Application Launch Problem: Open Folder as Menu option won't always launch application

from Stardock Forums

I have a folder setup on a Start11 tab with two different games in it ... they will both launch if I don't select the Open Folder as Menu option ... but if I do use the Open Folder as Menu option they won't launch (no pop-ups indicating any launch problems ... just nothing).

What I have noticed is that if I use the Open File Location option, with the Open Folder as Menu option selected, they point directly to an .exe ... when the Open Folder as Menu option is NOT selected, the Open File Location option points to a shortcut that points to the .exe and has other settings (like which directory to launch from, etc.)

I will also say that it seems like this just start happening (after a recent update of Start11 which currently indicates it is version 2.51).

Windows 11 Pro Version 24H2 (OS build 26100.3037)

I created the shortcuts, copied them into the C:\Users\Jeff\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs then added them to a Start11 tab using the New -> Pin installed application option ... after which I combined the two game shortcuts into a folder (and named the folder).   I have verified the shortcuts will launch the games from File Explorer from within the folder I copied them to ... and the only way they won't launch is if the Open Folder as Menu option is selected.  

Just to be totally transparent (and just in case it matters):  The games are installed on Drive D: and Windows (and Start11) is installed on Drive C: 

start11 start menu products
3,520 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from Stardock Forums Top

Hello,
Sorry to hear you are having issues. It is hard for me to try to reproduce your issue on my system. Please elaborate with screenshots or video so I can understand and try to replicate the issue on my system.

Thank you,
Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant.

Reply #2 from Stardock Forums Top

Ok, so in images:

I have a folder setup within a tab:

If I don't have the Open folder as a menu option set, everything works...

But if I have the Open folder as a menu checked it doesn't launch anything.

The primary difference is that if I don't have the Open folder as a menu checked ... and I select More->Open file location ... after right-clicking on the game to launch...

It points to the shortcut file ... 

Where if a use the similar option with the Open Folder as a menu checked ...

It points to the .exe of the game ...

Please keep in mind that the shortcut properties contain the .exe to launch, along with additional information (like which directory to launch from) ...

 

And this is the primary difference I see between Opening the folder as a menu (or not) and to be honest, I'm not sure why the two options would point to different files to launch.   It's also interesting to me that when I right click on the game to launch, the options are different between when I have the Open folder as a menu checked (or not).   When it isn't checked, it seems like it's Start11 related options, and when it is checked it's Windows related options. 

I hope this clears things up. 

 

Star Control: Origins
Reply #3 from Stardock Forums Top

Unfortunately, I can not reproduce this issue. Is your issue happen on these specific applications? I tested on two well known apps but, I can open both application without issue, while on Open folder as menu. Refer my video below.

Since I tested on the latest V5.52 Beta, would like to suggest to try, uninstall Start11, reboot immediately (important), download latest version available in your account product download page: https://store.stardock.com/myaccount/products. Install it, reboot immediately again. Retest it and report back.

Thank you,

Basj,
Stardock Community Assistant

Reply #4 from Stardock Forums Top

No offense, but the amount of time and effort it would take to reinstall Start11 (and manually restore everything ... rather than backup/restore since, very likely the problem is saved as part of the backup) just isn't worth it ... I'll just leave the Open folder as menu option unchecked in those instances where it's required.   

My belief is that it has something to do with the handling of shortcuts (because if I just add an .exe rather than point to a shortcut [which I just created but creating a shortcut in windows explorer and then moving it elsewhere] the games will launch even with the Open folder as menu option checked.  It's just that the name of the .exe doesn't fully define what the application is (for example:  TRS22 is the name of the .exe for the Trainz Railroad Simulator 2022 game above) ... and I'd rather have that as the name (and yes, I know that I can rename ... but there was a problem doing that (and I honestly can't recall what that was ... maybe it created a shortcut [which led me back to the problem I was having before] or it renamed the .exe directly ... or possibly something else entirely ... but I do remember I didn't consider it acceptable).

Also, the fact that when right-clicking on them and the options are different dependent on whether the Open folder as menu option is checked ... it just seems like that could potentially point to some differences that are causing the problem as-well. 

Anyhow, thanks for the assistance.

-Jeff