6 replies to this topic

[RayKode]

Does anyone know where the entries seen on the Windows 8 "All Apps" screen come from ?

I have been asked to modify an existing shortcut name on the "All Apps" screen, as part of an installation (created by IS 2012 spring), but I can't seem to figure out where, in the wide wide world of sports, this information is coming from.

I was "thinking", that once located, I might be able to modify the shortcut name via an InstallScript or VB custom action.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks

[Stefan Krueger]

I'm not quite sure, but did you look in the StartMenuFolder or a subfolder thereof?

[RayKode]

Thanks for your reply.

I'm sorry to report, looking in the StartMenuFolder or a subfolder, was not successful.

This is turning out to be tougher, than I had thought.

[Stefan Krueger]

Did you look in both instances of the folder - for the current user and for all users?
I don't have a Win 8 machine at hand to test, but I would expect the shortcuts to be there, because all setup programs put them there.

[RayKode]

Thanks once again for your reply.


Here’s what I have learned so far.

First, so that I can't "see", on my Windows 8 pc, exactly what I "see", on a Windows 7 pc, installed a copy of Start8, on my Windows 8 machine.
The “free” version expires every 30 day.
So I opted to purchase a license for a one-time cost of $4.99.
For my money, and sanity, Stat8 is a must for a Windows 8 desktop.

Anyway, at that point, I have a "start" button on my Windows 8 machine with a Menu that looks exactly like, what I have on a Windows 7 pc.


Now.

I switch to the Desktop interface.
I go to: C:\Users\All Users\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs.
I create a folder named “test folder” and I create a shortcut to Notepad.exe inside it.
I click on the Start8 “start” button, and I "see" the folder named "test folder" with the shortcut to Notepad.exe under it and offset to the right.
Exactly how I would it expect it to look.

And just for grins and giggles, I go to: C:\Users\All Users\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs.
And I see “test folder” with the shortcut to Notepad.exe inside of it.

Then, I switch to the Windows 8 interface.
I right click and select "All apps".
However, I do NOT see, anything named "new folder", nor do I see the shortcut that points to Notepad.exe anywhere.



Then .....

I switch back to the Desktop interface.
Go to C:\Users\<Ray>\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
I create a new folder named "test folder 2".
I create a shortcut, pointing to "Wordpad.exe" inside of "test folder 2"

I click on the "start" button
Select "All Programs"
And I "see” my folder named "test folder" AND my new folder named "test folder 2" along with their respective shortcuts.
Just as I expected.

Good so far....

Then .....
I switch to the Windows 8 interface.
I right click and select "All apps".
However, I do NOT see, anything named "new folder", nor “now folder 2”.

Based on the above then, I’m thinking that Windows 8, populates the “All Apps” screen, from something other than, any of the folders referenced above.
And THAT location, is what I am looking to identify.

I have just built a Windows 2012 server. (I chose the UI option.)
And I’m going to see if the behavior is identical.

Ray in Wisconsin

[Stefan Krueger]

Wow, very strange.
I've been able to do a little test, too:
Added a shortcut in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu
This is displayed directly on the Start screen (not just under All Apps). Creating shortcuts in sub folders had no effect, they didn't show up anywhere - just like in your case.
However I do have shortcuts in sub folders that are shown on the Start screen. So apparently it makes a difefrence whether the shorcut is created manually or by a setup program.

When I right click notepad.exe and select "pin to start" a shortcut gets created in C:\Users\Stefan\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
But if I create a shortcut in that same folder manually, it doesn't show up on the Start screen nor in all Apps.

[RayKode]

Thanks for the reply.

I’m kinda happy to hear that I’m not entirely alone.

After working with this issue over the weekend, I found the following to be true:

I have a test application that is installed for "All Users".

I install this application on a 64 bit version of Windows 8 pc as the "Administrator".

In addition to the Administrator, I have three other user accounts created on the pc.

This MSI creates a folder named "Test App" in the following location:
C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs.

This MSI also creates a shortcut named "Notepad", (pointing to Notepad.exe) inside of the above "Test App" folder.

Once the installation has completed "Test App" is visible on the "All Apps" screen for all users of this Windows 8 pc.

I now log in to the Windows 8 pc as the Administrator.
Navigate to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Test App".
Change the name of the shortcut from "Notepad" to "Notepad2".

Immediacy, "Notepad2" shows up on the “All Apps” screen for all users.

So, changing the name of the shortcut seems to be the same in Windows 8 as it is with Windows 7.



My efforts however, were somewhat disappointing when I tried to follow the same procedure with the shortcuts "folder" name.

I navigated to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs".

Renamed the folder from "Test App" to "Test App2".

BUT ..........

The "All Apps" screen, for all of my user accounts, continued to show the old folder name.

And, If I right clicked on the shortcut, (Notepad2) and click on "Open file location", I receive an error dialog, indicating that Windows 8 couldn't find the original folder name.



So, it kinda, sorta looks as if the folder names that appear on the “All Apps” screen, aren't being updated dynamically or at least in the way that the shortcuts names are.


Now that I know how to rename a shortcut, I'm trying to figure out how to get the “All Apps” folder “names”, to change, once the folder itself, it renamed.
(I have a little InstallScript CA that does the renaming.)

As it turns out, my Client first asked that I rename an existing shortcut
So, I was kinda happy that I could indeed perform the rename.
But, they have since asked that I rename a “folder” instead and leave the shortcut name alone.

Windows 8 is all kind of new.