Adding no-install apps to All Programs

[Tepid]

Maybe it's a rights issue?

 

[mac5050]

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

No. That's an icon inside All Programs put there by an installer.

I have a lot of small programs which I use every day, none of which have installers. You just unzip them and double-click the .exe to run them. Since they're not installed in the regular way, they don't appear as an entry in All Programs.

My problem is that if I drag them to the Start menu folder (in explorer), I don't get a Properties dialog with a shortcut option. If I drag them to the Start menu> All Programs, I can assign a shortcut, but after I reboot, the shortcut no longer works, (although it's still shown in Properties).

If someone cares to try this, they can maybe conform/refute what I'm getting.

Anyway, I've now pinned these apps to the Start menu and I'm getting the shortcuts no problem, so I guess I'll go with that. My only gripe is that I wish we could add things to All Programs the way we could in XP - ie. through the Taskbar dialog. But probably MS reckon it's a very minor issue and not worth adding it to the dialog.

Thanks to everyone for the replies and help.

mac

 

[mac5050]

Maybe it's a rights issue?

I don't think so, Tepid. I'm the only user, an administrator, and UAC is switched off. (My work pc isn't allowed on the net, so there's no need for UAC - In fact, I was slightly miffed to discover I had to install my modem just to activate W7, but that's the only time it'll ever be connected).

Anyway, unless there's a rights option I don't know about, I don't think it's that. The dialogs all show Full Control.

mac

 

[WindowsStar]

Ok I am confused: If you highlight the .EXE and then hold the ALT key and drag the icon to the ORB then hold it over the "All Programs" and wait, when it opens let the mouse button go you have a shortcut (see screen shot) This does not work for you? My screen shot is "FileDate.exe" which is a stand-alone utility no installer. My shortcut works.

 

[mac5050]

WindowsStar,

That method works perfectly..... except for one thing. After rebooting, the shortcut no longer works. The app is in All Programs, it's Properties shows the correct shortcut, but CTRL-ALT+LETTER doesn't work. I just tried it again with Everest and it's fine until I reboot, then the shortcut's dead. I've also tried it with several other apps, so it's not just one program.

Does it work for you after a reboot? I'd be interested to know if anyone can get this to work. It could be it's a bug somewhere in my system.

mac

 

[WindowsStar]

Works fine after log off and log on, works fine for other users and works after reboot.

 

[mac5050]

Hell! That's weird.

I've tried again and again, but after reboot, shortcuts just don't work.

Oh well, at least pinning apps to the Start menu works for me. I can live with that.

cheers

mac