Classic Shell: Forum

It's possible to see - in the left side of start menu (win7 look) - both the apps (metro) and the programs (the most ones)? Same list, without "app" folder
(I'm on windows 10)

No the Apps folder is intentionally separate to not mix them with Programs. Besides, if "Apps" item is enabled in the right column of the Main Menu (from Customize Start Menu tab), you get fast access to any app.

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Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and helped a little with Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

There are distinctions between Apps and Programs which is why they are separate:
- Apps can be installed from the Store, programs can be installed from anywhere
- Apps are touch-first but work with mouse and keyboard. Programs are mouse and keyboard-first but work with touch
- The apps folder is a shell namespace extension where shortcuts cannot be freely deleted, hidden or added unless the app itself is removed/installed. The programs folder has file shortcuts.

This is why they are separate.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and helped a little with Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

Thank you for your reply. All those are technical distinctions and I understand the differences. However from a user point of view there is still no point in them being separated. For example I am using a desktop with mouse and keyboard but that makes no difference to where the "shortcut" is. Where they are installed FROM also makes no difference after the event when I want to start the app/program.
I do not want them separated, so is there an easy way to combine them into one (Apps) menu?
Thanks.

No, not possible. The structure of the programs tree is constructed by the installers of the desktop software - the installer creates the folders and places the shortcuts there.

Installers for apps don't do that. There is no information anywhere about where to place the app in the programs tree. That's why all apps are placed in the virtual Apps folder.

Well I don't completely understand that. The standard Windows 10 Start Menu has all the programs and apps in the same menu, the "All apps" menu. That's what I want. Except of course that with Classic Shell I can have my beloved cascading menus.

So I'm pretty sure it must be possible if MS can do it. And if MS can do it then, based on my previous experience with Classic Shell, I would have thought you could do it.

Well, that's the major difference - to get the cascading menus you have to respect the folder structure that the installers create. If you don't use the folder structure and place everything in one list, of course you can have programs and apps mixed together.

The items that are automatically added to Programs and Apps are not done by Classic Shell but by Windows. So technically you could create a file shortcut to an app and move it to the Programs folder but you will have to maintain this all the time because if you install any new apps, they will show up in the Apps folder.

_________________
Links to some general topics:

● Compare Start Menus

● Read the Search box usage guide.

I am a Windows enthusiast and helped a little with Classic Shell's testing and usability/UX feedback.

If they are already in .lnk format, you could use a program to automate Gaurav's suggestion: http://www.online-tech-tips.com/computer-tips/how-to-move-or-copy-files-at-scheduled-time-intervals/

And yet in standard Windows 10 they are NOT separated! Doesn't make sense.

Never mind, as it isn't something you can enable I've done the next best thing which is moved the Apps menu to be a Sub-menu of the Programs menu using the "Customize Start Menu" dialogue. Which is neater in some ways anyway.

Thanks for the responses.