Fast way to open apps -> Start -> Search

limneos · 14 Jan 2009

After Airbot's thread about SY bringing up Create a system restore disc,
I played around in Start-> search and found a lot of shorcut ways to open apps, some new apps,
some old, some seem logically found ,some irrelevant. Here it comes:

Sy or System -> Brings up Create a system restore disc
Proj or Projector -> Brings up Connect to a Network Projector
color -> Brings up Calibrate Display Color/Color Management
Man -> Brings up Computer Management
clear -> Brings up Clear Type Text Tuner
add blue -> Brings up Device Pairing Wizard (add a bluetooth device)
ev -> Event Viewer
part -> Disk Management snap-in
up -> Windows Update
ie -> Add/remove programs- Programs and Features
ms -> same as above (!)
ag -> Windows Defender
pers - > Personalization
perf - > Perfomance Monitor
reb -> Action Center
par -> Parental Controls
fir -> Windows Firewall with Advanced Security
ol -> Compatibility Troubleshooter
li -> Windows Live messenger (if you have it installed)
ste or psr-> Steps Recorder
isoburn -> A new command line tool to burn iso images by M$
mob -> Windows Mobility Center (for notebooks)
mstsc -> Remote Desktop Connection
turn -> Turn several stuff on or off
prese -> Adjust settings before a presentation
wusa -> Windows update standalone Installer
whoneedsthislistanyway -> A good reply to this thread.

and last but not least, sn for snipping tool.

Of course there are multiple ways that we can type and call a certain app, so experiment a bit...

Tip: Look for executable files with new icons in c:\windows\system32

garbanzo · 15 Jan 2009

good stuff! of course, these can change if you have other apps installed whose names are closer to the letter you type in... i don't think the shortcuts you have posted are actual aliases, but rather windows guesses what you're trying to find and displays the closest thing. so if it finds something that matches better, it will grab that instead.

nonetheless, the idea of the post is good, and i have been using the start menu as an app launcher ever since i noticed this myself. just hit the WIN key, type a few letters, and you're off!

hethoofd · 15 Jan 2009

I was hoping for something that would make apps open in under a second, just like Chrome haha

I wonder how Google does that with Chrome, it's just amazing..

acadamis2000 · 15 Jan 2009

Just to bring up the case as when programs start to be installed more and then you can no longer just type those short words to get the app to come up. The search bar which one of my favs in Vista and 7 is also the run box. So apps like

Event Viewer > eventvwr.msc
Disk Management > diskmgmt.msc
Control Panel > Control
Internet Explorer > iexplore
Firefox > firefox
Device Manager > devmgmt.msc

Just a few that you have always been able to launch from the run command also can be incorporated into the search bar for quick launch.

Myself, being a keyboard junkie like to launch everything from the search bar. If anyone else would like more ideas on more stuff to launch let me know i will post more.

Thanks guys

limneos · 15 Jan 2009

Well you could post some handy shortcuts, it never hurts and I'm sure we all don't know every single one, so any post would be a new lesson.

Regards

acadamis2000 · 15 Jan 2009

Gotcha, yeah there are soooooo many of them. I will post a few that at least I use on a daily basis. Although everyone's computing might be different than mine, someone will get something good out of these.

Here's some goodies:

Administrative Tools > control admintools
Network Connections > control netconnections
Add/Remove Programs > appwiz.cpl
Automatic Updates > wuaucpl.cpl
Calculator > calc
Certficate Manager > certmgr.msc
Computer Management > compmgmt.msc
Group Policy Editor > gpedit.msc
Local Users and Groups > lusrmgr.msc (one of my fav's in domains)
Word > winword
Excel > excel
PowerPoint > powerpnt
Notepad > notepad
Registry Editor > regedit or regedit32
System Configurator > msconfig

Ok done typing. Hope that helps

garysgold · 15 Jan 2009

You can also open individual files the same way. For instance, I have an Excel file named Garysgold Books for my biz. I just type in Books and hit enter and there it is. I like it. Of course if I also had a folder named books it will list that too. Use the arrow key if what you want isn't first on the list and when highlighted hit enter.

Gary