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Can't create shortcut in start menu
Posted: Tue Dec 06, 2022 11:53 am
by JohnBalcom
I can't get a shortcut to show up in Windows 11 Start Menu. Tested OK in Windows 10.
InstallShield created the
TPC Desktop 2020 link shown here under the
Traverse PC folder. They make it so simple. I want IA to do the same thing.

- Traverse PC Folder in Start Menu.png (173.58 KiB) Viewed 19202 times
I've added the shortcuts I want to the IA IDE. The
TPC 2019 works great. The
TPC Desktop 2019 doesn't. I can't get the shortcut to show up in the start menu at all. Even if I don't put it in the Traverse PC folder.

- IA Shortcuts.png (62.63 KiB) Viewed 19202 times
What should this Create Shortcut dialog look like?

- Create Shortcut Dlg.png (143.97 KiB) Viewed 19199 times
I tried adding the
startmenu dialog and that didn't help.
Re: Can't create shortcut in start menu
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2022 7:58 am
by FrancescoT
Please have a look at the attached project. This creates a "Hello" shortcut in the Applications Start Menu Folder.

- shortcut.png (150.25 KiB) Viewed 19102 times
Re: Can't create shortcut in start menu
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2022 11:45 am
by JohnBalcom
It looks like you are sending the link to the shortcut folder, but it doesn't show up in the pulldown list in the properties dialog.

- No Shortcutfolder.png (63.57 KiB) Viewed 19098 times
1. Do I enter $SHORTCUTFOLDER$ manually?
2. Why isn't it in the pulldown list?
3. Where does your documentation tell me what $SHORTCUTFOLDER$? is and when to use it?
4. Why didn't IA set this up for me when it converted my InstallShield project?
Re: Can't create shortcut in start menu
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2022 12:54 pm
by JohnBalcom
I built your testprj and installed it. I changed a few variables to mimic what we want.
When the start menu is first opened, I see the shortcut

- Test Project is there.png (138.64 KiB) Viewed 19096 times
Then, without doing anything, after about 5 seconds, the short cut disappears

- Test Project is not there.png (151.37 KiB) Viewed 19096 times
Reopening the start menu and rebooting the computer doesn't bring it back.
What do I do to get the shortcut to stay in the start menu?
I've attached the modified project for you to test.
Re: Can't create shortcut in start menu
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2022 2:36 pm
by JohnBalcom
Update
We just tested install on another Win 11 computer and it worked OK there.
To on my Win 11 test computer
1. Our old InstallShield install create the start menu shortcuts properly
2. Our new IA installs do not
3. Same results for our IA projects and the test project you sent me.
Any suggestion on what might be going on?
Re: Can't create shortcut in start menu
Posted: Thu Dec 08, 2022 6:11 pm
by JohnBalcom
I figured it out.
As soon as I changed the circled Pin options from Yes to No the TPC Desktop 2019 shortcut stays in the Startup Menu for Windows 11 and doesn't disappear.

- Don't pin desktop shortcut.png (12.51 KiB) Viewed 19081 times
I have to say that once again, I spent way too much time figuring this out. This is worked in InstallShield.
1) IA documentation is horrible - was not helpful for this at all.
2) I appreciate IA support person replying to my post but I just spent 2 more days waiting for replies and finally figured it out myself.
Yikes!!
Re: Can't create shortcut in start menu
Posted: Fri Dec 09, 2022 11:50 am
by JohnBalcom
This morning (the next day) 2 of the Start Menu shortcuts are missing - TPC Desktop 2019 and TPC Desktop 2022.
1. both are still installed
2. both still have icons on the desktop that work
3. both are still included in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Traverse PC

- Missing 2019 and 2022.png (148.78 KiB) Viewed 19073 times
What is going on?
Re: Can't create shortcut in start menu
Posted: Fri Feb 23, 2024 11:43 am
by JohnGaver
Sorry to hear of your troubles, but this sounds more like a Start Menu bug at Microsoft's end than an InstallAware issue.
For the record, no other product can pin apps to the Start Menu at all, including the one you referenced above.