Apps in folders ?

mancman

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I have just installed W8 as dual boot with W7, basically to try it out.

I installed Adobe Master Collection and was surprised to see all the 2 dozen apps get a tile each (in metro and search views). Coming from W7, I'm used to things being nice and tidy in start menu folders. If I installed all my other software and all the folders were also 'expanded', I'd be scrolling through 100's of tiles looking for stuff.

So my first question on this forum is - can I group my apps in folders ? or is it a case of 'it's not a bug it's a feature'.

Jed, Manchester UK
 

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100 tiles take up a surprisingly small amount of room. Consider that you have about 5-10 vertical tiles, that would mean 10-20 columns, which is not a lot to scroll through.

In any event, you can create column groups. Just drag the tiles to the side until you see a column separator appear, then release. Drag all your Adobe apps to that column group, then click the minus sign in the lower right and right click on the group and give it a name. Click the + sign to zoom in again and you should find it much more manageable.

You can't put them in folders. You can add folders to the start menu, but they will open up as explorer windows when you click on them.

If you don't use all the apps all the time, then you can unpin some of them from the start menu. They will be retained in the "All Apps" section (right click on the start page, and choose All Apps), and will show up if you use the search function.

You will likely find that you use search most of the time. Just hit the Windows key, and start typing the first few letters of the app you want and boom, there it is.
 

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Thanks for swift replies - looks like groups is the way to go. Will give it a spin later.

dogs/tricks etc

edit - just r-clicked my W7 start menu - 223 files in 58 folders. Maybe I'll put less stuff on W8.
 

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Leave what you use every day pined to the Start Menu. Unpin stuff you seldom use and it will be out of site, but still available when you go to the All Apps screen. Then group what's left.
 

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- mancman - Welcome to the Eight Forums.

Leave what you use every day pinned to the Start Menu. Unpin stuff you seldom use and it will be out of site, but still available when you go to the All Apps screen. Then group what's left.

Yes. Yes. Although, I would not call the start screen a menu. If you feel more comfortable with a menu,
then perhaps take a look at this http://www.eightforums.com/customiz...menu-replacements-windows-8-a.html#post141204

Otherwise, ... 8 is designed to handle any number of installations using program groups created in apps area.
No scrolling is required. http://www.eightforums.com/general-discussion/12099-metro-tile-nesting.html

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/4869-zoom-view-start-apps-screen-windows-8-a.html

8 can handle most anything if there is a desire to understand how to use it.
Others disagree and prefer a start menu. ok.
 
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On second thought, perhaps I was wrong. If you go to a restaurant, what is a menu? Good question.
It is a list of sequential choices. It is a page with the main course and optional side dishes.
Or the main program and extra components of the program.
Food menus are not nested. They are separated by pages. hmmm...
 

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Keep in mind also, once you're on the Start screen you can just start typing in the first few letters of a program's name in order to launch it, instead of having to scroll through umpteen thousand tiles.
 

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Keep in mind also, once you're on the Start screen you can just start typing in the first few letters of a program's name in order to launch it, instead of having to scroll through umpteen thousand tiles.

I would like to see an apps area (not start screen) that has a thousand tiles...
just to see how effective semantic zooming actually is.
Although, type searching is available, my preference is to use the program groups created in apps area.
 

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Here's how I organise them on the Start Page (see attached image), by just putting the ones I use there.

2j164hk.jpg

You can view all the other Adobe CS Start Menu items by right clicking on the Start Page and going to 'All Apps', although more often than not, I generally just start typing the name of what I want to open rather than use the 'All Apps' menu.

If you use the "All Apps" you'll probably find that Adobe CS is a bit untidy when it installs and the icons appear in amongst the store apps, however you can tidy all the items in C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\. For example, I created a new folder here, named it 'Adobe' and just dragged all the Adobe ones into this folder. After re-start they appeared under Adobe, instead of in amongst the Store Apps.
 

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Hello ARC1020. Welcome to the Eight Forums.

If you use the "All Apps" you'll probably find that Adobe CS is a bit untidy when it installs and the icons appear in amongst the store apps

You must be referring to the start screen as untidy by default. Yes. Absolutely.
I apologize if I misunderstand, but the Master Collection is organized automatically and requires no configuration in the all apps area. Your start screen is very well done and quite efficient. Installing Adobe CS would not mix with Store Apps in the apps area. (yes to mixed on the start screen) You are correct to unpin what you might not need today from the start screen. I can see you created a start screen group titled Adobe. Very nice.

http://www.eightforums.com/tutorials/4870-start-screen-apps-organize-into-groups.html

adobe1.jpg

adobe.jpg
 

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I apologize if I misunderstand, but the Master Collection is organized automatically and requires no configuration in the all apps area.

Ah, I notice you have CS6, so they must have made changes in later versions of Adobe CS. When installing CS4 it puts all the Adobe files on the left-hand side of the 'All Apps' section, which meant they were in with the Store Apps. I'm guessing the CS4 installer didn't include an Adobe folder in the path, so it just put them all on the top level.
 

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OP here - thanks everyone for help getting used to W8 interface. I guess its just

W8 Start = W7 pin to start menu

W8 All Apps = W7 all programs

my cleaned up start

w8_start.jpg

jed, Manchester UK
 

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