Zazu cannot launch Windows Store Apps

[nalexander50]

Zazu does not appear to have the ability to launch apps that were installed from the Windows Store or other native Metro/UWP apps.

Expected Behavior

• Searching for a Windows Store App shows the app as a result

Actual Behavior

• No results found

Steps to reproduce the behavior

• Search for a Windows Store App

Versions

• Zazu: App Environment: production App Version: 0.4.0 Electron Version: 1.3.13 Node Version: 6.5.0 Chrome Version: 52.0.2743.82

• OS: Windows 10

• GIT: N/A

[bayleedev]

@nalexander50 on the file system do you know where the apps are stored and the extension they have?

[nalexander50]

So, being sandboxed, Windows really does not want users to find these very easily. From about 10 minutes of research, the closest thing that I have found to a working directory is accessed by running:

explorer.exe shell:::{4234d49b-0245-4df3-B780-3893943456e1}

in a Run prompt. This produces a folder containing a bunch of weird shortcuts (cannot access properties). The folder also appears to have no logical file path, kind of like the Recycle Bin. It just kind of exists.

Just by superficial investigation, it appears that this secret folder is actually the folder that drives the start menu application list.

I'm not sure if it would be possible for Zazu to tap into this secret folder. My gut says probably not. But it could be worth a shot.

[bayleedev]

The file finder plugin has the ability to add os specific adapters, if there are powershell commands to get the app/file list it might be worth making this adapter for windows. It would be an amazing improvement, considering that file finder is the most popular plugin and windows is the most popular os.

[nalexander50]

So, so more research has proven that this might not be a menial task. From what I can tell, there is no way to launch a Windows Store App from PowerShell. It is possible, though, to get a list of installed Windows Store Apps using PowerShell.

The general concept of launching a Store App is possible since other tools like Wox have this capability. Though I'm not sure how they pulled it off.

[arieljannai]

I made my self some shortcuts (to windows store and edge). The shortcuts looks like this:

• Store: C:\Windows\explorer.exe shell:AppsFolder\Microsoft.WindowsStore_8wekyb3d8bbwe!App
• Edge: C:\Windows\explorer.exe shell:AppsFolder\Microsoft.MicrosoftEdge_8wekyb3d8bbwe!MicrosoftEdge

I guess it can be automated, but I'm not sure if it would be so nice.

Walk-through for finding other apps and creating more shortcuts:

• Open the registry and navigate to:
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\Local Settings\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\AppModel\PackageRepository\Packages
• In each folder that has sub-folder:
  • Go to the first sub-folder and copy the folder name - lets call it app_id
• Run:
  • C:\Windows\explorer.exe shell:AppsFolder\app_id (replace app_id)
  • The desired app will be opened

Example of some app ids