How to pin Application Shortcuts to the start menu?

[Gilleen]

We have deployed a few test computers on windows 7 to see how they go. We have one issue that I didnt think would be an issue tho.

 

On XP we have Internet Explorer and Outlook on the top of the start menus, however in windows 7 these need to be pinned. Anyone know how to pin them via a policy or script? As it appears they are assumed not installed because they are not immidiatly there?

 

Any idea please

[victory2009]

Hope this helps.., make sure you change Office14 to Office 12 if your using 2007.

 

shortcutpin.vbs

Dim ObjFolder, ObjFolderItem, colVerbs, objverb, objshell

 

 

Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")

 

Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace("C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer")

Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName("iexplore.exe")

Set colVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs

For Each objVerb in colVerbs

If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Start Menu" Then objVerb.DoIt

Next

 

Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace("C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office14")

Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName("outlook.exe")

Set colVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs

For Each objVerb in colVerbs

If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Start Menu" Then objVerb.DoIt

Next

 

WScript.Quit

[Gilleen]

This was perfect, exactly what was needed. Thankyou

 

I just find it a shame Microsoft didnt include this into GPO or GPP

[garethEds]

Hope this helps.., make sure you change Office14 to Office 12 if your using 2007.shortcutpin.vbs

Hi Victory,Not being a script expert, is it just a case of creating extra blocks for each app I want to pin? I see you have two blocks for two apps.Gareth

[Steve21]

Hi Victory,Not being a script expert, is it just a case of creating extra blocks for each app I want to pin? I see you have two blocks for two apps.Gareth

 

Under the way it's done yes. Everything between the Set ObjShell and Quit, is just repeated for each program. If you're doing lots though it'sprobably worth doing it as a function though

 

Steve

[garethEds]

I think the plan is IE, a link to our webmail, Word, Excel, PPoint and Publisher. Maybe SIMS on machines that have Sims.Gareth

[Steve21]

Aye probably just as easy to copy/paste the lines then

 

The other option you could look into (again depending how you want to do it), Is just set one computer how you like it, then deploy the reg file that stores the settings. Obviously that'd overwrite any custom pins though, so depends if this is fresh rebuild or whatnot

 

Steve

[spc-rocket]

Hi There,

 

Would this script work if the user is not allowed to pin stuff to the start menu? strange question i know but at our place we are looking to restrict students to not being able to mess about with the task bar and pin icons/programs etc. However we would like to have two items pinned on the user's start menu - the internet explorer and e-mail to provide a consistent start menu (as far the the pinning goes anyway) to students.

 

TIA,

 

Ash.

 

Hope this helps.., make sure you change Office14 to Office 12 if your using 2007.

 

shortcutpin.vbs

[Steve21]

Hi There,

 

Would this script work if the user is not allowed to pin stuff to the start menu? strange question i know but at our place we are looking to restrict students to not being able to mess about with the task bar and pin icons/programs etc. However we would like to have two items pinned on the user's start menu - the internet explorer and e-mail to provide a consistent start menu (as far the the pinning goes anyway) to students.

 

TIA,

 

Ash.

 

Best way to do it would be run as startup/logon style script. Then it can have the elevated permissions needed, if the user doesn't have permission

 

Steve

[garethEds]

Afternoon,

 

I've added this as a logon script for test users but even though I have no errors the script isn't working.

 

Is there anything special the users need to have access to for it to work?

 

It works for our domain admin so it would suggest that staff and pupils are tied down too much. Can I enable this to pin to the start menu yet not let pupils access the 'Pin to Start Menu' option?

 

Gareth

Edited July 18, 2011 by garethedmondson

[Steve21]

Afternoon,

 

I've added this as a logon script for test users but even though I have no errors the script isn't working.

 

Is there anything special the users need to have access to for it to work?

 

It works for our domain admin so it would suggest that staff and pupils are tied down too much. Can I enable this to pin to the start menu yet not let pupils access the 'Pin to Start Menu' option?

 

Gareth

 

Depends how you're running it, if you're doing it as "the user" they'll need access, if you're running it as you/domain/admin etc, it won't

 

"However" it would normally error with a access denied if that was the issue.

 

Will take a look in a min

 

Steve

[cromertech]

The Microsoft approved way to do this is with the default profile as outlined here Customizing the Default User Profile in Windows 7 (Part 1) Mind you this is a bit of a faff really. I did ensure that office was pinned to the start menu and task bar this way but if you keep the start menu search active, students can learn to use the windows 7 start menu with the 'type in program name' functionality which even worked on a redirected start menu.

[ihaveaproblem]

The script works nicely, so thanks.

Is there a way to remove pinned items after you've set them to pin using this script?

 

Example,

I pin IE and Word but then decide I no longer want word pinned. Removing the code to pin word from the script has no effect. Is there a way to make this script so it's first step is to delete all pinned items, then it pins the items you have listed in the script?

[Shuriken1]

Is there a way to remove pinned items after you've set them to pin using this script?

Only a guess but I imagine you could use the same code but change the verb it looks for from 'Pin to Start Menu' to 'Unpin from Start Menu' and that will do the reverse.

 

Just a thought.