• A non-zero error code is returned if an error occurs.
• Command show is renamed to unhide to better reflect what it does.
• Command list treats show as an alias.
• Command empty is renamed to reset.
• Optional argument shell to run the hosts interactive shell.
• Host arguments ignore mistakenly passed http:// protocol prefix.
• The program is executed as a native 64-bit process on 64-bit Windows (AMD64 and ARM64).
• Other cosmetic changes.
• [2024/11/12] Added digital signature.

Download: hostscmd.7z (30KB). Project page →

• Tune the Windows 8-10 WASAPI memory leak workaround to make it working for longer time.
• Native ARM64 build (with statically linked runtime hence the bigger binary).
• [2024/11/12] Added digital signature.

Download: soundkeeper.7z (90KB). Project page →

• A potential deadlock when audio devices are being added or removed has been fixed.
• Fluctuate treats non-PCM output formats (like Dolby Atmos) as 24-bit instead of 16-bit.
• Frequency parameter F is limited by half of current sample rate to avoid generation of unexpected noise.
• More detailed logs in debug build. Debug output is flushed immediately, so it can be redirected to a file.

Download: soundkeeper.7z (23KB). Project page →

• Fluctuate is 1 fluctuation per second by default. Frequency can be changed using the F parameter.
• Periodic playing of a sound (parameters L and W) with optional fading (parameter T).
• New White, Brown, and Pink noise signal types.
• Self kill command is added. Run soundkeeper kill to stop running Sound Keeper instance.
• Analog switch was added. It works as the opposite of Digital.
• Ignores remote desktop audio device (this feature can be disabled using the Remote switch).
• New OpenOnly mode that just opens audio output, but doesn't stream anything.
• New NoSleep switch which disables PC sleep detection (Windows 7-10).
• Work as a dummy when no suitable devices found.
• Sound Keeper shouldn't prevent PC from automatic going into sleep mode on Windows 10.
• The program is not confused anymore when PC auto sleep is disabled on Windows 10.
• The workaround that allowed PC to auto sleep had to be disabled on Windows 11.

Download: soundkeeper.7z (23KB). Project page →

• Sound Keeper doesn't prevent PC from automatic going into sleep mode.
• New Sine stream type which can be useful for analog outputs or too smart digital outputs.
• When a user starts a new Sound Keeper instance, the previous one is stopped automatically.
• Fluctuate stream type considers sample format of the output (16/24/32-bit integer, and 32-bit float).
• Command line parameters are supported. Example: SoundKeeper64.exe sine -f 1000 -a 10.
• The workaround for the Audio Service memory leak is enabled on affected Windows versions only (8, 8.1, and 10).

Download: soundkeeper.7z (17KB). Project page →

• Fixed an error which may cause a freeze on a malformed hosts file.
• The list command uses --all as an argument instead of all, and it can be before and after mask.
• More understandable messages from the add command when you are trying to add already existing hosts.
• Unset Read Only flag from the hosts file before changing it.
• New command aliases: unset for rem, and erase for empty.
• Source code is moved to GitHub.

Download: hostscmd.zip (21KB). Project page →

• Default behavior can be changed by changing file name of the Sound Keeper executable.
• Primary audio output is used by default. Add All or Digital to executable file name to enable Sound Keeper on all or digital only outputs.
• Inaudible stream is used by default. Add Zero to executable file name to use stream of digital zeroes (like it was in v1.0.0).
• Temporary workaround for a Windows 10 bug which causes a memory leak in the Audio Service when audio output is busy. It will be removed when the bug will be fixed in Windows 10 itself.
• Fixed a potential memory leak when another program uses audio output in exclusive mode.
• Even smaller executable size.
• Source code is moved to GitHub.

Download: soundkeeper.7z (15KB). Project page →

• A problem when the program stops working properly after leaving exclusive audio output mode had been resolved.
• Visual C++ 2019 is used for building of the program.

Download: soundkeeper.zip (19KB). Project page →

Powerful command line hosts editor with support of batch operations, IDN and IPv6. Another piece of my software from 2013 has a minor update. It was rebuilt for .NET 4.0 instead of .NET 3.5, just because at this moment .NET 4 is the preinstalled on modern Windows (8 and 10), and standalone installer of the .NET 4 is a few times smaller than standalone installer of the .NET 3.5 (48MB vs. 232MB).

Download: hostscmd.zip (21KB). Project page →

This tiny utility allows you to run elevated commands from Windows Command Prompt. Unlike runas command, where you should enter your password, su just shows UAC dialog instead, and it is much more convenient. Another feature is that it preserves current directory.

Actually, it was written in 2013. Previous version 1.2.0 was published on my other website. Today I rebuilt it with support of 64-bit systems, and publish it here as version 1.2.1.

Download: sucmd.zip (7KB). Project page →

I have a directory with old images which I collected in the noughties. I move it with all my other files from one computer to another on every upgrade. Every now and then, when I feel a bit nostalgic, I open it and look through the pictures. There are a few GIF files with animation, and every time I notice that the default image viewer from Windows 7 does not support it. I remembered, that the image viewer from Windows XP was able to play GIF animation properly. So, I spent a bit of time to overcome a few obstacles and to run the old image viewer on modern Windows, a small launcher was created for this purpose. Now I can watch these old images in authentic interface of the old image viewer from Windows XP.

Download: shimgvw_xp32.7z (includes a binary and source code of the launcher, and the shimgvw.dll from English Windows XP SP3).

Continue reading →

• A problem when the program stops working properly after waking PC up after sleeping had been resolved.
• Error handling had been improved a bit.
• 64-bit version of the program had been added into the package.
• Visual C++ 2017 is used for building of the program.

Download: soundkeeper.zip (19KB). Project page →