This post is with thanks to @patrickdamen for the great idea of using a building block and @antonvanpelt for taking time from his busy weekend to test the fix, thanks gents!
So one of the great features of RES Workspace manager is PowerPrint. Powerprint, among other things allows for you to map printers and track preferences depending on your location. Powerprint is so powerful most administrators will remove users ability to use the native windows functionality in favour of this tool.
A downside to the latest incarnation of Workspace manager is that PowerPrint is quite hard to find for the users, instead of being on the root of the Windows xp style start menu, its not moved down two tiers into the Workspace manager start menu folder on the windows 7 style desktop.
With the attached building block, you can replace the native windows shortcut to “Devices and Printers” with a link instead to powerprint!
This building block works by hacking and taking over the Class ID for Devices and Printers and populating the class id with entries for PowerPrint. In order to use this building block, follow my previous blog post on how to hide the Windows “Devices and Printers” from the users.
The great thing about this hack, is it reuses native windows functionality the user will be used to and makes powerprint much easier to access by the user. That being said, I’m not sure RES will be enthusiastic with this hack, so use it at your own risk.
The (32 bit) addition to the name is a bit of a mystery at the moment, I’ve a call open with RES and I suspect its wow6432 related.
Download the building block here:
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Great BB Thank you for Building and Sharing
Thanks Chas!
I’m trying to do something similar with GPP/GPO. I want to replace the regular Devices and Printers with the old Printers menu.
The old printer menu can be accessed with this command :
“%ProgramFiles(X86)%Internet Exploreriexplore.exe” shell:::{26ee0668-a00a-44d7-9371-beb064c98683}::{2227a280-3aea-1069-a2de-08002b30309d}
Any ideas ? Thank you!
I’ll have a look and get back to you. The original building block is just replacing the exe path with another.
Hi again,
I’ve managed to get this working with explorer.exe not iexplore. Not sure why it only works in explorer.exe but the command line is:
c:windowsexplorer.exe shell:::{26EE0668-A00A-44D7-9371-BEB064C98683}::{2227A280-3AEA-1069-A2DE-08002B30309D}
I’ve put this into a user based registry file here:
http://www.box.com/s/8gz68di9u7lzbejjt1m2
I dont have time to blog how it works today, but if you download this, import it, then check HKCUsoftwareclassesclsid, you’ll see the key (starting with {A8A) and you’ll figure it out from there.
Let me know how you get on.
A
Thank you Andrew! I will try this on Monday and let you know.
I just tested and it’s working perfectly! Now I just need to hide some buttons on the command bar (Folder Band);Delete, Share, Server Properties. I will let you know if I find out how.
Thx again!
Hi Andrew,
did RES ever came back on the (32-bit) addition? Would like to implement the same at a customer (thanks for the BB), but the addition keeps me from it (for now).
Hi Patrick,
It’s a known limitation of a 32bit app (WM) trying to write to 64 bit keys.
instead of a building block, execute it as an external task “at logon after other actions”.
you can put it in your Group policy with GPP
just put the values which Andrew put in the reg key…
and…. that’s it…
Hi Andrew,
I imported the building block in Workspace Manager but it seems that it is not being applied. When i open Devices and printers the default is opened. Do i need to set a extra setting?
Thanks in advance
Jeroen
Did you follow the previous blog post to change the permissions?
Andrew,
I put all of it in GPP as suggested by elyada an it is applied successfully.
Thanks
Jeroen