Automatic back to 'Metro' screen?

wlting

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i like windows 8 'metro' start screen so so much, just cool! is that any way can set when i idle sometime at desktop it will auto back to 'metro' screen, just something like screen saver??
 

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Wow, somebody that like Metro, will blow me down :D

i don't think there is an automatic option for returning to Metro from desktop, just hit the windows key and you are back in Metro land.
 

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I have been googling for the same thing, Wilting. But look at it this way. You are asking how to return to the Metro Start menu. Hitting a key is not, as I see it, automatic. But, on the other hand, if you do regard Metro as a start menu, and not, as most see it, as a desktop, then the problem is no different from Windows 7. You still had to hit a key there, in fact, at least twice, to get back to the menu.
 

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System One

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    Use several different computers during a day, so specs are irrelevant.
What would the Idle time? I could cook such a program in VB.NET
 

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None to speak of. If I close an App, I would like to find myself returned to the metro screen?
 

My Computer

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  • OS
    Windows 8.1
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    PC/Desktop
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    Use several different computers during a day, so specs are irrelevant.
None to speak of. If I close an App, I would like to find myself returned to the metro screen?

Thats an odd request and im not sure I could do that, since many applications have many windows (subwindows).
It would drive people crazy (multitasking on desktop?)
 

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Even better: Microsoft should force a time out for desktop and desktop applications use: After 4 minutes outside Metro, Metro goes back automaticaly. Then it closes without saving all applications on the desktop but capture the jobs you were doing (image, text, spreedsheet...), then auotmaticaly launch similar application in Metro and paste the jobs (image, text, spreedsheet...) into them, before deploying an extensive help page explaining how to use the new app and why it's bad to use the old one. If the Metro application is absent, it downloads it automaticaly, installs it and pop up the software's payement and registration form.
 

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Even better: Microsoft should force a time out for desktop and desktop applications use: After 4 minutes outside Metro, Metro goes back automaticaly. Then it closes without saving all applications on the desktop but capture the jobs you were doing (image, text, spreedsheet...), then auotmaticaly launch similar application in Metro and paste the jobs (image, text, spreedsheet...) into them, before deploying an extensive help page explaining how to use the new app and why it's bad to use the old one. If the Metro application is absent, it downloads it automaticaly, installs it and pop up the software's payement and registration form.

LOL :)
 

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That is an interesting request. Glad you're liking the Start Screen! :cool:

But the only way to get to Start is by hitting the Start key or Start button. It's like asking to see the start menu all the time, who'd want that!?!
 

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Although it would be easy to make program that relays on timer and when timer triggers it woudl send windows key to go back to metro.
 

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But the only way to get to Start is by hitting the Start key or Start button. It's like asking to see the start menu all the time, who'd want that!?!

Actually you can ALT-TAB back to the Start Screen if you wanted to.
 

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  • OS
    Windows 7, Windows 8 RP
None to speak of. If I close an App, I would like to find myself returned to the metro screen?

Thats an odd request and im not sure I could do that, since many applications have many windows (subwindows).
It would drive people crazy (multitasking on desktop?)


Right on, Kala. didn't occur to me. Thanks for the reminder. Looks like, unless I wanted to use Metro Apps all the time (never going to happen!!), I can forget it.
 

My Computer

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  • OS
    Windows 8.1
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    PC/Desktop
    Other Info
    Use several different computers during a day, so specs are irrelevant.
I definitely think an option to return to the Start Screen after so many minutes of in-activity would be better IMO
 

My Computer

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  • OS
    Windows 8 Professional
Even better: Microsoft should force a time out for desktop and desktop applications use: After 4 minutes outside Metro, Metro goes back automaticaly. Then it closes without saving all applications on the desktop but capture the jobs you were doing (image, text, spreedsheet...), then auotmaticaly launch similar application in Metro and paste the jobs (image, text, spreedsheet...) into them, before deploying an extensive help page explaining how to use the new app and why it's bad to use the old one. If the Metro application is absent, it downloads it automaticaly, installs it and pop up the software's payement and registration form.

LOL... don't give them any ideas! ;)

I sort of understand the original request. When I first played with Windows 8, I realized it has this sort of schizophrenic OS feeling to it where the Start screen is supposed to be your "home base" and as long as you run a Metro app, you go back to Start to run something else. But if your app isn't Metro, it automatically pops you over to desktop. However, in that case, when you exit the program, you're still on the desktop.

So the Metro Start screen is trying to be, by MS design, a bit more than just a "Start Menu" but is really less than a real home base. Or stated another way, the Start screen doesn't "feel" like "just a start menu" but an environment. There are two environments or parallel universes in Windows 8: the Start screen/environment (where Metro apps run) and the Desktop (where "legacy" or "real Windows" apps run). Again, I'm talking about the way it "feels" to a user.

That all said, I think I'd rather hit a Windows key to go to the Metro Start screen (which is rarely) than have MS muckity muck in my business and try to force me to work a certain way with some special environment switching rules.
 

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Although it would be easy to make program that relays on timer and when timer triggers it woudl send windows key to go back to metro.

I had a play with this idea using the excellent EventGhost.
My script worked. In where it switched back to the Start Screen on a System.Idle event (this event time can be configured).
But as yet I am unable to get it to be aware that when Windows is at the Start Screen then do nothing.
Because otherwise it just switches to the Start Screen on system.idle,and then goes back to the Desktop on another idle event.
I'm still a rookie with this EventGhost. But it has come in very handy with creating Hot keys that perform multiple things, like move the mouse to a position on the screen and press the left mouse button for instance.
But back to the drawing board.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Professional
I know I'm waking this thread up again, but I've been searching along these lines as well, and Google got me here.
Here is why I want certain desktop programs to close and land me back to the metro screen:

For the purposes of my HTPC, I would love to keep the metro screen as my front end, and perhaps never leave. We're talking HULU, Netflix, weather, My videos, My pics, etc. The only issue is that the desktop applications like WMC and VLC (for playing DVDs) all close back to the desktop screen. I would prefer to streamline it a bit for a better experience....particularly for the wife factor, kid factor and babysitters.

So there is the reason. Is there a solution?

I'm wondering if there is some way to create a command that automatically engages a keystroke (the win-key) every time I close WMC or VLC. I don't need EVERY desktop application to do it...just a few.

Can anyone point me into the right direction to get that done? I'm not an expert, but I am a good learner. Could this be a registry thing? Event Ghost? something like that? With regard to WMC, I do use Media Center Themer which allows you do wonderful things with an XML doc. Is there something I can put in there to get WMC to close and engage the win-key?

Apologizing for my ignorance...would love to wake this back up though.
 

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  • OS
    windows 8 pro
SOLVED! Oblytile 0.9 is the answer

The OP's original question and my question have been solved. How do you get a desktop app like WMC to close back to the metro start screen? I really want it so that I can maintain the metro screen as my HTPC front end without any hiccups.

Oblytile is a sweet program that allows you to make custom metro tiles for desktop apps. It is pretty awesome because you can do some pretty creative things, especially if you have some image editing experience.

It has implications here because the best part is that their newest "Oblytile 0.9" release has an option called "close to start." Make a new WMC tile with that selected, and it will close to the metro start screen. I did the same with VLC.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    windows 8 pro
i like windows 8 'metro' start screen so so much, just cool! is that any way can set when i idle sometime at desktop it will auto back to 'metro' screen, just something like screen saver??

Wow, somebody that like Metro, will blow me down :D

i don't think there is an automatic option for returning to Metro from desktop, just hit the windows key and you are back in Metro land.
I like the Start Screen, too :). Compared to old fashioned Start Menu its flexibility and diversity does not stop amazing me. And please do not tell me I am wrong, that the Start Screen is not the same as the old start Menu. For me it is exactly that, an app launcher lot better organized and user friendlier than Windows 7 Start Menu.

Anyway, as the Left WIN key functions as a one key alternative to more traditional CTRL + ESC which in its turn is easy to emulate with native Windows VBS commands, it would not be too difficult to create a task triggered by idle time, which then launches a batch to emulate pressing CTRL + ESC (WIN key).

Here's a simple example:

Open Notepad, type or copy & paste following to a new file:
Code:
Set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
WshShell.SendKeys "^{ESC}"
Save the file as a VBS script by selecting Save as type: All Files and giving the file a .vbs extension.

The "^{ESC}" string at the end of the second line sends system a CTRL + ESC key combination (^ = symbol for CTRL key), which as I mentioned above is the same as pressing the Left WIN key.

When you double click this VBS script icon the system will enter the Start Screen as if the Left WIN key was pressed.

Kari
 

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