%i
     if "%qedit_val%"=="0" goto :mainstart
     if "%qedit_val%"=="0x0" goto :mainstart
     %reg51%echo y|reg add "%qkey%" /v "%qprop%" /t REG_DWORD /d 0
     %reg50%if "%qedit_val%"=="" reg add "%qkey%\%qprop%"=0 REG_DWORD
     %reg50%if "%qedit_val%"=="1" reg update "%qkey%\%qprop%"=0
     start "" "cmd" /c set qedit_val=%qedit_val% ^& call "%~dpnx0"&exit
     
     :mainstart
     

If you have another solution, feel free to post.

Answer 2

A way that will affect the current command prompt session.

Here's quickEdit.bat . It is a self-compiled .net script so it requires .net installed (not installed by default on Winsows XP/2003).

Usage:

Enable:

 quickEdit  1

Disable:

 quickEdit  2

Get State:

 quickEdit  3

Answer 3

Already answered here, update "QuickMode" setting in Windows Registry:

reg add HKCU\Console /v QuickEdit /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

However it will not affect currently opened window. But you can reopen a window:

:: Get QuickEdit Mode setting from Windows Registry
FOR /F "usebackq tokens=3*" %%A IN (`REG QUERY "HKCU\Console" /v QuickEdit`) DO (
  set quickEditSetting=%%A %%B
)

if %quickEditSetting%==0x1 (
  :: Disable QuickEdit Mode
  reg add HKCU\Console /v QuickEdit /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f

  :: Open script in a new Command Prompt window
  start "" "%~dpnx0" %* && exit
)

... script logic here ...
exit

Additional info about HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Console Registry configuration - https://renenyffenegger.ch/notes/Windows/registry/tree/HKEY_CURRENT_USER/console/index

Answer 4

Slight update for option 1 that worked for me, that doesn't run it twice, on Win10, thanks.

if exist "c:\temp\consoleSettingsBackup.reg" regedit /S "c:\temp\consoleSettingsBackup.reg" & DEL /F /Q "c:\temp\consoleSettingsBackup.reg" & goto START
regedit /S /e "c:\temp\consoleSettingsBackup.reg" "HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Console"
reg add "HKCU\Console" /v QuickEdit /t REG_DWORD /d 0 /f
start "" "cmd" /c ""%~dpnx0" & exit"
exit

: START
rem your commands\scripts here

exit