How to Create an "All Apps" Shortcut in Windows 8

[NewsArchive]

All,

I know that quite a few people are busy learning (and doing research and
development for) Win8.

One often-heard question is how to Create an "All Apps" Shortcut in Windows
8 (RTM) to make life easier.

I have uploaded a small FREEWARE tool developed with SetupBuilder 7 to
handle this. It creates an "All Apps" shortcut that opens directly to the
Apps screen in Windows 8.

http://www.lindersoft.com/projects/Win8AllApps.exe

More Windows 8 information, deployment techniques, tips and tricks to
come...

Friedrich

--
Friedrich Linder
Lindersoft
www.lindersoft.com
+1.954.252.3910

Helping You Build Better Installations
SetupBuilder "point. click. ship"
Official Comodo Code Signing and SSL Certificate Partner

[NewsArchive]

Friedrich - I am having a real bad day today <g> So forgive me if I have
gone mad!

Yes, your tool it works great. I see AllApps on the Tiles and in the list of
Apps. But how did you do it? Should we not have a SB project file to follow?

Sorry if I am dim or lost the plot.

As per my private email, I have my tile created but you said I was doing it
incorrectly. What I need to know is how to do it correctly.

John

[NewsArchive]

Sorry Friedrich - please see my private mail. This coincided with my
question and thought this was the solution. It is something else and a
coincidence.

For me right click on the desktop works for me all be it 2 clicks to get
there.

Thanks

John

[NewsArchive]

John,

> Yes, your tool it works great. I see AllApps on the Tiles and in the
> list of Apps. But how did you do it? Should we not have a SB project
> file to follow?

Nothing changed in the Shortcut creation process.

As an example (attached screenshot), see how we create the Shortcuts in
SB7.7. But this multiple-shortcut method with links to documents and
uninstall app is "old-style". In the upcoming SetupBuilder 8, we'll change
our deployment strategy and only create a single shortcut (in Windows 8+)
for SetupBuilder.

Shortcuts for documents, web pages and uninstall apps is a no-go in Windows
8+.

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

I agree Friedrich. I think there was a misunderstanding on my part with an
earlier private email.

I changed my SB script some months back to provide just the one shortcut and
created a utility for registering the software that users can run on our
servers.

I removed that shortcut in Programs in the SB script and then got confused
<g>

All sorted.

Thanks

John

[NewsArchive]

> All,
>
> I know that quite a few people are busy learning (and doing research and
> development for) Win8.
>
> One often-heard question is how to Create an "All Apps" Shortcut in Windows
> 8 (RTM) to make life easier.

Friedrich,

Just to give you a perspective from a single developer when using Windows 8
- everything you send our way in tips in GREATLY appreciated - however,
this might be a bit "overkill" :-)

Some may find it useful - but I like the fact - Windows 8 - is so keyboard
friendly - and rather than "mouse" click on this "All Apps" shortcut when
the start menu appears - I would type in a single letter of a known app,
hit the backspace key - and All Apps appears.

I basically work like this in W8 - from Start, mouse click on Desktop or
type "d" and select and then toggle between both with the Windows key. Of
course, sometimes you might click on an W8 app that ends this Start -
Desktop - Windows key toggle - easily enough resumed.

Personally, I find the "searches" in W8 much better than W7 - Time will
tell as a VM fills up with more Apps, files, etc as to the speed of the
search - but visually how the results display, and the actual results to me
are "better".

Some may "dispute or fuss" about the new ways, the "W8 furniture is
re-arranged" - but I have yet to see a serious argument WHY W7 is so much
better.

Besides, Aren't OS's supposed to appeal to the VAST majority of users - not
to a select crowd such as developers.

David

--
From David Troxell - Product Scope 7.9 - Encourager Software
EZChangeLog Reporter 2.1 Available - http://www.encouragersoftware.com/
http://www.encouragersoftware.com/software-developers.html

[NewsArchive]

I agree David but all help is welcomed.

I need Control Panel quite often. So I just type C on the "tile" window and
it's there.

I am finding that everyone is decrying Windows 8 saying how unfriendly it
is. What MS have not done is given us a huge hint file with the shortcuts on
it as I posted here recently. In fact not even that is required, just some
really basic stuff like WIN-D = Desktop, WIN-X is a start like menu and type
in a letter to find an app as you say.

It is the fastest OS I have yet seen to work in but without knowing these
little snippets I can see why people find it a nightmare.

BTW I am not sure if this is intentional or of I am dreaming but do a few
shortcut key actions. Now press ESC and I think it goes backwards through
the recent key actions. Wow!

John

[NewsArchive]

> I agree David but all help is welcomed.
>
> I need Control Panel quite often. So I just type C on the "tile" window and
> it's there.
>
> I am finding that everyone is decrying Windows 8 saying how unfriendly it
> is.

John,

Yes, all help is welcome, and I'm sure others will find Friedrich's - All
Apps helpful - that the joy of using shortcuts - we find the ones that
appeal to our sense of using the OS - AND, we modify our use and approach
over time.

As for unfriendly, unfortunately, some of those (not ALL) who cry the
loudest, spend VERY little time in a new OS before "making arguments
against it".

This happened big time with Vista, and somewhat with Windows 7 - of course,
the Vista dramatic UAC rules enforcement didn't help - but once the dust
was settled, and a large number of developers made programming adjustments,

I'd venture to say for a number of developers - it turned out to be a
BETTER way of doing things.

I have to admit - early Window days as a developer - I avoided the

"C:\Users\<User Name>" area, both because I could and I didn't want to
"adopt" another Microsoft way of doing business.

Turned out - years later - it was to my "disadvantage" to not get
acquainted sooner. :-)

> What MS have not done is given us a huge hint file with the shortcuts on
> it as I posted here recently. In fact not even that is required, just some
> really basic stuff like WIN-D = Desktop, WIN-X is a start like menu and type
> in a letter to find an app as you say.

Windows key + x is an excellent key for developers! I call it a power
combination!

PLUS

Windows key + q is a great way to get to All Apps as well.

>
> It is the fastest OS I have yet seen to work in but without knowing these
> little snippets I can see why people find it a nightmare.

I would not necessarily call it a "nightmare" - it's easy to compare the
comfortable - Windows 7 - BECAUSE you work in it AROUND the clock!

with a bit of the unknown - because, truthfully, most don't spend much time
initially - you have to spend some quality time in a NEW OS to make some
impressions other than "W7 is better" - it's built on the SAME solid OS
core -

AND, if some would just take a small project (not suggesting taking the
time now to create a full dev tools VM) - and spend a couple days time
(spread over a couple weeks, etc) - it would make a huge difference in
learning Windows 8, and starting to see the advantages.

David

--
From David Troxell - Product Scope 7.9 - Encourager Software
EZChangeLog Reporter 2.1 Available - http://www.encouragersoftware.com/
http://www.encouragersoftware.com/software-developers.html

[NewsArchive]

> - however, this might be a bit "overkill" :-)

Well, I believe that most new Windows 8 users have absolutely no idea that
the "All Apps" screen even exists ;-)

Last week we received 47! support requests asking how to launch the online
help (.chm) for their installed applications. Their install creates a
Shortcut to the .chm but it does not appear on the new Win8 Start screen.
We replied that they can use the "All Apps" screen to get access to the
Shortcuts. FAQ: "What is the 'All Apps' screen...?"

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

>> - however, this might be a bit "overkill" :-)
>
> Well, I believe that most new Windows 8 users have absolutely no idea that
> the "All Apps" screen even exists ;-)

Friedrich,

Good point!

BUT, I'm not convinced an All Apps shortcut (though VERY useful) is
necessarily the Windows 8 approach to finding things for a single program -
The alternatives - ALREADY built into Windows 8 - without another shortcut
- ALREADY solve the problem.

You have an additional program to install - All Apps - and include some
minimal FAQ (readme during install) on what it is (although your solution
probably includes installing this program during a Setup).

BUT, Some FAQ about how to do it in Windows 8 should suffice as well.

"type in a single letter of a known app (in your example, the name of the
one associated with the chm),

should display the shortcuts for that program - and additionally - hit the
backspace key - and All Apps appears."

OR

Windows key + q = All Apps

OK, from your install, I see a couple minor problems - easily solved by a
short in your face "readme" during the install.

Initially installed, it might be "hidden" at Start by being placed far
right, when many panels display at Start.

So, the readme could suggest scrolling to reveal it, and move to position
of choice. And the readme includes a - All Apps shortcut - what it does.

The discussion John and I have had - mainly focusing on the main shortcuts
to learn - is GREAT - once you find where these helpful initial shortcuts
are located - but of course, your All Apps could be included in an install.

While I think your concept of All Apps is helpful, I think of it more as an
initial use - then when you learn some basic Windows 8 methods - probably
delete it from Start.

If I was teaching someone to initially use Windows 8 - I would focus
initially on Start (of course, starting Desktop from Start would top the
list) - typing letters can do a LOT from Start - and easier to me than W7
Start Button or type in search.

David

--
From David Troxell - Product Scope 7.9 - Encourager Software
EZChangeLog Reporter 2.1 Available - http://www.encouragersoftware.com/
http://www.encouragersoftware.com/software-developers.html

[NewsArchive]

Friedrich

If it helps, although I am sure you have your own, you are very welcome to
include this file in your install. It is not mine anyway, I just found it
and thought others would find it useful.

www.ambritsoftware.com/Win8_hotkeys.docx

It is pretty comprehensive and contains the main shortcuts.

John

[NewsArchive]

I didn't either until this thread <g>

--

Russ Eggen
RADFusion International, LLC