Windows 8.1 start hiding duplicate shortcuts

[FN-GM]

Hi,

 

I have redirected the Windows 8.1 start screen. I have folders one for each subject. Each subject has applications used by that subject. But some applications are used by more than one subject. For example Photoshop is used by Art, Design Technology & ICT. When i put the put the Photoshop shortcut into all 3 folders it only displays into the Art folder. It is hiding it from the other 2 folders. If i remove it from Art it will then Display in Design Technology and not ICT.

 

Does anyone know how to prevent the start screen from removing duplicate shortcuts please? When i google this i get loads of stuff but not anything relating to this.

 

Thanks

[brendo]

Yeah Same.. trying each and every forum to get the answer..not successful though.. I will post back if i get anything about that..

[FN-GM]

Anyone please?

[victory2012]

u could try add a space at end of the extra shortcuts might show them up as name is different?

[FN-GM]

u could try add a space at end of the extra shortcuts might show them up as name is different?

 

When you put a space at the end Windows automatically removes the space from the file name.

[jamesreedersmith]

comma? period?

[FN-GM]

comma? period?

 

Nope doesn't work. Looks like its resolving the location to where the shortcut it pointing rather that comparing the names of the shortcuts.

 

Found this doesn't help but looks like its by design - http://blogs.msdn.com/b/amar/archive/2013/03/07/how-are-shortcuts-created-and-managed-on-the-windows-8-start-screen.aspx

Edited November 1, 2013 by FN-GM

[Jonathan727]

I am experiencing this problem too. I have Matlab 64 bit installed on my computer, and recently had to install matlab 32 bit to enable use of some 32 bit drivers. The programs have different directories but the same name and one is always hidden.

specifically, the shortcuts are to:

C:\Program Files (x86)\MATLAB\R2013b\bin\matlab.exe

C:\Program Files\MATLAB\R2013b\bin\matlab.exe

[Arthur]

Does anyone know how to prevent the start screen from removing duplicate shortcuts please?

Make hard links of the Photoshop executable and then create separate shortcuts to each .exe on the Start Screen?

 

cd /d "%ProgramFiles%\Adobe\Adobe Photoshop CC (64 Bit)"
mklink /H "Photoshop (Art).exe" Photoshop.exe
mklink /H "Photoshop (ICT).exe" Photoshop.exe
mklink /H "Photoshop (Tech).exe" Photoshop.exe

 

http://i.imgur.com/9as8c3N.png

 

Alternatively, for non-subject specific programs like Photoshop, just create a group on the Start Screen called 'Adobe Creative Suite' and put them in there.

[FN-GM]

Hi @Arthur The problem with hard links they are pretty large. I would like to avoid them if i can.

 

thanks

[Arthur]

The problem with hard links they are pretty large. I would like to avoid them if I can.

Symbolic links didn't work when I tried them, so hard links may be the only option.

 

You could compress the EXEs to save a bit of disk space.

 

http://i.imgur.com/nKHPhbz.png

[ZeroHour]

Does adding "-derp" after the closing quote on the path work?

I just tried it here by creating 2 shortcut's to Photoshop.exe and adding -derp{X} to the end of the path after the closing quote and both appear here although my test here doesnt have a redirected menu.

Photoshop should ignore the -derp switch as it has no idea what it does, you just add -schoolart1 etc.

 

I would be very surprised this wouldnt work as MS should assume switches mean different apps regardless.

Edited November 4, 2013 by ZeroHour

[FN-GM]

Hi @ZeroHour i am looking at this again tomorrow so will try it.

 

Has anyone else got any suggestions please?

 

Thanks

[burgemaster]

Hi mate.

Quick thought, on our 2012 Rdp server we used an open source program to create custom tiles. It is just a shortcut that it creates.

 

http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=1899865

 

Hope this helps!

Edited February 5, 2014 by burgemaster

[FN-GM]

Hi, good shout, i will give that a try and see what happens. Thanks

[Arthur]

@FN-GM. OblyTile generates a VBScript (Launcher.vbs) in %ProgramFiles%\OblyTile for each tile you create (along with the tile images).

 

If you prevent users running scripts via AppLocker/Group Policy they probably won't be able to run the programs via the tiles you create.

Edited February 6, 2014 by Arthur

[FN-GM]

Ah that could be an issue. I could maybe whitelist the location of the VBS script.

[FN-GM]

Right back onto this project, hopefully I can finish it this time. The method that @burgomaster says won't work as they are not tiles. The only way I can see this working is @ZeroHour way, just if we get a fussy app it might not like it. Wish there was a GP to turn it off.

[Arthur]

@FN-GM. Have you considered using AutoIt?

[FN-GM]

Will have a look, not sure where to start though

[karlr]

Classic Shell - Start menu and other Windows enhancements

 

Ok, ok. What was wrong with using mklink again? I'm assuming that the start screen is resolving symlinks and thus still refusing to display duplicates. Hard links should be OK though.. They don't actually use any additional disk space, since all links will reference the same bits on the disk. It will just *appear* to be using more space, depending on which application you ask. I think you will double up when it comes to backup/copying over the network however. Is this going in an image? or do you have devices with low disk space (tablets, SSD, etc.)?

 

Assuming the dummy command line arguments idea works (questionable, since apparently two distinct executables in different directories were hidden simply because they have the same name?) you will probably be fine in 95% of cases but there could always be one app that throws an error on invalid arguments. Be careful with things like "-derp" though, as some apps will accept a "-d" and successfully match to "-derp", taking "erp" as the argument (think java's -D).

[FN-GM]

We won't be changing the shell, metro is great on our touch screens.

 

Thanks

[Arthur]

Will have a look, not sure where to start though

I'll post an example when I get home.

[FN-GM]

Right I have been trying what @ZeroHour says, it causes issue with some programs. MKlnk also has issues, for example with word 2013. Urgh I will not let MS beat me!

[ZeroHour]

Right I have been trying what @ZeroHour says, it causes issue with some programs. MKlnk also has issues, for example with word 2013. Urgh I will not let MS beat me!

 

Out of interest what issues? not sure how switches can break things. MSI based shortcuts wont work but you can usually directly link the exe anyway.