CNET Editors' review
Pretty Run is a Windows search tool that can find and run programs quickly. Its roots lie in older versions of Windows that weren't capable of searching the Start Menu and other likely locations for shortcuts and executables. Though Windows now offers a search box, Pretty Run has stayed a step ahead, and its versatility keeps this free tool useful.
When it's active, Pretty Run resides in the system tray, though you can call up its simple, semiopaque interface from the Start Menu, an optional desktop icon, or with a customizable hot-key combination. Pretty Run starts searching as soon as you type and returns results very fast. We typed in "sni" and Pretty Run returned "Snipping Tool" before we could get to "p." We could run the tool as a user or administrator, open its properties sheet, or go to "last used" by right-clicking the tool's shortcut. Pretty Run's interface also accesses a variety of Internet search engines, including Google, Bing, Youtube, and IMDb. That's all pretty basic, but opening its tabbed Options dialog showed us what else Pretty Run can do.
For starters, we could set the program's opacity, hot keys, and other settings under Display, while the Search tab let us add and remove search locations using a simple drop-down list. We could enable searches for MP3s, EXIF data, Chrome and Firefox bookmarks, and many other types of data. Under Filter, we could add filters for words or extensions. A tab called "Magic words" lets users configure any word to execute any string, with an option to run the target app as an administrator. We could enter a string directly or browse to an executable as well as specify a Path and Parameters, a very cool feature. The Advanced tab held another interesting and welcome option that creates a fully portable version of Pretty Run that you can run from a USB drive or similar portable media. The tab includes options for alerts when USB drives or CD media are present at shutdown.
We're among those who still prefer to use a third-party search tool with Windows, and Pretty Run is certainly in the running.
Publisher's Description
From Pretty Run team:
Pretty run was started years ago when Windows knew nothing about searching through start menu. It helps you find shortcuts. Many times we know we have some program somewhere in the start menu but just takes too much time to locate its icon and run it. Pretty Run helps you with that as it searches start menu, desktop or any other folder for the shortcuts or files that meet your query.
What's new in this version: Version 6.7.0.117 added Swedish languages.
More Popular Desktop Customization downloads
- Fences
32,824 downloads
- ObjectDock
23,760 downloads
- WindowBlinds
16,592 downloads
- Winstep Nexus Dock
13,483 downloads
- Winstep Xtreme
4,555 downloads
-
All versions:
5.0 starsout of 2 votes
-
Current version:
0 stars Be the first to review this product -
My rating:
Write review
Results 1-2 of 2
-
"Launcher programs by important characteristics."
Version: Pretty Run 6.7.0.104
Pros
Easy to install and to use software, it eats little memory and ram.
It is setting on the system tray.Cons
No cons at all for this software, the best
Summary
VERY EASY - NO ONE COMPLICATIOS.
When we do not remember where to find a program to run, into the program list, it is enough to write two or three letters of the title of this program in the field of this software and it will let us see a list of programs that contain these letters and among them we find what we are interested in run. We can launch it with two clicks.
This program is for all users. -
"Really nice to use - quick and easy program launching."
Version: Pretty Run 6.6.0.92
Pros
- quick launching of programs
- little to no clutter in the search results as you type
- customisable
- list of last launched items
- you can set "magic words" to bring up specific programs and such
- you can setup html searches (advanced feature)Cons
- no customisable menu, ie it'd be great to create a list of specific programs to click on rather than searching for them - particularly useful if you can't remember the name of a program that you want to launch
Add Your Review
Submit your reply
E-mail this review
Report offensive content
Previous Versions:
