Comments on: Windows Mobile Tip: Accessing the Run dialog

By: Mike Welch

Mike Welch — Tue, 16 Jun 2009 07:09:12 +0000

I was unable to stop reading your blog until I finished every single article. Thanks for consuming my entire evening :) I should know how to do this on a wordpress site like this, but how do I get notifications when you post something new?

Okay, with that said, here’s a backdoor you’ll like that is similar to the run dialog trick. Press Action and tap the notification bar (what we would call the caption bar in desktop lingo…the bar at the top) then drag your stylus to a window you wish to inspect. Release the stylus and, if you did it right, you will see a wee bit of window information such as handle, class name, etc.. This hidden ditty will walk the inheritance up the chain. If that isn’t clear, send me a direct email (you have it) and I’ll draft some screen captures for you.

Great blog. Must have more. :)

Mike Welch
HP iPAQ Team
Houston, TX

By: Todd

Todd — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 15:23:03 +0000

Christopher, thanks for saving me several hours of Google searches! FYI, my Sprint PPC 6700 also does not show the clock in the title bar. But I found that from the Today screen, I can still make the Run dialog appear by using Action + tap-and-hold on the battery icon.

By: Christopher Fairbairn

Christopher Fairbairn — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 10:53:19 +0000

Hi Todd,

Yes it is possible to disable the run dialog as part of a security policy.

The registry key that needs modifying is HKLM\Security\Policies\Shell\NoRunDlg. This is a DWORD with the value 1 meaning the run menu is not available.

For further details take a look at Rabi Satter’s blog post on the subject.

Hope this helps,
Christopher Fairbairn

By: Todd

Todd — Sun, 14 Sep 2008 06:21:44 +0000

This is the first I’ve head of this. Thanks for the tip! But now it makes me wonder if there’s a registry key to disable this behavior?

By: j2me software

j2me software — Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:43:24 +0000

Very vool tip, thanks!

By: Eric

Eric — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 04:16:34 +0000

This is exactly what I expected to find out after reading the title Windows Mobile Tip: Accessing the Run dialog. Thanks for informative article

By: Christopher Fairbairn

Christopher Fairbairn — Fri, 20 Jul 2007 14:44:27 +0000

That's a good point Timo, I guess I've been lucky with devices which have had the clock enabled by default. I realised there was an option to turn it off, but didn't think about it while I wrote this blog entry. Thanks for bringing it to my attention. By the way I like your new blog, in particular the project management and team lead orientated posts. As something I am keen to do more of in the future, it's good getting tips from those which are already doing it.

By: Timo

Timo — Wed, 18 Jul 2007 18:33:21 +0000

Nice tip, thanks. I first had a little problems making it work because my WM5 smartphone (MDA Vario/HTC Wizard) did no show the clock in Today screen’s title bar, but as part of the Today screen itself, where the trick isn’t working. But after enabling the clock to display in the title bar for all applications (that option pops up if you click the clock in the Today screen on my smartphone), then opening some application (e.g. contacts), I was finally able to open the Run dialog as described.