Metro Lovers -- Please tell me how to organise tiles for THESE

[pcRat]

Yes, I've done that too. It still exposes more than it should. Even in 98 & XP we were able to create a folder in Start called 'Graphics' and group PSP, Adobe, Gimp, Paint.Net ... into it. Just to make the start menu cleaner and not wait for All Programs to quit scrolling up/down.
All I'm saying is if I don't use a program like Silverlight I should be able to collapse it completely.
Then if I only use 6 out of 16 programs in a group like Windows Accessories, I should be able to have those 6 pinned to All apps and/ or Start.
With the option to see the other 10 as needed.

 

[mdmd]

All of the edits that you did or do with a start menu can be done with apps.
Any program or group can be hidden, moved, deleted, renamed, ...
Any website or file can be linked into apps by copying a folder (or shortcut)
to the program data ... > start menu folder.

Another way to reduce the exposure is to simply (my apparent agenda)
press a single key and a list for that specific interest (or close approximation) will be displayed.

Yes, I've done that too. It still exposes more than it should. Even in 98 & XP we were able to create a folder in Start called 'Graphics' and group PSP, Adobe, Gimp, Paint.Net ... into it.
Just to make the start menu cleaner and not wait for All Programs to quit scrolling up/down.
All I'm saying is if I don't use a program like Silverlight I should be able to collapse it completely.
Then if I only use 6 out of 16 programs in a group like Windows Accessories, I should be able to have those 6 pinned to All apps and/ or Start. With the option to see the other 10 as needed.

I guess I must disagree with the "exposes more than it should" thought.
The apps area can be cleaned up. Listings can be hidden and unhidden. Groups can be hidden.
Individual group listings can be hidden or unhidden.
Any changes made to apps area by editing the start menu folders require (from my experience) a restart (reboot) or sometimes just a logoff is enough. (depends on what is done)
A copy and paste (to the metro UI start menu folder) requires no action (reboot or logoff).

All those requests that you suggest, can be done now!
The start screen does have some utility for quick access to anyone interested.

I think that is what unpinning from the start screen is for. Pin what you need, unpin what you don't.

 

[pcRat]

I think we are talking about 2 different things here. You're talking about pinning tiles from the All Apps area to the Start Screen.
I know how to edit the start screen. Pin and unpin apps to the start screen, rearrange and group them together on the start screen.

It's when I go to All Apps that I cannot rearrange anything. I only get options to make alterations on the Start Screen.

I want to edit the All Apps Menu!
Unless I'm not understanding your method

 

[mdmd]

Unless I'm not understanding your method

Yes, I am misunderstood often. The metro UI start menu folders can be edited (all apps).
For example, I created a folder called "net" that contains many links to websites or other programs.
One can copy shortcuts to the start menu (all apps program start menu folders) or an entire folder(s).



One can unhide the folders ...

and add, edit, remove, rename, hide, unhide, etc... anything listed.
Also, the other folder...(can be edited)




Folder groups, and individual listings in groups > in all apps >
can also be hidden, unhidden, renamed, moved, deleted etc...

 

[pcRat]

md- I'm still working at your method. I find everything ok but just can't get alterations on All Apps screen. not going to lose sleep over it.

 

[mdmd]

Well, just as another example, I hid a few programs from Windows Accessories.
They are there, but hidden from all apps. Only 3 seen in apps.



It does require a little configuring, ... no right clicking options, oh well. I am ok with that anyway.

 

[pcRat]

Well, just as another example, I hid a few programs from Windows Accessories.
They are there, but hidden from all apps. Only 3 seen in apps.

View attachment 19380

It does require a little configuring, ... no right clicking options, oh well. I am ok with that anyway.

any chance you can do a step by step for what you show? I can get to the shortcuts in folders but thats it.
If it's a hassle don't worry.

 

[mdmd]

Yes, it will take a few minutes if I make any screenshots or pics. Not a hassle for me, I was just about to shut down for the night, but will make a brief list. My view on these matters has evolved ... to be continued...
The Original Poster asked how to organize these tiles? I now, do not use start screen tiles, at all. Just my preference.

 

[mdmd]

First go to the explorer ribbon and select folder options.



Unhide folders.




Go to the start menu folders
Find the desired items





Select what you want to hide
right click on the item > select properties > go to the general tab
click the hidden tick box in attributes



ok that.
You can hide links as a group or individually.
You should reboot to complete the changes.
This is a very brief list of what to do.

When folders or links are hidden you will notice they are slightly lightened onscreen
(the appearance of the folder or link icon).
Also, you will need administrative privileges.
To restore, just do the reverse.

 

[pcRat]

Thanks md. Already had folder options set. Hid one file and it worked.
I can clear many off of All Apps now but, I'll always have to go back in Programs folder to access them temporarily once or twice.

I think my way would be more user friendly.
To modify my original idea. I would remove the Show All tiles. Have it where clicking the group title bar i.e. 'Windows Accessories' would expose the 10 unpinned programs as well as the 6 pinned programs.

Say if jimbo doesn't use any 'Windows Accessories' program much. When he needs Calculator or Wordpad he clicks on 'Windows Accessories' title bar and all 16 popout until he clicks on one.

Thanks again for your time because I am using it.

 

[jimbo45]

Hi there
I think a lot of you have missed the point here -- take Adobe CS2 -- now instead of having the whole 20 or so CS2 apps in INDIVIDUAL TILES why can't I have a SINGLE TILE ADOBE CS2" which when being clicked expands into the SUB TILES containing the CS2 programs for example Photoshop, Dreamweaver etc . Now if I don't want all the 20 or so applications in the sub group I can delete them.

I don't want the INITIAL start screen to have all these zillions of tiles -- much easier to have a FEW like I suggested which then expand.

However since starting this thread I now use Custom toolbars with programs attached to these toolbars like a Menu. This for me works better than the start screen and the search once you get used to it is quite powerful in W8.

Using the Toolbar method gives you almost a menu back again --in a more convenient form than the standard menu

Cheers
jimbo

 

[pcRat]

jimbo, I have the toolbars installed on my desktop also. But I've got accustomed to using Brink's start screen shortcut & all apps shortcut because of vision limitations. The tiles don't need to be as big as they are on the start screen but I have no problem using them because they do stay where I put them.

The All apps screen on the other hand uses a much more size comfortable tile. It shows the tiles in alphabetical order but there's not a problem either.

How about an 'All Apps' setup working like the one below?

1. When you scroll to the right— all you see are collapsed title bars
2. The first time you click on the title bar— all subfolders are visible
3. Right clicking on a subfolder gives options to— pin it to the start menu and/or taskbar. Plus the option to unpin it from the menu which would generate the subfolder 'Show All'.
4. Clicking on a title bar evokes its popout menu with— subfolders you did not unpin and the 'Show All' folder.
5. Once you click on your choice in all collapses back into the title bar.

'Windows Accessories' was a title bar until I clicked it. It expanded— showing 5 subfolders I left pinned and the 'Show All' folder to view the 11 subfolders I unpinned.

Once I made my choice it collapsed back into the title bar.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with toolbars, have been using them since XP. It's just that the all Apps' screen works better for me because my vision.

I'm not going to start bashing MS now but, how hard you think it would be for them to incorporate this since they are already letting us pin or unpin those programs to start screen?

View attachment 19407 View attachment 19412

 

[pcRat]

I would almost bet that by limiting columns of tiles, a person may never need to scroll the start screen again using this method.

 

[pcRat]

jimbo, I believe I'm talking about is nothing more than glorified toolbars on the 'All apps' screen. With differences being:

1. Size of desktop toolbar contents vs All apps toolbar contents
2. Ability to easily view/ hide subfolders with Show All making it easy to view unpinned subfolders

Maybe fewer people would have been ill against MS over the missing start button if MS would have inserted some kind of user control like this.

I didn't understand what everybody was yelling about it first with the missing start button. After pinning more apps to the start menu and installing more programs which 10 more apps automatically to the start menu myself, I understand. At least in part.