Necessary to support of running Windows App Shortcut in TC?

[xmeron]

Even Windows App can not run from explorer directly, but some people hope to run from TC, thus we can place lots of Windows App Icon on TC toolbar or in TC menu.

Necessary? Just for discussion.

[ghisler(Author)]

Running windows store apps is a real mess. You need a special app ID which isn't easy to obtain. Then you can launch it with the tool “microsoft.windows.softwarelogo.appxlauncher.exe” from the Windows App Certification Kit.

Here you can find the required steps:
http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/542316/Run-Windows-Store-Apps-From-Desktop

[petermad]

2xmeron

You can make .lnk files to apps, which you can then use to start the app from TC:

1. Right click on the app's icon in the Start menu.
2. Choose "Pin to taskbar".
3. In the taskbar hold down Shift and right click the app's icon.
4. Choose "Create shortcut".
5. Answer "Yes" to create the shortcut on the desktop.
6. Move the new shortcut to a directory of your choice if you don't want your desktop cluttered with it.
7. Right click on the app's icon on the taskbar an choose "Unpin this program from taskbar" if you don't want your taskbar cluttered with it.
8. In TC: drag the new shortcut (.lnk file) to the buttonbar.

If you want the original App icon to be shown, it is a bit more troublesome. You have to find the App's folder in c:\Program Files\WindowsApps - there are often 3 folders that has the name of the app somewhere in the foldername - find the one that has an "assets" folder inside it - there you will find a lot of .png files with the icon in differnt sizes and formats. Find one that suits you and convert it to an icon file with an appropiate icon tool program (Imagine can do it). I recommend to use an icon with "contrast-white" in the filename.

[ZoSTeR]

Run this in Powershell ISE to get link targets for all apps:

Code: Select all

$allApps = Get-AppxPackage
foreach ($app in $allApps)
{
    $manifest = Get-AppxPackageManifest -Package $app
    $appIds = $manifest.Package.Applications.Application.Id
    Echo $app.Name
    Echo "Create link to:"
    foreach ($appId in $appIds)
    {
        Echo "explorer shell:AppsFolder\$($app.PackageFamilyName)!$appId"
    }
    Echo "`n"
}

So your buttons will look something like this:
Command: explorer
Parameters: shell:AppsFolder\Microsoft.BingFinance_8wekyb3d8bbwe!AppexFinance

You still have to create / convert the icons yourself unless TC 9 supports .PNG icons...

[petermad]

2ZoSTeR

Thanks

[xmeron]

Thanks for all, and petermad's method is an easy choice for TC.

If someone else can develop a plugin/addon for this function request, that would benefit all TC users.