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Killerbee-6887 avatar image
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Killerbee-6887 asked Sean-Liming edited

How to run two executable file in Windows Custom shell launcher?

Hi, I have been working with a Windows custom shell launcher. We are facing an issue with the custom shell launcher v2. We have completed the custom shell launcher v2 with a single executable file which is working as expected. However, we have a requirement in which we wanted to access another executable file. Unfortunately, we were unable to access the second executable file.

Let me walk through clearly about our requirements.
We have two executable files: the application executable file (app.exe) and the other is the maintenance executable file (maintenance.exe). With the custom shell launcher, we are only able to access one executable file which is app.exe. If we wanted to update our application then we wanted to access the other file named maintenance.exe. However, we are unable to access the maintenance.exe file. Please kindly assist me on this issue.

Thanks in advance.





windows-10-generalwindows-iot-10core
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TeemoTang-MSFT avatar image
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TeemoTang-MSFT answered TeemoTang-MSFT edited

No, we can’t run two executable file in Windows Custom shell launcher.
Let’s check the definition of Shell Launcher V2:
Shell Launcher v2 replaces explorer.exe with customshellhost.exe. This new executable file can launch a Windows desktop application or a UWP app.
Only one Windows desktop application or one UWP app can be configured in Shell Launcher V2, your demand is two apps(app.exe and maintenance.exe), which can’t be achieved now, maybe it can be achieved in future.
Reference:
https://github.com/Microsoft/Windows-iotcore-samples/tree/develop/Samples/ShellLauncherV2


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Hi, Thanks for the reply. But I wanted to update the existing application(i.e. app.exe). In our case, the application is self-developed and we have a button where it will update the application to the latest version. To update the application, we need to run maintenance.exe. This is where we are facing this issue, and from your answer, I guess I should figure out an alternate way to call maintenance.exe then. Also, is there any alternative method in windows to run multiple executable files in the shell launcher?


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is there any alternative method in windows to run multiple executable files in the shell launcher?

Sorry, i am afraid not.
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Sean-Liming avatar image
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Sean-Liming answered Sean-Liming commented

If app.exe and maintenance.exe are non-UWP applications, I would go with Shell Launcher V1. Shell Launcher V2 is only used when UWP applications are involved.

Since the main app.exe is going to get updated, I recommended create a small shell application (myshell.exe). Shell Launcher would launch myshell.exe and then launch app.exe. When app.exe goes away, myshell.exe is still there and can perform an update. You could have myshell.exe also launch maintenance.exe if you want.

I hope that helps.

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Hi, Thanks for the reply, I will try that as you suggested.

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I should have mentioned that I have utilities that work with Shell Launcher V1 - https://www.annabooks.com/SW_SLUtility.html


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