There is a little problem with Windows 7.
The quick launch has been merged with the task bar. Or the task bar has been merged with the quick launch. Who knows?
Anyway, the task bar now looks and works like the quick launch. But with the difference that the shortcut button, after the program launched, now acts like the task bar. Maybe I better use some pictures...
You can "pin" applications to the taskbar. Basically what the quick launch did. (No application is running at this point)
http://img127.imageshack.us/img127/1263/88173972cr0.jpg
After I click on the button the application launches and the quick launch buttons is now something like the a task bar... thing.
http://img261.imageshack.us/img261/6645/89180728ic8.jpg
The problem is:
When I launch Firefox Portable and decide to pin it (right click on its symbol - "pin this program to taskar") it pins firefox.exe, bypassing the launcher. So its useless.
If I pin FirefoxPortable.exe it will launch as normal, but it creates a second firefox symbol for firefox.exe.
Its only logical that this happens and its obviously not a bug so there is nothing that could be fixed.
But is there anything that could be done about it?
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This is the way Microsoft designed Windows 7 so far. Pinning will simply not work with multi-EXE apps. Period.
Of course, it's a beta and you absolutely should NOT be running it as your primary OS, so it's pretty moot at this point anyway.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Have you considered making the launcher icon enough different from the "real" executable's that they are easy to differentiate? Doesn't really solve the problem, but it might make it slightly easier for end-users to see what is going on.
Of course it is beta, so Microsoft's design might change, so the operative word is "consider".
MC
"Of course it is beta, so Microsoft's design might change, so the operative word is "consider"."
I posted it here because I was absolutely sure that it wont change. Because the way it works now is completely understandable and logical.
"Because the way it works now is completely understandable and logical."
Exactly the reason Microsoft WILL change it!
It's understandable and logical if the program doesn't have a launcher, which PortableApps pretty much have to have.
As for beta, beta is for testing. It's not final until it is final. If enough beta testers decide they can't stand an "understandable and logical" feature, Microsoft might drop or change it. Might. Probably won't. That's why you wouldn't make any precipitous changes until Microsoft says that something is final, or at least until it gets closer to the end of the beta testing cycle.
Hmmm, a lot of Java programs have launchers; I wonder how they work...
MC