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Disassembler0 / Win10-Initial-Setup-Script

PowerShell script for automation of routine tasks done after fresh installations of Windows 10 / Server 2016 / Server 2019
MIT License
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Disable Windows Ink Workspace suggestions #246

Closed tylerfilla closed 5 years ago

tylerfilla commented 5 years ago

I have a suggestion for a tweak.

Windows tries to suggest stylus-friendly apps in the Windows Ink Workspace. I think it would be helpful to add a tweak to the script that disables this. The suggestions are toggled in the Settings app which appears to set the DWORD value PenWorkspaceAppSuggestionsEnabled on the key HKCU:\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\PenWorkspace. A value of 1 means enabled, and a value of 0 means disabled.

Also, if we delete the value entirely, the Settings app reports that suggestions are back enabled. Perhaps the tweak should check for the existence of PenWorkspaceAppSuggestionsEnabled before setting it, as AFAIK this could be the freshly-installed default.

Thanks for the useful script!

tylerfilla commented 5 years ago

One more thing, I'm not exactly certain what category this hypothetical tweak would fall under. If data collection is involved to form the suggestions, then it's a privacy tweak of course. But, it could just be a random selection of apps deemed pen-friendly. Maybe a Google search could clear this up if it's that important 😅

Disassembler0 commented 5 years ago

Okay. I have 3 touch devices available, all of them on 1903 (18362.329) and on all of them I have different items and checkboxes in the settings. I have no idea where is the setting you talk about, but I believe you that there is one. :)

There is even a group policy Allow suggested apps in Windows Ink Workspace under Windows Components\Windows Ink Workspace which sets DWord AllowSuggestedAppsInWindowsInkWorkspace under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Policies\Microsoft\WindowsInkWorkspace.

So if this is really only about suggesting mostly unwanted apps, then the best fit would likely be as part of already existing DisableAppSuggestions. What do you think?

tylerfilla commented 5 years ago

Sorry, but I meant to say something here about this in the past weeks. It looks like Windows Ink Workspace got a makeover in the meantime. Instead of a big pane with an area for app suggestions near the bottom (as seen in this tiny image), it's been reduced to a small toolbar with a few buttons. I actually quite liked the sketchpad feature, but oh well. There are no longer any app suggestions, and the checkbox was removed from Settings.

I think it would have fit well under DisableAppSuggestions. I'll leave this issue open in case you still want to do something about it, but I have no need for this feature anymore.

Thanks again!

(related question online)