First question (which is the only question that needs to be answered):
*How do I pin a folder of program shortcuts to the native Win11 taskbar?*
Second question (which need not be answered if the first is answered):
*What free software allows a custom Windows 11 taskbar accordion menu?*
On Sun, 31 Mar 2024 04:27:50 +0200, Bill Powell wrote:
First question (which is the only question that needs to be answered):
 *How do I pin a folder of program shortcuts to the native Win11
taskbar?*
Second question (which need not be answered if the first is answered):
 *What free software allows a custom Windows 11 taskbar accordion menu?*
I can tell you don't want to use Classic Shell bloatware (which has morphed to Open Shell bloatware since about 2017 according to the web site) https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu
So I hope you find out from a true Windows expert that there is an easy way to just pin a simple folder of shortcuts to the Windows 11 taskbar which seems simple enough to want to do so that you aren't stuck with the crappy Windows menus which get filled with junk every time something is installed.
If not, you're stuck with the bloatware, which many people use but most people don't know that Windows 10 never needed it so it is what it is. https://open-shell.github.io/Open-Shell-Menu/
On Sun, 31 Mar 2024 04:27:50 +0200, Bill Powell wrote:
First question (which is the only question that needs to be answered):
 *How do I pin a folder of program shortcuts to the native Win11
taskbar?*
Second question (which need not be answered if the first is answered):
 *What free software allows a custom Windows 11 taskbar accordion menu?*
I can tell you don't want to use Classic Shell bloatware (which has morphed to Open Shell bloatware since about 2017 according to the web site) https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu
So I hope you find out from a true Windows expert that there is an easy way to just pin a simple folder of shortcuts to the Windows 11 taskbar which seems simple enough to want to do so that you aren't stuck with the crappy Windows menus which get filled with junk every time something is installed.
If not, you're stuck with the bloatware, which many people use but most people don't know that Windows 10 never needed it so it is what it is. https://open-shell.github.io/Open-Shell-Menu/
You call Open Shell bloatware? Why? It works perfectly and will do
exactly what the OP is needing.
You also state that "Windows 10 never needed it (Open Shell)" and I
don't understand what you mean by that.
Seems to me that what your suggesting would require an extra click
every time you wanted to open a program.
You also state that "Windows 10 never needed it (Open Shell)" and I
don't understand what you mean by that.
Simple. If all you wanted was a pull out accordion cascade menu, all you
had to do in any Windows (including 8 & 10) was pin a toolbar folder to the taskmenu, where that toolbar menu contained a hierarchy of your shortcuts.
On 31/03/2024 03:36, Harry S Robins wrote:
On Sun, 31 Mar 2024 04:27:50 +0200, Bill Powell wrote:
First question (which is the only question that needs to be answered):
*How do I pin a folder of program shortcuts to the native Win11
taskbar?*
Second question (which need not be answered if the first is answered):
*What free software allows a custom Windows 11 taskbar accordion menu?*
I can tell you don't want to use Classic Shell bloatware (which has morphed >> to Open Shell bloatware since about 2017 according to the web site)
https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu
So I hope you find out from a true Windows expert that there is an easy way >> to just pin a simple folder of shortcuts to the Windows 11 taskbar which
seems simple enough to want to do so that you aren't stuck with the crappy >> Windows menus which get filled with junk every time something is installed. >>
If not, you're stuck with the bloatware, which many people use but most
people don't know that Windows 10 never needed it so it is what it is.
https://open-shell.github.io/Open-Shell-Menu/
I use Open-Shell on Windows 11 because it is simple and convenient. On a modern machine its disk (12.4MB), RAM (0.1MB) and CPU (currently 0%)
loading is negligible.
On 31/03/2024 03:36, Harry S Robins wrote:
On Sun, 31 Mar 2024 04:27:50 +0200, Bill Powell wrote:
First question (which is the only question that needs to be answered):I can tell you don't want to use Classic Shell bloatware (which has
 *How do I pin a folder of program shortcuts to the native Win11
taskbar?*
Second question (which need not be answered if the first is answered):
 *What free software allows a custom Windows 11 taskbar accordion menu?* >>
morphed
to Open Shell bloatware since about 2017 according to the web site)
https://github.com/Open-Shell/Open-Shell-Menu
So I hope you find out from a true Windows expert that there is an
easy way
to just pin a simple folder of shortcuts to the Windows 11 taskbar which
seems simple enough to want to do so that you aren't stuck with the
crappy
Windows menus which get filled with junk every time something is
installed.
If not, you're stuck with the bloatware, which many people use but most
people don't know that Windows 10 never needed it so it is what it is.
https://open-shell.github.io/Open-Shell-Menu/
I use Open-Shell on Windows 11 because it is simple and convenient. On a modern machine its disk (12.4MB), RAM (0.1MB) and CPU (currently 0%)
loading is negligible.
Wolf Greenblatt wrote on 4/1/24 12:11 AM:
On Sun, 31 Mar 2024 16:14:31 -0500, Harry S Robins wrote:
You also state that "Windows 10 never needed it (Open Shell)" and I
don't understand what you mean by that.
Simple. If all you wanted was a pull out accordion cascade menu, all you >>> had to do in any Windows (including 8 & 10) was pin a toolbar folder
to the
taskmenu, where that toolbar menu contained a hierarchy of your
shortcuts.
The problem is Microsoft wants you to not have that ability in Windows
11.
That's why Microsoft removed the ability to pin a folder of shortcuts to
the Windows 11 taskbar (even as that ability existed in all Windows
prior).
The ability remains, yet it does takes a bit of effort.
Create a shortcut to the folder using the Send to Desktop option
Rt click to access the shortcut's Properties.
 - Edit the shortcut in the Properties dialog box by adding the term 'explorer' to the beginning of the path. Note: omit the '' and leave a
space after the term, press Enter after the edit.
 - in the same dialog box, click the Change icon option. In the change
icon dialog box field 'Look for icons in this file' type imageres.dll
and press Enter. Then select the folder icon you like for the shortcut
and click Apply then click OK.
You can leave the shortcut on the Desktop, or imo, move(not copy) inside
the folder for which you created the shortcut.
Right click the shortcut, scroll down and select the 'Show more options' item. Choose the 'Pin to Taskbar option'
Effectively what you've done by changing the path and icon is to
instruct Windows to treat the shortcut with a bit of extra force
slightly differently to make the 'Pin to Taskbar' feature available.
If you were familiar with the Quick Launch Toolbar(no longer supported
in Windows 11, but still available or create-able in its
original/default folder location) the same above method can place(Pin)
the Quick Launch folder on the Taskbar.
On 01/04/2024 21:34, ...w¡ñ§±¤ñ wrote:
Wolf Greenblatt wrote on 4/1/24 12:11 AM:It took you longer to write that than I spent downloading Open-Shell and implementing it on Windows 11.
On Sun, 31 Mar 2024 16:14:31 -0500, Harry S Robins wrote:
You also state that "Windows 10 never needed it (Open Shell)" and I
don't understand what you mean by that.
Simple. If all you wanted was a pull out accordion cascade menu, all
you
had to do in any Windows (including 8 & 10) was pin a toolbar folder
to the
taskmenu, where that toolbar menu contained a hierarchy of your
shortcuts.
The problem is Microsoft wants you to not have that ability in
Windows 11.
That's why Microsoft removed the ability to pin a folder of shortcuts to >>> the Windows 11 taskbar (even as that ability existed in all Windows
prior).
The ability remains, yet it does takes a bit of effort.
Create a shortcut to the folder using the Send to Desktop option
Rt click to access the shortcut's Properties.
  - Edit the shortcut in the Properties dialog box by adding the term
'explorer' to the beginning of the path. Note: omit the '' and leave a
space after the term, press Enter after the edit.
  - in the same dialog box, click the Change icon option. In the
change icon dialog box field 'Look for icons in this file' type
imageres.dll and press Enter. Then select the folder icon you like
for the shortcut and click Apply then click OK.
You can leave the shortcut on the Desktop, or imo, move(not copy)
inside the folder for which you created the shortcut.
Right click the shortcut, scroll down and select the 'Show more
options' item. Choose the 'Pin to Taskbar option'
Effectively what you've done by changing the path and icon is to
instruct Windows to treat the shortcut with a bit of extra force
slightly differently to make the 'Pin to Taskbar' feature available.
If you were familiar with the Quick Launch Toolbar(no longer supported
in Windows 11, but still available or create-able in its
original/default folder location) the same above method can place(Pin)
the Quick Launch folder on the Taskbar.
On 4/1/2024 3:45 PM, MikeS wrote:
On 01/04/2024 21:34, ...w¡ñ§±¤ñ wrote:
Wolf Greenblatt wrote on 4/1/24 12:11 AM:It took you longer to write that than I spent downloading Open-Shell and
On Sun, 31 Mar 2024 16:14:31 -0500, Harry S Robins wrote:
You also state that "Windows 10 never needed it (Open Shell)" and I >>>>>> don't understand what you mean by that.
Simple. If all you wanted was a pull out accordion cascade menu, all >>>>> you
had to do in any Windows (including 8 & 10) was pin a toolbar folder >>>>> to the
taskmenu, where that toolbar menu contained a hierarchy of your
shortcuts.
The problem is Microsoft wants you to not have that ability in
Windows 11.
That's why Microsoft removed the ability to pin a folder of shortcuts to >>>> the Windows 11 taskbar (even as that ability existed in all Windows
prior).
The ability remains, yet it does takes a bit of effort.
Create a shortcut to the folder using the Send to Desktop option
Rt click to access the shortcut's Properties.
- Edit the shortcut in the Properties dialog box by adding the term
'explorer' to the beginning of the path. Note: omit the '' and leave a
space after the term, press Enter after the edit.
- in the same dialog box, click the Change icon option. In the
change icon dialog box field 'Look for icons in this file' type
imageres.dll and press Enter. Then select the folder icon you like
for the shortcut and click Apply then click OK.
You can leave the shortcut on the Desktop, or imo, move(not copy)
inside the folder for which you created the shortcut.
Right click the shortcut, scroll down and select the 'Show more
options' item. Choose the 'Pin to Taskbar option'
Effectively what you've done by changing the path and icon is to
instruct Windows to treat the shortcut with a bit of extra force
slightly differently to make the 'Pin to Taskbar' feature available.
If you were familiar with the Quick Launch Toolbar(no longer supported
in Windows 11, but still available or create-able in its
original/default folder location) the same above method can place(Pin)
the Quick Launch folder on the Taskbar.
implementing it on Windows 11.
So? For the people who have no don't really want to do things you
might, it is greatly appreciated the effort winston puts in to assist in helping people find their way around!
Harry S Robins wrote on 4/1/24 4:12 PM:
The problem is that Winston's suggestion doesn't work, which makes meTry going back and reading the question the op asked?
wonder if anyone understands anything about Windows in the first place.
It's clear that anyone who uses the shell bloatware in Windows 10 doesn't
understand what the OP means by a cascaded accordion pull out menu.
In case you missed it or misinterpreted it...
" First question (which is the only question that needs to be answered):
*How do I pin a folder of program shortcuts to the native Win11 taskbar?*" </qp>
My reply answered the 'first' question and specifically for native Win11.
- i.e. No accordion, no cascade in the 'only question that needs to be answered'
...but do realize the op clearly noted that if the 1st question was
answered, the 2nd "need not be answered if the first is answered" and
"why the FIRST question should be answered before any attempt to answer
the second question"
I do realize that some folks just can't follow directions when presented.
=> Feel free to sing along or play that squeezebox, but at least try to read the music as it was written.
It just seemed incomprehensible to me that Microsoft would remove such a necessary and basic fundamental capability that was in every Windows.
On Tue, 2 Apr 2024 12:04:24 +0200, Bill Powell wrote:
It just seemed incomprehensible to me that Microsoft would remove such a
necessary and basic fundamental capability that was in every Windows.
I only realized after I had posted, that the way all Microsoft systems
worked in the past, including Windows 10, is they didn't pin the cascaded pullout accordion start menu to the main portion of the taskbar.
They pinned the cascaded accordion pullout start menu to a different
section of the taskbar, which, in Windows 10, was accomplished by using the taskbar rightclick menu "Toolbars -> New toolbar -> MyMenu" (where the "MyMenu" folder is a hierarchical collection of folders and shortcuts).
Why Microsoft would remove the basic capability to maintain your own menus which aren't destroyed by every program that installs or updates is beyond
my comprehension - because without your own custom menus, the interface
with Windows 11 is severely hampered to the point of being relegated to having to use the search feature every time you need to run a program.
And if you have to search even once just to run a program, that's already
the definition of a failed graphical user interface - as there's never a
need to search just to run a program that you had installed yourself.
Does anyone know why Microsoft removed the native ability to create custom accordion pullout cascade start menus in Windows 11 (when that basic capability was native in every single Windows prior)?
Are they trying to force us to use only their garbage start menu instead?
I do realize that others(like you) want the old style cascade/flyout but that' hasn't been an item on MSFT's radar 'To Do' or 'Maybe Consider'
lists for Win11 for almost a decade(when Win11 was still an internal beta).
If not, you're stuck with the bloatware, which many people use but most
people don't know that Windows 10 never needed it so it is what it is.
https://open-shell.github.io/Open-Shell-Menu/
I use Open-Shell on Windows 11 because it is simple and convenient. On a
modern machine its disk (12.4MB), RAM (0.1MB) and CPU (currently 0%)
loading is negligible.
Is there no other way to have your own menu on the taskbar in Windows 11?
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