Windows 7: How pin the same executable twice to the Start menu?

davidbr · 30 Jan 2011

I use two shortcuts to start Chrome with different profiles, so I have:

Code:

C:\Users\Me\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe --user-data-dir="C:\Users\Me\Chrome_Profile_1"

and

Code:

C:\Users\Me\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe --user-data-dir="C:\Users\Me\Chrome_Profile_2"

The problem is I can't pin both shortcuts to the start menu. They are treated as if they are the same (I guess it's because the executable is the same, and the extra arguments are ignored).

What can I do?

Thanks,
Dave

davidbr · 31 Jan 2011

Quote: Originally Posted by Manay Pepin

Make a copy of the Chrome executable and assign a different name, for example, Chrome2. When you launch it, it will group itself with the initial Chrome icon the taskbar, but you can have two or more copies of the same app in the Start Menu this way.

Hi Manay and thanks for your reply. Copying the executable itself seems kind of lame, isn't it?
Perhaps I can write two one-liner batch files that will execute Chrome and create shortcuts to them instead the original executable itself? It's just that I have never wrote a batch file for windows. Should I only write the command ()as in the shortcut target)?

Thanks,
Dave

logicearth · 31 Jan 2011

Writing a batch file is a little over kill. I have a better way that won't require any additional hard drive space. Simply create a hardlink to the original executable file. Can use this command: (Change [USERNAME] of course)

Code:

mklink /H "C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome2.exe" "C:\Users\[USERNAME]\AppData\Lo
cal\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"

davehc · 31 Jan 2011

The example you give, looks like the same profile??
Anyway, if they are, you can pin Chrome to the taskbar. If you have chrome open and need another chrome up, press the middle mouse key.,

davidbr · 31 Jan 2011

Quote: Originally Posted by logicearth

Writing a batch file is a little over kill. I have a better way that won't require any additional hard drive space. Simply create a hardlink to the original executable file.

Thanks, this seems like a nice solution. I didn't know Windows has hard links. However, it seems hard links do require hard drive space (Mklink in Windows).

davidbr · 31 Jan 2011

Quote: Originally Posted by davehc

The example you give, looks like the same profile??

No, these are different profile folders:

Code:

--user-data-dir="C:\Users\Me\Chrome_Profile_1"

and

Code:

--user-data-dir="C:\Users\Me\Chrome_Profile_2"

.

logicearth · 31 Jan 2011

Quote: Originally Posted by davidbr

Thanks, this seems like a nice solution. I didn't know Windows has hard links. However, it seems hard links do require hard drive space (Mklink in Windows).

Explorer may show the hardlink is taking up space but it is not. It is merely a reference in the MFT that points to the same file. An Alias as it were. You can make a dozen hardlinks of the say file, the size utilized will never decrease of increase. You can easily test this out.

Just so we are clear, Explorer (and others that list files) shows and has a file size because it needs to act exactly like a regular file. A hardlink would be 100% useless if it did not. So the post in your link is WRONG.

mickey megabyte · 31 Jan 2011

just happened upon this article: Use Chrome and Chromium Side-By-Side for Easy Profile Management

probably a bit late now, but anyway...

davidbr · 31 Jan 2011

Thank you all.

mickey megabyte · 31 Jan 2011

Windows 7: How pin the same executable twice to the Start menu?

How pin the same executable twice to the Start menu? problems?