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Author Topic: FARR and Windows apps  (Read 10429 times)

Attronarch

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FARR and Windows apps
« on: February 04, 2016, 02:33 PM »
My first idea was to find where the apps are installed and simply point FARR to that location so I can launch what I want, but alas, it is a big hassle to open that folder. And once you revert security setting FARR cannot reach that folder anymore.

Any elegant way for using FARR to run Windows apps?

mouser

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Re: FARR and Windows apps
« Reply #1 on: February 15, 2016, 08:25 PM »
I apologize for missing this originally. Can you elaborate a little bit on this, or can anyone else provide some guidance about what kinds of apps we are talking about?

Attronarch

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Re: FARR and Windows apps
« Reply #2 on: February 16, 2016, 02:23 AM »
All apps for Win 8/8.1/10 that come from the Windows Store.

On Win 10 they are available from the start menu, mixed with regular programs. See attached screenshot (circled in red).

Example.pngFARR and Windows apps

ayryq

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Re: FARR and Windows apps
« Reply #3 on: March 01, 2016, 07:55 AM »
For what it's worth, I haven't found a way, elegant or otherwise, to get FARR to find or run windows-store "apps." Such as Calculator or Calendar or Mail or Edge (browser) or the ModernUI version of Skype. I ignored this problem in Windows 8 since I ignored these apps, but now that they are better integrated into the desktop I find myself using some of them sometimes.

After going through the linked "hassle" were you able to load them in FARR? Could you make old-style .lnk shortcuts to the windowsapps files?

ayryq

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Re: FARR and Windows apps
« Reply #4 on: March 01, 2016, 08:37 AM »
Here's a method that works for creating a "real" shortcut to a metro app:

Go to Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Default Programs\Set Associations


Scroll to the bottom under "protocols" and note that the description column next to each of the metro app shows URL:something.
Screenshot - 2016-03-01 , 9_41_45.jpgFARR and Windows apps
Create a shortcut somewhere FARR can index to "something://" (excluding quotes).
Screenshot - 2016-03-01 , 9_43_36.pngFARR and Windows apps
Rename the shortcut (it'll be called "New Internet Shortcut" by default.)

For example, windows 10 calculator shows URL:calculator. I create a new shortcut on my desktop pointing to calculator:// and titled "Calculator App"
Screenshot - 2016-03-01 , 9_46_39.png
The Calculator icon is used with my title, and the shortcut is found and launched successfully from FARR.
Screenshot - 2016-03-01 , 9_49_24.pngFARR and Windows apps
Kind of a farr cry from the index-free ease of normal farr use but if there's a metro app you use frequently it might be worth it.

I got this idea from this link that I found here.

Eric
« Last Edit: March 01, 2016, 08:49 AM by ayryq »

Attronarch

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Re: FARR and Windows apps
« Reply #5 on: March 02, 2016, 04:14 AM »
Worked like a charm, thank you for sharing.

I had to change all icons since they are white and my FARR background is white, so it annoyed me to see "nothing".

Kind of a farr cry from the index-free...


mouser

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Re: FARR and Windows apps
« Reply #6 on: March 02, 2016, 06:48 AM »
Nice. I'll try to add automatic support for Windows Apps in FARR soon, but this is a great workaround until then :up:

ayryq

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Re: FARR and Windows apps
« Reply #7 on: March 02, 2016, 07:01 AM »
I had to change all icons since they are white and my FARR background is white, so it annoyed me to see "nothing".

Yes, you can see above that I went the easy route and changed my FARR background color for my screenshot.

P.S. I found this solution on the Launchy forum. They don't support ModernUI apps either.

P.P.S. I wish every forum I used had the ability to quote just the text I've highlighted. That is seriously handy.

nitrix-ud

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Re: FARR and Windows apps
« Reply #8 on: August 10, 2016, 03:30 AM »
Nice. I'll try to add automatic support for Windows Apps in FARR soon, but this is a great workaround until then

Hello Mouser, any advance regarding windows app automatic support ?

nitrix-ud

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Re: FARR and Windows apps
« Reply #9 on: September 02, 2016, 09:27 AM »
If you run "shell:appsfolder"
or put it as a path in windows explorer (it also works in directory opus)

It opens a special folder with all the windows universal apps and all the desktop apps

You can then easily create shortcuts... just drag-and-drop to a folder or right-click and choose create shortcut to the desktop

Too bad, there is no way to add this special folder to FARR

mouser

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Re: FARR and Windows apps
« Reply #10 on: September 02, 2016, 09:39 AM »
Sorry for the delay -- i'm still planning on adding this built into farr.

IainB

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Re: FARR and Windows apps
« Reply #11 on: September 02, 2016, 01:14 PM »
If you run "shell:appsfolder"
or put it as a path in windows explorer (it also works in directory opus)
It opens a special folder with all the windows universal apps and all the desktop apps
You can then easily create shortcuts... just drag-and-drop to a folder or right-click and choose create shortcut to the desktop
Too bad, there is no way to add this special folder to FARR
_____________________________________

Is that last statement necessarily true?

If one creates a new folder and names it: Fred.{4234d49b-0245-4df3-B780-3893943456e1}
- then that seems to create a hard link for the the same thing as pasting shell:appsfolder into the WinExplorer address bar.

I got that from reading the link to "hassle" in the OP:
My first idea was to find where the apps are installed and simply point FARR to that location so I can launch what I want, but alas, it is a big hassle to open that folder. And once you revert security setting FARR cannot reach that folder anymore.
Any elegant way for using FARR to run Windows apps?
___________________________
(Quite an interesting article.)

Does that provide the type of lookup table needed for this?

In the same way we got: GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C} - from an earlier FARR-related discussion I think it was.
« Last Edit: September 02, 2016, 01:42 PM by IainB »

nitrix-ud

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Re: FARR and Windows apps
« Reply #12 on: September 06, 2016, 01:33 AM »
Sorry for the delay -- i'm still planning on adding this built into farr.
That's great!

I hope you will be able to fix the 300 characters limit of the command-line parameter and add the abitility to auto-prefix farr config files...  :Thmbsup:


If one creates a new folder and names it: Fred.{4234d49b-0245-4df3-B780-3893943456e1}
nice find IainB
it is then possible to add this folder in FARR, but it seems there is no easy way to launch the apps...

IainB

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Re: FARR and Windows apps
« Reply #13 on: September 08, 2016, 02:38 AM »
@nitrix-ud: I thought I recalled this having apparently been solved in a prior discussion, and this seems to be it:
just drag and drop to a new folder
______________________
@tomos: alt + drag and drop (?) (to create shortcuts)
______________________
Awesome, works perfectly, thanks guys!
I created the Godfolder, (by creating a new folder called "GodMode.{ED7BA470-8E54-465E-825C-99712043E01C}") and then selected ALL the items, Alt Dragged them to a new folder called Shortcuts (in my documents/donationcoder folder) and vioala!
Thanks fellas,
Mark.
______________________

So, the steps are:
  • open up Fred.{4234d49b-0245-4df3-B780-3893943456e1}
  • select ALL
  • alt + drag-and-drop the files thus selected to an empty folder named (say) ViewAllAppsShortcuts, which is in (say) ...my documents\donationcoder folder
  • this will create 268 (I just did it myself, now) shortcuts to those apps
So then I guess (?) you create a FARR alias to use that folder - I haven't done that yet as I am being directed to go shopping for groceries pronto.    :(
« Last Edit: September 08, 2016, 02:45 AM by IainB »

nitrix-ud

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Re: FARR and Windows apps
« Reply #14 on: September 08, 2016, 03:13 AM »
Thanks IainB

I already got that, but it is not automatic ;) (when you install a new app for instance...)

What I do now:

I use ahk scripts with the app protocol, for instance... Run fb-messenger:// (to launch the facebook app)

I use this method because I can share thoses scripts between my computers... (through dropbox) It's "universal", I mean not computer related