Create start menu shortcut without <company_name> folder?

[duanyao]

Currently the start menu shortcuts is always under the <company_name> folder. However some of our users complain that it make little sense and they don't want to remember the company name. Is there a way to get rid of the <company_name> folder?

[moser96]

I also focued this problem. Would be nice if there were an alternative 😄

[rbkreisberg]

I need to omit the company name folder from the start menu link as well. Is there a workaround?

[chikubian]

The only workaround I could find was creating a custom build of Squirrel…

In the file UpdateManager.ApplyReleases.cs there is a method called getLinkTarget… in that method you need to change…

           case ShortcutLocation.StartMenu:
                dir = Path.Combine(Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.StartMenu), "Programs", applicationName);
                break;

…so that it instead reads:

            case ShortcutLocation.StartMenu:
                dir = Path.Combine(Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.StartMenu), "Programs");
                break;

I hope that helps.

[anaisbetts]

There's no way to do this currently - I'm not sure I want to add Yet Another Config Flag to make it happen. You can use the ShellLink class if you're a C# app which should make this not so hard to implement

[rbkreisberg]

@chikubian thanks I'll take a look at that.

@paulcbetts Understandable. I noticed that #281 provides a solution for this.

Adding it as a value to the shortcut location flag seems reasonable to me. I understand if it doesn't sit right with you, though.

[Thieum]

See also #280

[Remzi1993]

I still don't understand why this hasn't been fixed. This is such an important option for developers. Looks like Windows 11 ignores folders with just an app icon, but still, this should be fixed. And putting in only the app icon should be the default option, not the other way around. It doesn't make any sense.

[anaisbetts]

[caesay]

This feature available with my popular fork of Squirrel. You can call CreateShortcutsForExecutable or CreateShortcutForThisExe with the option ShortcutLocation.StartMenuRoot to create a shortcut at the root of the start menu instead of inside a company name folder.

[Remzi1993]

This feature available with my popular fork of Squirrel. You can call CreateShortcutsForExecutable or CreateShortcutForThisExe with the option ShortcutLocation.StartMenuRoot to create a shortcut at the root of the start menu instead of inside a company name folder.

Thank you so much 👍 It's sad that your improvements aren't picked up by the main project. Your fork seems te be great 🙂

[mjiggidy]

This feature available with my popular fork of Squirrel. You can call CreateShortcutsForExecutable or CreateShortcutForThisExe with the option ShortcutLocation.StartMenuRoot to create a shortcut at the root of the start menu instead of inside a company name folder.

Hey look, someone who actually cares. Thanks so much, I'm switching over to this until I can get the heck off Squirrel completely.

[Remzi1993]

Apparently not just my opinion mate. The opinion seems to be very populair because now there is a fork. Which is sad, because forks mean less people working together.