HOWTO: Quickly launch apps from the Run box

This entry will show you how to satisfy either of the following:

Save time from navigating the Start menu by using the Run box
Act like a geek by running apps from the Run box, almost as if you were running them from a terminal

So say you use a few programs very often. Let’s say… Photoshop, Dreamweaver, FileZilla, and PuTTY. Instead of launching the programs from the Start menu, or using Desktop icons (those are so 90’s), you can set up shortcuts that will launch them from the Run box.

Make simple shortcuts
First, make a bunch of shortcuts on your Desktop to all the programs you want to run via the Run box. Next, rename the programs to short, memorable names to enter in the Run box. For example, here are some names I use and their respective programs:

adawareÂ Â Â Â Â Â Ad-Aware cleanupÂ Â Â Â Â Â CleanUp! cygwinÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Cygwin console dcÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â DC++ (DirectConnect client) dwÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Dreamweaver excelÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Microsoft Excel fzÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â FileZilla (FTP client) hjtÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â HijackThis (malware removal) imÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Trillian mp3tagÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Mp3Tag mytunesÂ Â Â Â Â Â myTunes redux peÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Process Explorer psÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Adobe Photoshop puttyÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â PuTTY (SSH client) siÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â StickIt (desktop notes) spybotÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Spybot - Search & Destroy sshÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â SSH client torrentÂ Â Â Â Â Â BitComet (torrent client) waÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Winamp wirelessÂ Â Â Â Â Dell's wireless utility wordÂ Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Microsoft Word

Move all of these shortcuts into C:\WINDOWS\. This will allow them to be called from the Run box.

(click image to enlarge)
Nextel. Done.

Now you can run these apps from the Run box. Just hit Windows Key + R, then enter, say… fz to launch your FTP program. Now you can delete your Desktop shortcuts and be way cool.

3 Comments

Jordan Sissel

I do this on my windows machines, except I don’t populate C:\WINDOWS with shortcuts. I usually have something called C:\bin\ that contains the shortcuts.

You can modify the system PATH:

Right click on my computer -> properties -> advanced -> environment variables. Under ‘system variables’ select ‘Path’ and click ‘edit’. Paths are semicolon delimited.

1 September 2006
Mark

Jordan,

That’s actually another method I was considering about adding to my post. I used to have a Shortcuts folder in C:\ and I’d add that to the System PATH field via the directions you gave. Thanks. I’ll add it in later.

2 September 2006
andrew

Microsoft Word = winword
Microsoft Excel = excel

most dont need shortcuts

18 June 2009

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