FARR and Windows apps

[Attronarch]

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]

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]

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).

FARR and Windows apps

[ayryq]

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]

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.
FARR and Windows apps
Create a shortcut somewhere FARR can index to "something://" (excluding quotes).
FARR 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"

The Calculator icon is used with my title, and the shortcut is found and launched successfully from FARR.
FARR 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

[Attronarch]

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...

-ayryq (March 01, 2016, 08:37 AM)

[mouser]

Nice. I'll try to add automatic support for Windows Apps in FARR soon, but this is a great workaround until then

[ayryq]

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

-Attronarch (March 02, 2016, 04:14 AM)

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]

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]

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]

Sorry for the delay -- i'm still planning on adding this built into farr.

[IainB]

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
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-nitrix-ud (September 02, 2016, 09:27 AM)

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?
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-Attronarch (February 04, 2016, 02:33 PM)

(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.

[nitrix-ud]

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... 

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]

@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
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-skajfes (November 15, 2013, 04:16 PM)

@tomos: alt + drag and drop (?) (to create shortcuts)
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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.
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-fredphoesh (November 16, 2013, 06:52 AM)

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.   

[nitrix-ud]

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