win7ools 0.3.0

Python project that provides programmatic access to the Windows OS

Win7ools (= Win7 Tools + leet) provides programmatic access to the Windows Operating System [1]. Win7ools was born out of the desire to list and track installed software programmatically and evolved into an attempt at a full-featured window into…Windows. Win7ools is organized into a handful of modules - lib, ipl, sec, pdf, web, and reg, and the package, system.

The general idea is to be able to do things that normally would require a specialized piece of installed software that works mysteriously.

modules

ipl

Installed Programs List - the ipl module scans the Windows registry and returns information related all installed programs on the parent OS. Comparatively, it should find all the information that the control panel provides (sometimes more). IPLs can be created from an active OS, saved for various purposes, created from scratch, merged, and loaded.

lib

A library of useful code snippets including, but not limited to:

• flattening nested lists

• truncating floats

• segmenting lists

• copying files/directories

• hiding/unhiding files

• creating symbolic links

pdf

Leverages the Python PDF Toolkit, ReportLab, to create generic PDFs and PDF checklists.

reg

Functions and classes that Win7ools uses to work with the Windows registry. It contains several functions for accessing and working with the registry. It contains useful registry locations and can retrieve & decode UserAssist data.

sec

Handles security-related tasks. Among other things, it contains several hashing functions and provides access to Windows DPAPI functions such as CryptProtectData() and CryptUnprotectData().

web

Functions and classes for working with the web.

packages

system

The system package provides access to the System class. The System class leverages the modules listed above to accomplish a variety of tasks including, but not limited to:

• setting the logon screen image

• getting/setting TRIM

• changing drive icons

• getting process information

• working with the Windows clipboard

• finding duplicate files

• creating Windows message boxes

---

Examples

Use win7ools.pdf to create a shopping list:

from wintools.pdf import Checklist
cl = Checklist()
cl.set_title('My Shopping List').set_pretext('Do not forget to bring a calculator')
items = ['apples', 'pears', 'broccoli', 'bread', 'chicken', 'soda']
cl.add(items)
cl.save()

win7ools.pdf can check, uncheck, and highlight items. One and two-column format is supported.

Use win7ools.ipl to print names of installed software:

from wintools.ipl import IPL
ipl = IPL()
ipl.print_names()

Use wint7ools.reg to print names of software run on host computer with the last run date and count:

from wintools.reg import get_user_assist()
user_assist = get_user_assist()
for item in user_assist:
    print(item['value'], item['lastrun'], item['count'])

Encrypt and decrypt data using the Windows Data Protection API:

from win7ools.sec import crypt_protect_data, crypt_unprotect_data
ctext = crypt_protect_data('Hello world')
ptext = crypt_unprotect_data(ctext)

Consult help(win7ools.<module>) for more information and examples

---

[1]

Win7ools was tested most rigorously on Win7, but should maintain at least some functionality on WinXP and Vista.