[APP] TileCreator - Create tiles to all applications

[Flinston_Ger]

Opera browser also has a custom tile in build 10586.

that's really interesting! thanks for the info. Maybe we can reverse engineer the shortcut?

For anyone interested: Pinning Opera to the startmenu gives a white tile with a red Opera icon in the middle that is different from the icon in the taskbar. It seems that not only background-colour is now customizable, but also the icon itself.

edit: It even has a jump list associated. So no hacks there.
edit2: FOUND IT!
Its a classic visualelementsmanifest.xml defined for the shortcut target, i.e., exe. This is the same approached used in Windows 8. Support got dropped since some 9000 build in Windows 10 and was the reason why OblyTile did not work anymore.

This means, OblyTile should work again! Can anyone check on that??

launcher.visualelementsmanifest.xml:

<Application xmlns:xsi="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">
    <VisualElements
        BackgroundColor="#FFFFFF"
        ShowNameOnSquare150x150Logo="on"
        ForegroundText="dark"
        Square150x150Logo="Assets\150x150Logo.png"
        Square70x70Logo="Assets\70x70Logo.png"
        />
</Application>

Edit 4:
IT WORKS! I just created a custom visualmanifest for a win32 application and pinned it to the startmenu: Custom background image, title, colour, textcolour and option to disable the label. Important is that the startmenu shortcut must be recreated (deleted and placed again)!

 

[Dayanto]

Its a classic visualelementsmanifest.xml defined for the shortcut target, i.e., exe. This is the same approached used in Windows 8. Support got dropped since some 9000 build in Windows 10 and was the reason why OblyTile did not work anymore.

This means, OblyTile should work again! Can anyone check on that??
[...]
IT WORKS! I just created a custom visualmanifest for a win32 application and pinned it to the startmenu: Custom background image, title, colour, textcolour and option to disable the label. Important is that the startmenu shortcut must be recreated (deleted and placed again)!

Does this work with wide and large tiles as well? In Windows 8, desktop applications could only use small and medium tiles. Wide and large tiles weren't allowed.

"Tile design best practices specify that if your tile is not a live tile, it should not claim the extra screen space required for wide (310x150) and large (310x310) tiles. Because a desktop app's tile is always static and never live, those additional tile sizes are not supported in this schema."
(msdn.microsoft.com/sv-se/library/dn449733.aspx)

Its a classic visualelementsmanifest.xml defined for the shortcut target, i.e., exe. [...] Support got dropped [in Windows 10] and was the reason why OblyTile did not work anymore.

Are you sure about this? OblyTile did not launch exe files. It launched vbs scrips, which in turn ran applications and urls. There are no visualelementsmanifest.xml files where the vbs files are located and putting them next to the exe files wouldn't have mattered since the tiles only know about the scripts. I'm not exactly sure how OblyTile was able to create the actual tiles, but it seems like it used something completely different.

 

[Flinston_Ger]

Does this work with wide and large tiles as well? In Windows 8, desktop applications could only use small and medium tiles. Wide and large tiles weren't allowed.

"Tile design best practices specify that if your tile is not a live tile, it should not claim the extra screen space required for wide (310x150) and large (310x310) tiles. Because a desktop app's tile is always static and never live, those additional tile sizes are not supported in this schema."
(msdn.microsoft.com/sv-se/library/dn449733.aspx)



Are you sure about this? OblyTile did not launch exe files. It launched vbs scrips, which in turn ran applications and urls. There are no visualelementsmanifest.xml files where the vbs files are located and putting them next to the exe files wouldn't have mattered since the tiles only know about the scripts. I'm not exactly sure how OblyTile was able to create the actual tiles, but it seems like it used something completely different.

I am sorry for that misinformation. I read that somewhere, but after checking OblyTile it seems that you are right.

Nevertheless, visualelementsmanifest.xml does work for 70x70 and 150x150 tiles. Customizable image, background and foreground colour. Sadly it seems that wide and large tiles are not (yet) supported. (I tried using Square300x300Logo and Square310x310Logo, but the tile does not allow for selecting large).

 

[Flinston_Ger]

I hacked together a very tiny app that utilizes the (newly/old) available visualelementsmanifest.xml function. Please consider this as a proof of concept and as a prototype. I am posting this here, instead of a new thread, as without TileCreator I would have never created this tiny app and it is far from perfection. Maybe this can be integrated into future TileCreator releases.
The prototype goes as follows: The app is very simple and quite stupid. Select a ".lnk" from the startmenu list (top), select an image and click save. Then just pin the tile as usual to your startscreen directly from your startmenu. Jumplists are fully working. Sadly, wide and large tiles are not supported.

If any dev is interested in developing this to a real application, I am happy to share the source --- although it is insanely simple.

Attached a proof of concept screenshot.

Download: http://www.motzek.org/MyTile.rar (Disclaimer: You are on your own. I take no responsibility for whatsoever. App requests highest available rights.)

I moved it also here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/windows-10/development/win10tile-native-custom-windows-10-t3248677

 

[RE992]

I hacked together a very tiny app that utilizes the (newly/old) available visualelementsmanifest.xml function. Please consider this as a proof of concept and as a prototype. I am posting this here, instead of a new thread, as without TileCreator I would have never created this tiny app and it is far from perfection. Maybe this can be integrated into future TileCreator releases.
The prototype goes as follows: The app is very simple and quite stupid. Select a ".lnk" from the startmenu list (top), select an image and click save. Then just pin the tile as usual to your startscreen directly from your startmenu. Jumplists are fully working. Sadly, wide and large tiles are not supported.

If any dev is interested in developing this to a real application, I am happy to share the source --- although it is insanely simple.

Attached a proof of concept screenshot.

Hi,

First of all thank you for taking time to create this app.
Unfortunately I am getting a No target selected error.
Could you help me out?

Kind regards
RE992

 

[Dayanto]

I hacked together a very tiny app that utilizes the (newly/old) available visualelementsmanifest.xml function. Please consider this as a proof of concept and as a prototype.

Select a ".lnk" from the startmenu list (top), select an image and click save. Then just pin the tile as usual to your startscreen directly from your startmenu. Jumplists are fully working. Sadly, wide and large tiles are not supported.

If any dev is interested in developing this to a real application, I am happy to share the source --- although it is insanely simple.

Although all tile sizes aren't available, having the ability to retain the context menu of the application (for example the uninstall button) could be pretty helpful, and if Microsoft ends up dropping the size restrictions, this might perhaps become the standard way of creating custom tiles one day. (considering that it utilizes the official api, that would actually be pretty nice)

Anyhow, just thought I'd drop a tip based on the screenshot you posted. When you're grabbing the start menu shortcuts, be aware that they're split between two different locations. You can use following snippets of code to get their respective folder paths:

Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonStartMenu)
Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.StartMenu)

It's also worth mentioning that some shortcuts are .url files (I've only encountered this with steam games, but this applies for any applications that are launched using a URL protocol), so if you want to support those, that's also something to look into. Actually, never mind. Those shortcuts wouldn't be able to use the visualelementsmanifest.xml styling anyways, so they're not relevant.

 

[Flinston_Ger]

Although all tile sizes aren't available, having the ability to retain the context menu of the application (for example the uninstall button) could be pretty helpful, and if Microsoft ends up dropping the size restrictions, this might perhaps become the standard way of creating custom tiles one day. (considering that it utilizes the official api, that would actually be pretty nice)

Anyhow, just thought I'd drop a tip based on the screenshot you posted. When you're grabbing the start menu shortcuts, be aware that they're split between two different locations. You can use following snippets of code to get their respective folder paths:

Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.CommonStartMenu)
Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.StartMenu)

It's also worth mentioning that some shortcuts are .url files (I've only encountered this with steam games, but this applies for any applications that are launched using a URL protocol), so if you want to support those, that's also something to look into. Actually, never mind. Those shortcuts wouldn't be able to use the visualelementsmanifest.xml styling anyways, so they're not relevant.

Thank you I was quite lazy yesterday so I hardcoded that.
I fixed it and uploaded a new release: http://www.motzek.org/MyTile.rar (I also edited the first post)

Maybe one can create a .bat file which launches the url (in a default browser or something) and then create a visualelementsmanifest.xml for the .bat?.





---------- Post added at 07:35 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:27 AM ----------

Hi,

First of all thank you for taking time to create this app.
Unfortunately I am getting a No target selected error.
Could you help me out?

Kind regards
RE992

Did you click on a .lnk in the upper list and it writes a target to the textbox?
Sometimes the .lnk has a wrong target (some compability stuff with x86 and x64). You can manually alter the application target to the correct exe (most likely, remove the x86 in the application target) and then click save.

 

[gabrielmop]

I hacked together a very tiny app that utilizes the (newly/old) available visualelementsmanifest.xml function. Please consider this as a proof of concept and as a prototype. I am posting this here, instead of a new thread, as without TileCreator I would have never created this tiny app and it is far from perfection. Maybe this can be integrated into future TileCreator releases.
The prototype goes as follows: The app is very simple and quite stupid. Select a ".lnk" from the startmenu list (top), select an image and click save. Then just pin the tile as usual to your startscreen directly from your startmenu. Jumplists are fully working. Sadly, wide and large tiles are not supported.

If any dev is interested in developing this to a real application, I am happy to share the source --- although it is insanely simple.

Attached a proof of concept screenshot.

Download: http://www.motzek.org/MyTile.rar (Disclaimer: You are on your own. I take no responsibility for whatsoever. App requests highest available rights.)

I moved it also here: http://forum.xda-developers.com/windows-10/development/win10tile-native-custom-windows-10-t3248677

Great man, working good, no errors until now, i can finally pin all my games on Start again, thank you

here's how's my start menu are now:

 

[urosP]

Games stay in background processes section of TaskManager or start but crash

i have a problem with tilecreator, everything is fine if i want to open folders with custome tiles, but when i want to launch games, the process is running in the Background processes section of the task manager, and the game wont start, ,some start but crash (ex Fallout 4)other programs work.

 

[bigworld12]

For the Developer :
there is a property called "WorkingDirectory" in ProcessStartInfo,if it isn't set the working directory will be the Tile Creator directory , and most of apps will fail because of this , is there any way i can set it in the args ?

 

[exnokiafan]

Hey, is there any updated tutorial?

I've seen one online but there's no dedicated folder in c: ... I've tried a couple of things but they did not work. And I'm no noob XD

 

[imDCStar]

cool... thanks

 

[exnokiafan]

well it does not create the specified folder in c: even if I run it as admin

 

[fromBzh]

My current start Menu

img11 dot hostingpics dot net/pics/21927620151218094944ProgramManager.png

Sorry I can't post the link.

 

[rangipetur]

While TileCreator is great, I have one small issue with it. When I open a desktop application using it, and already have another desktop application open and maximized, the new application doesn't receive focus, and winds up behind the old one. The TileCreator window that flashes up for a second, does receive focus, but not the application it starts.

Plus, I have one feature suggestion. The full screen TileCreator app that flashes up when you start something can be a bit jarring, one "slightly hacky" way to get around it would be to take a screenshot, then composit the TileCreator logo on top, and flash that in full screen instead, making it look like an alpha overlay of the logo on the current screen. Though I have no idea if this would be easy to implement or not.

 

[Sil3ntspy]

While TileCreator is great, I have one small issue with it. When I open a desktop application using it, and already have another desktop application open and maximized, the new application doesn't receive focus, and winds up behind the old one. The TileCreator window that flashes up for a second, does receive focus, but not the application it starts.

Plus, I have one feature suggestion. The full screen TileCreator app that flashes up when you start something can be a bit jarring, one "slightly hacky" way to get around it would be to take a screenshot, then composit the TileCreator logo on top, and flash that in full screen instead, making it look like an alpha overlay of the logo on the current screen. Though I have no idea if this would be easy to implement or not.

that is cause he is not doing the main works before the actual window gets created. i really like tileCreator but we should be without a splash when you launch a tile

 

[lavacano201014]

that is cause he is not doing the main works before the actual window gets created. i really like tileCreator but we should be without a splash when you launch a tile

I believe this is a limitation of UWP apps, and Windows will always, always show some sort of logo before starting the app to tell the user that the app is loading. Something something user friendliness something something

 

[LTD___]

Hello,

Tile Creator appears excellent and single handedly turns the " new" Start-bits into something that could actually be fun to customize. However, I have bit of a concern;

Does this program do something that could appear as " suspicious activity" on radar of a Massively Multiplayer Online game admins and such? Does Til Creator somehow modify or launch anything having to do with the original exe routine of a game client in some false-alarm fashion? Does it appear as " third party activity" on environment where hacking a game's exe is daily and monitored threat? Can it appear I am trying to launch some malicious in-game gold farmer bot, instead of your excellent app?

 

[jimcrack68]

While TileCreator is great, I have one small issue with it. When I open a desktop application using it, and already have another desktop application open and maximized, the new application doesn't receive focus, and winds up behind the old one. The TileCreator window that flashes up for a second, does receive focus, but not the application it starts. [...]

I have a similar issue. The app that TileCreator launches for me doesn't receive focus. It launches but Windows returns to the tile screen. I have to find the icon in the taskbar (or use TaskView) to switch to it. Any idea why this happens?

After a little digging into OblyTile and VBS, is this new version trying to use SendKeys and Windows 10 is sandboxing... not allowing the escape key to be sent?

The root cause of the issue may be ending the process causing Windows to return to Start.

 

[Endoroid]

Proxy app suddenly won't launch. I noticed when clicking a pinned tile, i could see tilecreator launch briefly, but the target app doesn't. When i tried to run the proxy it's self, nothing happens. Un and reinstall, no change, also running as admin doesn't make a diff. Any thoughts?

Thanks