Windows 10 built-in app, how to start or link. (Case: SoundRecorder)

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RUBn
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Windows 10 built-in app, how to start or link. (Case: SoundRecorder)

03 Aug 2015, 08:33

Short explenation:
Migrated to Windows 10 from 7 and this line in my AHK script is not working anymore:

Code: Select all

Menu, Audio, Icon, Sound Recorder, C:\Windows\system32\SoundRecorder.exe

Longer explanation:

I discovered already that Sound Recorder is now called Voice Recorder, but it's not a normal program anymore. When creating a shortcut on the desktop, it says "Microsoft.WindowsSoundRecorder_8wekyb..." (can't read whole line).
I think it resides in C:\Program Files\WindowsApps, but not sure.
Which kind of app is that? Is that a Metro App I've heard about or just "built-in" app or is it a special .NET app?
And how do you call them? Do you have to build them or something? I have read some forum topics around this, but I'm not sure if it was related or did not understand them.

This forum topic might be related too:
Win 8 Apps (Metro) - Any Tips?

Thanks for any help!

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lexikos
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Re: Windows 10 built-in app, how to start or link. (Case: SoundRecorder)

04 Aug 2015, 00:28

The easy answer is that you can launch anything you can create a shortcut to - by using the Run command. Just Run the shortcut file.
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RUBn
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Re: Windows 10 built-in app, how to start or link. (Case: SoundRecorder)

04 Aug 2015, 06:12

EDIT:Before reading on, first read my last post, since I think I misunderstood LExikos in the following posts.

Thanks for the reply, Lexikos, but I don't think I can run this particular kind of "shortcut".

1. I tried
If it is residing in that WindowsApp folder that I presumed, then the shortcut is a folder, not a file at all.
Also, if I go in to the only folder that looks like it and run the most logical executable in there, I get a Windows error:
C:\Program Files\WindowsApps\Microsoft.WindowsSoundRecorder_10.1507.7010.0_x64__8wekyb3d8bbwe\SoundRec.exe
This application can only run in the context of an app container.


Also, if I just run "Microsoft.WindowsSoundRecorder_8wekyb3d8bbwe", (litterally take over from the schortcut I dragged; see further below), Windows says it cannot find it.

2. Info
I made that shortcut by dragging the app to the desktop from the "All apps" in start menu; the ONLY way you can make that shortcut. I've looked for how to make a shortcut for this special app a long time , believe me, as I thought that was the way to find my solution. The fact that these kind of apps couldn't be made as a shortcut was actually a bug in the first release of Windows 10, which is now resolved (although only by dragging it from "all apps"). (Because it's that special, I believe)

So, I don't think it's just a matter of "you can create a shortcut, so you can run it" for these special apps. (Unless I missed something?)
Last edited by RUBn on 04 Aug 2015, 06:45, edited 4 times in total.

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RUBn
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Re: Windows 10 built-in app, how to start or link. (Case: SoundRecorder)

04 Aug 2015, 06:23

Tried this too in powershell, just to learn what I'm dealing with, not necessarily as a solution yet , but it doesn't work:
http://windowsitpro.com/windows-8/openi ... -or-script
Or I don't know what the right command string is for Voice Recorder to be placed after "start"

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RUBn
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Re: Windows 10 built-in app, how to start or link. (Case: SoundRecorder)

04 Aug 2015, 06:27

If I'm right on the track and read this (http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2624 ... mmand-line), I'm starting to believe it's going to be impossible via AHK (or very very hard)..

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RUBn
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Re: Windows 10 built-in app, how to start or link. (Case: SoundRecorder)

04 Aug 2015, 06:33

P.S. If i go to Windows Task Manager and ask properties of the running Voice Recorder, it gives back that folder I talked about in my first reply to Lexikos. (Which starts explorer in that folder, if you just run that.)

Ruby out. :-) (Giving up, unless someone has new info..)

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RUBn
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Re: Windows 10 built-in app, how to start or link. (Case: SoundRecorder)

04 Aug 2015, 06:43

Wait, Lexikos, I think I misread you.
You're saying that I have to point AHK to the shortcut file! I kind of read over that or misinterpret that. Sorry.
I thought about that myself, although I was asking for a way without doing that.
So, are you saying it's very very hard (or impossible) to do that without a shortcut file?

Thanks again. Sorry for all the text in between, but maybe it can helps someone. :-)

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RickC
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Re: Windows 10 built-in app, how to start or link. (Case: SoundRecorder)

04 Aug 2015, 20:37

@RUBn
I duplicated your attempts (including trying to set up a shortcut and link to it by AHK code) and couldn't find a workaround either.
(OMG, Microsoft... why did you do this? :o I'm going to stay with Win 7 for as long as I can.)
lexikos
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Re: Windows 10 built-in app, how to start or link. (Case: SoundRecorder)

10 Aug 2015, 01:55

Just saw this: How To Create A Shortcut For Any 'Modern' Windows App

Apparently it applies to Windows 10 as well. I would try that and then check the target of the shortcut. I haven't tested it yet. (I couldn't find a way to create a shortcut to an app when I tried earlier.)
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RUBn
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Re: Windows 10 built-in app, how to start or link. (Case: SoundRecorder)

10 Aug 2015, 06:01

Thanks, Lexikos, but I found already a way to create a shortcuts, and I use it now as solution. (Nice to know there is that hidden folder nonetheless. I suppose it's the source folder for the start menu, "All Apps" where I got it from.)
FYI: The shortcut created is the same as my OP with all the described problems (for direct and simple use in AHK).

So, to be clear and for the record, this topic is "handled" for me. The answer was: it's very hard to impossible to do it without shortcut "in-between". Better to use a path to a shortcut (that you can place in your AHK script folder for example) (just as you proposed, Lexikos).

@Rickc: It's Microsoft's strength* to invent something every time, that bloats the system, makes no sense or could be done simpler.
(Fait divers: Did you know that by now Windows has 5 different ways to store settings? -> ini files (in a myriad of possible places nonetheless!), environment variables, registry, meta-base, euhm..forgot the fifth or was it four?
* Sarcasm without a doubt.

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JBensimon
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Re: Windows 10 built-in app, how to start or link. (Case: SoundRecorder)

16 Feb 2020, 11:46

I know this is a very old post, but I thought I'd share an uber-easy way to get a UWP ("Metro") app's launch string of the form "PackageFamilyName!AppID" which can then be launched trivially using

Code: Select all

Run, shell:AppsFolder\PackageFamilyName!AppID
Explained here: https twitter.com/JacqBens/status/1228916389148319744 [You may have to copy the link text and reassemble it to get there -- maybe someday I'll learn how to insert a working URL in a post!]

Jacques.
BlossomStein
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Re: Windows 10 built-in app, how to start or link. (Case: SoundRecorder)

10 Sep 2020, 10:27

JBensimon wrote:
16 Feb 2020, 11:46
I know this is a very old post, but I thought I'd share an uber-easy way to get a UWP ("Metro") app's launch string of the form "PackageFamilyName!AppID" which can then be launched trivially using

Code: Select all

Run, shell:AppsFolder\PackageFamilyName!AppID
Explained here: https twitter.com/JacqBens/status/1228916389148319744 [You may have to copy the link text and reassemble it to get there -- maybe someday I'll learn how to insert a working URL in a post!]

Jacques.
Page not found. Any info on this at this point?
gregster
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Joined: 30 Sep 2013, 06:48

Re: Windows 10 built-in app, how to start or link. (Case: SoundRecorder)

10 Sep 2020, 10:31

BlossomStein wrote:
10 Sep 2020, 10:27
Page not found. Any info on this at this point?

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