Adding no-install apps to All Programs

[mac5050]

I have quite a few programs which don't have installers - they merely unzip and are launched from their own folder. My problem is that I want to add them to the Start menu> All Programs, mainly so I can assign keyboard shortcuts to them and launch them with a CTRL-ALT-LETTER shortcut.

Does anyone know how I can do this in Windows 7? I can't find any way at all. In XP, it's done by right-clicking the taskbar and using the Start dialog. I know I can pin them to the start menu in W7, but I don't want to see them there, right in my face. I want them in All Programs out of the way.

I tried making a new toolbar and pinning them, but if I hide the toolbar, I lose the shortcuts. And if you're wondering why I would hide the toolbar or not pin apps to the taskbar... well, don't bother. I just don't like seeing all that junk on my desktop. Yes... I know it's a useful new feature for many people, but it's not for me.

TIA

mac

 

[surfasb]

Drag and drop while holding down ALT. It will create a shortcut inside Start, All Programs.

Or drag and drop with the right mouse button.

 

[Capt.Jack Sparrow]

Hi Mac5050, Welcome to SF,

The All Program would be under C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
When your copying the Programs copy the shortcut of those Program then if you go to their Properties there you should be able to assign shortcuts.

Hope this helps,
Captain

 

[Tepid]

Well, one way you can do it is by placing the app folder where you want to keep it
It is best to place these under Program Files, regardless of the app
Then Rigth Click Drag and Drop and select Create Shortcut to the Start menu where you want them
You can right click the all programs start menu and add a folder I believe.

and yeah, what Jack said.

 

[mac5050]

Thanks to all of you for the prompt replies.

I forgot to mention that I'd already tried this, but I'm still having problems. If I drag an .exe to the Start Menu/Programs file, then right-click it in either that folder or the start menu, I get the usual file properties dialog, NOT the one which offers the option to use a shortcut. That dialog only seems to appear for installed programs because the other (installed) apps in the folder show the dialog where I can assign a shortcut.

Alt-dragging a program to the start menu just pins it there, which I don't want either.

Heh, I know I'm fussy, but I also know that Windows usually gives you a way to do most things. It's just finding it that's the problem. LOL.

mac

 

[surfasb]

When you ALT drag, hover over the Start button, the Start menu will then open up. Hover over All Programs, then that will open...

 

[mac5050]

Ha!!

Update - I found a way to do it.

1. Right-click the program .exe and send it to Desktop.
2. Drag the icon from the desktop to C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs
3. Right-click it (either in the folder or on the Start menu) and assign a shortcut.

Works perfectly now. Thanks to everyone for the help. Posting, thinking about it, and trying once more, helped me to find the trick.

cheers

mac

 

[mac5050]

hi surfasb,

You're quite correct. I misunderstood your instructions. Sorry. I just tried that and it worked as you said.

However, it didn't help because it gives me the wrong Properties dialog - ie. the normal file properties with no shortcut option.

Anyway, no matter. As you'll see in my post above, I figured it out.

Thanks

mac

 

[Ztruker]

Even easier:

1. Click on Start, Right click on All Programs and select Open.
2. Right click on the program you want to add and drag it to All Programs window.
3. Release RMB and select Create shortcuts here.
4. Right click on the new shortcut, select Rename and call it whatever you want.

 

[mac5050]

Heh. Nice one, Ztruker!

That works perfectly. Obviously, MS knows more than one way to skin a cat.

mac

 

[RogerR]

Have you tried opening the program from its executable and then pinning the icon to the taskbar? That has worked for me.

 

[MacGyvr]

Sounds like the OP was placing the actual executable file in the menu, not a shortcut to it.

 

[mac5050]

Hmmm..... this is becoming very annoying.

After booting up today, I find that all the shortcuts I assigned last night no longer work. The apps are in All Programs, their Properties show the correctly assigned shortuts, but none of them work.

Any suggestions?

Edit - I just double-checked this using Ztruker's method, and the assigned shortcut works, but after a reboot it doesn't.

mac

 

[surfasb]

hi surfasb,

You're quite correct. I misunderstood your instructions. Sorry. I just tried that and it worked as you said.

However, it didn't help because it gives me the wrong Properties dialog - ie. the normal file properties with no shortcut option.

Anyway, no matter. As you'll see in my post above, I figured it out.

Thanks

mac

Yeah, I know my method works cause I'm using it right now. A lot of programs, like process explorer, IP scanner, etc etc are similar programs to your that I am using the method for. The other methods may work.

The desktop method will work too. Send a shortcut to the desktop. Then move the shortcut into the start menu.

 

[mac5050]

Yup. It looks as though the only way to make this work is to pin the apps to the start menu. Any other way doesn't work after a reboot.

But if someone can prove me wrong, I'm quite happy to be corrected.

mac

 

[Tepid]

If you don't mind Gadgets,,, App Launcher is a great Gadget
Honestly, I don't even use my start menu

The reason I say this is,, I have a lot of Portable Apps. And I love Portable Apps.
I don't have any problems with running them, using the App Launcher.

 

[mac5050]

Thanks for the heads-up. I googled App Launcher and looked at it, but I'm not really keen on having a gadget on my desktop. Still, good to know it's available.

I've pinned all my apps to the Start menu and everything's working fine. I'd rather have them in All Programs, but it's not a huge issue. I rarely see the Start menu anyway, since I launch almost everything from the keyboard.

mac

 

[Tepid]

Well Basically, I have no major icons on my desktop. Just a couple gadgets and that's it. Thanks to that app.

 

[surfasb]

That's so odd that your all Programs gets cleaned out. But oh well.

 

[WindowsStar]

Are you talking about the ICON like the one here for Adobe Reader that I have highlighted in the screen shot?