Vista Start Menu Handling of Special Office Shortcuts

I've posted about this issue under Office General Questions, but we haven't
got very far with it. Location of that discussion --

http://www.microsoft.com/communities...xp=&sloc=en-us

I'll restate as briefly as possible:

Systems are running Vista Business, Office Professional 2007, Office Visio
Professional 2007, Office OneNote 2007 -- all RTM. Complete install was used
for each of the Office applications.

The Office shortcuts produced by the installation process in the Start Menu
work fine when selected by mouse or by arrow keys. The do NOT work when
selected with the Start Menu search function. It gets weirder. If I pin any
of these shortcuts to the Start Menu's top level, they don't function at all,
regardless of how they are selected. Same for placing them in the Quick
Launch toolbar. Drag them from their non-functioning position on the Start
Menu or in Quick Launch to the Desktop, and they work. All user accounts
behave the same. I have seen this now on five systems. I have not seen the
shortcuts behave properly (or in a manner that I would deem to be proper,
anyway) on a single machine with this combination of software.

Systems are configured very much alike -- using renamed primary accounts,
Ctrl-Alt-Del required to log in, not showing last logged user. Nothing fancy.

Am I doing something wrong / dumb? Is there a fix for this? A hidden
setting? An obvious setting? Folks in the Office discussion area don't seem
to be coming up with anything. I'm most CERTAINLY not coming up with
anything. Have tried Office diagnostics / repair - nothing. Have tried a
removal then reinstallation of the applications on one system - same result.
If I'm doing something dumb, at least I'm being consistent about it.

:\

jimmuh wrote:

> I've posted about this issue under Office General Questions, but we
> haven't got very far with it. Location of that discussion --
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/communities...fault.aspx?que
> ry=jimmuh&dg=microsoft.public.office.misc&cat=en_U S_24f872ec-a5b6-4cc1
> -925d-0364c03e6da6&lang=en&cr=US&pt=&catlist=&dglist=&pt list=&exp=&slo
> c=en-us
>
> I'll restate as briefly as possible:
>
> Systems are running Vista Business, Office Professional 2007, Office
> Visio Professional 2007, Office OneNote 2007 -- all RTM. Complete
> install was used for each of the Office applications.
>
> The Office shortcuts produced by the installation process in the
> Start Menu work fine when selected by mouse or by arrow keys. The do
> NOT work when selected with the Start Menu search function. It gets
> weirder. If I pin any of these shortcuts to the Start Menu's top
> level, they don't function at all, regardless of how they are
> selected. Same for placing them in the Quick Launch toolbar. Drag
> them from their non-functioning position on the Start Menu or in
> Quick Launch to the Desktop, and they work. All user accounts behave
> the same. I have seen this now on five systems. I have not seen the
> shortcuts behave properly (or in a manner that I would deem to be
> proper, anyway) on a single machine with this combination of software.
>
> Systems are configured very much alike -- using renamed primary
> accounts, Ctrl-Alt-Del required to log in, not showing last logged
> user. Nothing fancy.
>
> Am I doing something wrong / dumb? Is there a fix for this? A hidden
> setting? An obvious setting? Folks in the Office discussion area
> don't seem to be coming up with anything. I'm most CERTAINLY not
> coming up with anything. Have tried Office diagnostics / repair -
> nothing. Have tried a removal then reinstallation of the applications
> on one system - same result. If I'm doing something dumb, at least
> I'm being consistent about it.
>
> :\

Do your shortcuts point to local or network files/folders?

--
Paul-B

"Paul-B" wrote:

> jimmuh wrote:
>
> > I've posted about this issue under Office General Questions, but we
> > haven't got very far with it. Location of that discussion --
> >
> > http://www.microsoft.com/communities...fault.aspx?que
> > ry=jimmuh&dg=microsoft.public.office.misc&cat=en_U S_24f872ec-a5b6-4cc1
> > -925d-0364c03e6da6&lang=en&cr=US&pt=&catlist=&dglist=&pt list=&exp=&slo
> > c=en-us
> >
> > I'll restate as briefly as possible:
> >
> > Systems are running Vista Business, Office Professional 2007, Office
> > Visio Professional 2007, Office OneNote 2007 -- all RTM. Complete
> > install was used for each of the Office applications.
> >
> > The Office shortcuts produced by the installation process in the
> > Start Menu work fine when selected by mouse or by arrow keys. The do
> > NOT work when selected with the Start Menu search function. It gets
> > weirder. If I pin any of these shortcuts to the Start Menu's top
> > level, they don't function at all, regardless of how they are
> > selected. Same for placing them in the Quick Launch toolbar. Drag
> > them from their non-functioning position on the Start Menu or in
> > Quick Launch to the Desktop, and they work. All user accounts behave
> > the same. I have seen this now on five systems. I have not seen the
> > shortcuts behave properly (or in a manner that I would deem to be
> > proper, anyway) on a single machine with this combination of software.
> >
> > Systems are configured very much alike -- using renamed primary
> > accounts, Ctrl-Alt-Del required to log in, not showing last logged
> > user. Nothing fancy.
> >
> > Am I doing something wrong / dumb? Is there a fix for this? A hidden
> > setting? An obvious setting? Folks in the Office discussion area
> > don't seem to be coming up with anything. I'm most CERTAINLY not
> > coming up with anything. Have tried Office diagnostics / repair -
> > nothing. Have tried a removal then reinstallation of the applications
> > on one system - same result. If I'm doing something dumb, at least
> > I'm being consistent about it.
> >
> > :\
>
> Do your shortcuts point to local or network files/folders?
>
> --
> Paul-B
>

They should be pointing to local files / folders. They are the standard
Office app shortcuts, and they don't actually tell you what the danged target
is. (Each of the shortcuts just has "Microsoft Office Professional 2007" in
the target field of its Properties dialog.)

Frankly, I've never understood why Microsoft thought it was such a great
idea to use this type of shortcut. There may be some slight advantages, but
there's something to be said for consistency and functionality. I find it
amusing, as well as extremely irritating, that the ONLY applications I have
running under Vista that have this annoying issue (or any kind of operational
issue, for that matter) are MICROSOFT applications.

jimmuh wrote:

>
>
> "Paul-B" wrote:
>
> > jimmuh wrote:
> >
> > > I've posted about this issue under Office General Questions, but
> > > we haven't got very far with it. Location of that discussion --
> > >
> > > http://www.microsoft.com/communities...s/default.aspx
> > > ?que
> > > ry=jimmuh&dg=microsoft.public.office.misc&cat=en_U S_24f872ec-a5b6-
> > > 4cc1
> > > -925d-0364c03e6da6&lang=en&cr=US&pt=&catlist=&dglist=&pt list=&exp=
> > > &slo c=en-us
> > >
> > > I'll restate as briefly as possible:
> > >
> > > Systems are running Vista Business, Office Professional 2007,
> > > Office Visio Professional 2007, Office OneNote 2007 -- all RTM.
> > > Complete install was used for each of the Office applications.
> > >
> > > The Office shortcuts produced by the installation process in the
> > > Start Menu work fine when selected by mouse or by arrow keys. The
> > > do NOT work when selected with the Start Menu search function. It
> > > gets weirder. If I pin any of these shortcuts to the Start Menu's
> > > top level, they don't function at all, regardless of how they are
> > > selected. Same for placing them in the Quick Launch toolbar. Drag
> > > them from their non-functioning position on the Start Menu or in
> > > Quick Launch to the Desktop, and they work. All user accounts
> > > behave the same. I have seen this now on five systems. I have not
> > > seen the shortcuts behave properly (or in a manner that I would
> > > deem to be proper, anyway) on a single machine with this
> > > combination of software.
> > >
> > > Systems are configured very much alike -- using renamed primary
> > > accounts, Ctrl-Alt-Del required to log in, not showing last logged
> > > user. Nothing fancy.
> > >
> > > Am I doing something wrong / dumb? Is there a fix for this? A
> > > hidden setting? An obvious setting? Folks in the Office
> > > discussion area don't seem to be coming up with anything. I'm
> > > most CERTAINLY not coming up with anything. Have tried Office
> > > diagnostics / repair - nothing. Have tried a removal then
> > > reinstallation of the applications on one system - same result.
> > > If I'm doing something dumb, at least I'm being consistent about
> > > it.
> > >
> > > :\
> >
> > Do your shortcuts point to local or network files/folders?
> >
> > --
> > Paul-B
> >
>
> They should be pointing to local files / folders. They are the
> standard Office app shortcuts, and they don't actually tell you what
> the danged target is. (Each of the shortcuts just has "Microsoft
> Office Professional 2007" in the target field of its Properties
> dialog.)
>
> Frankly, I've never understood why Microsoft thought it was such a
> great idea to use this type of shortcut. There may be some slight
> advantages, but there's something to be said for consistency and
> functionality. I find it amusing, as well as extremely irritating,
> that the ONLY applications I have running under Vista that have this
> annoying issue (or any kind of operational issue, for that matter)
> are MICROSOFT applications.

Ah, thanks for that.

I came across a problem recently where shortcuts across a network
stopped working. After much head-scratching it turned-out that the
automatic install of IE7 had caused IE7 to consider my internal network
as a non-trusted site and had blocked access to it.

--
Paul-B

"Paul-B" wrote:

> jimmuh wrote:
>
> >
> >
> > "Paul-B" wrote:
> >
> > > jimmuh wrote:
> > >
> > > > I've posted about this issue under Office General Questions, but
> > > > we haven't got very far with it. Location of that discussion --
> > > >
> > > > http://www.microsoft.com/communities...s/default.aspx
> > > > ?que
> > > > ry=jimmuh&dg=microsoft.public.office.misc&cat=en_U S_24f872ec-a5b6-
> > > > 4cc1
> > > > -925d-0364c03e6da6&lang=en&cr=US&pt=&catlist=&dglist=&pt list=&exp=
> > > > &slo c=en-us
> > > >
> > > > I'll restate as briefly as possible:
> > > >
> > > > Systems are running Vista Business, Office Professional 2007,
> > > > Office Visio Professional 2007, Office OneNote 2007 -- all RTM.
> > > > Complete install was used for each of the Office applications.
> > > >
> > > > The Office shortcuts produced by the installation process in the
> > > > Start Menu work fine when selected by mouse or by arrow keys. The
> > > > do NOT work when selected with the Start Menu search function. It
> > > > gets weirder. If I pin any of these shortcuts to the Start Menu's
> > > > top level, they don't function at all, regardless of how they are
> > > > selected. Same for placing them in the Quick Launch toolbar. Drag
> > > > them from their non-functioning position on the Start Menu or in
> > > > Quick Launch to the Desktop, and they work. All user accounts
> > > > behave the same. I have seen this now on five systems. I have not
> > > > seen the shortcuts behave properly (or in a manner that I would
> > > > deem to be proper, anyway) on a single machine with this
> > > > combination of software.
> > > >
> > > > Systems are configured very much alike -- using renamed primary
> > > > accounts, Ctrl-Alt-Del required to log in, not showing last logged
> > > > user. Nothing fancy.
> > > >
> > > > Am I doing something wrong / dumb? Is there a fix for this? A
> > > > hidden setting? An obvious setting? Folks in the Office
> > > > discussion area don't seem to be coming up with anything. I'm
> > > > most CERTAINLY not coming up with anything. Have tried Office
> > > > diagnostics / repair - nothing. Have tried a removal then
> > > > reinstallation of the applications on one system - same result.
> > > > If I'm doing something dumb, at least I'm being consistent about
> > > > it.
> > > >
> > > > :\
> > >
> > > Do your shortcuts point to local or network files/folders?
> > >
> > > --
> > > Paul-B
> > >
> >
> > They should be pointing to local files / folders. They are the
> > standard Office app shortcuts, and they don't actually tell you what
> > the danged target is. (Each of the shortcuts just has "Microsoft
> > Office Professional 2007" in the target field of its Properties
> > dialog.)
> >
> > Frankly, I've never understood why Microsoft thought it was such a
> > great idea to use this type of shortcut. There may be some slight
> > advantages, but there's something to be said for consistency and
> > functionality. I find it amusing, as well as extremely irritating,
> > that the ONLY applications I have running under Vista that have this
> > annoying issue (or any kind of operational issue, for that matter)
> > are MICROSOFT applications.
>
> Ah, thanks for that.
>
> I came across a problem recently where shortcuts across a network
> stopped working. After much head-scratching it turned-out that the
> automatic install of IE7 had caused IE7 to consider my internal network
> as a non-trusted site and had blocked access to it.
>
> --
> Paul-B
>

Oh, shucks! I was hoping you were going to come up with a magic dope slap to
straighten me out! Heh!

Come on, someone, anyone? At least smack me up the side of the head with a
big trout or something? I can't be the only guy with this problem, can I?
And, if I am, then someone please just shoot me and put me out of my misery!

Have you tried deleting the shortcuts and recreating your own? I'm running
O2007 Beta on Vista RTM and not having those types of problems, but I don't
have Visio or OneNote installed. Have you tried installing O2007, checking
to see if the problem exists, install Visio, check the problem, install
OneNote, check the problem?

Lang

"jimmuh" <jimmuh@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:ED24F098-EEE5-43F3-AD04-30B3F6C664A7@microsoft.com...
> I've posted about this issue under Office General Questions, but we
> haven't
> got very far with it. Location of that discussion --
>
> http://www.microsoft.com/communities...xp=&sloc=en-us
>
> I'll restate as briefly as possible:
>
> Systems are running Vista Business, Office Professional 2007, Office Visio
> Professional 2007, Office OneNote 2007 -- all RTM. Complete install was
> used
> for each of the Office applications.
>
> The Office shortcuts produced by the installation process in the Start
> Menu
> work fine when selected by mouse or by arrow keys. The do NOT work when
> selected with the Start Menu search function. It gets weirder. If I pin
> any
> of these shortcuts to the Start Menu's top level, they don't function at
> all,
> regardless of how they are selected. Same for placing them in the Quick
> Launch toolbar. Drag them from their non-functioning position on the Start
> Menu or in Quick Launch to the Desktop, and they work. All user accounts
> behave the same. I have seen this now on five systems. I have not seen the
> shortcuts behave properly (or in a manner that I would deem to be proper,
> anyway) on a single machine with this combination of software.
>
> Systems are configured very much alike -- using renamed primary accounts,
> Ctrl-Alt-Del required to log in, not showing last logged user. Nothing
> fancy.
>
> Am I doing something wrong / dumb? Is there a fix for this? A hidden
> setting? An obvious setting? Folks in the Office discussion area don't
> seem
> to be coming up with anything. I'm most CERTAINLY not coming up with
> anything. Have tried Office diagnostics / repair - nothing. Have tried a
> removal then reinstallation of the applications on one system - same
> result.
> If I'm doing something dumb, at least I'm being consistent about it.
>
> :\

Hmmm. I guess I should have been more explicit about what I'm trying to
accomplish.

Yes, I can create new shortcuts directly to the actual executables in
"C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\". I've created those shortcuts
directly on the Desktop and dragged them into
"C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\", and those shortcuts,
in turn, do behave "properly" when pinned to the start menu.

But what I'm wondering about is why the special type of link that Microsoft
creates for the Office apps with the installation procedure won't work this
way? Could this be by design, as a result of some specific setting? It
wouldn't seem to make any sense. I'm pursuing this because I want to be sure
that there's not some issue with the way I'm preparing these systems. I don't
want to be breaking stuff. Particularly since I would really prefer using the
"Open Microsoft Office Document" and "New Microsoft Office Document"
shortcuts, and I don't think there's a direct executable I can link to create
regular shortcuts for those functions. At least I haven't found any way to do
it.

A few additional observations about my system.

1. You'll notice I said that I create shortcuts to the Microsoft apps on the
Desktop and then place them under the Programs folder. The reason I do it
that way is that Explorer doesn't seem to want me to create shortcuts
directly within the start menu location. The option to create a new folder is
there, but no option to create a new shortcut. This goes for both the
Organize menu and the right-click context menu. Design, or symptom of a
problem on these systems I'm preparing? All Vista systems I've seen have been
this way. (Of course I'm the one who prepared them, so who knows...)

2. When I look at the "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu" I see
"Open Microsoft Office Document" and "New Microsoft Office Document"
shortcuts already there that are NOT being displayed on the top level of the
start menu. When I look in "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start
Menu\Programs\" I do NOT see those two shortcuts, but both of those shortcuts
are displayed AT THAT LEVEL of the Start Menu! Again, I'm asking myself if
this is by design or if it is a symptom of an issue with the way these
systems were prepared. If it is by design -- putting the shortcuts in one
physical location in the file structure but showing them in a
non-corresponding organizational location in the Start Menu -- then I think
that's kind of a wacky thing for Microsoft to do. And way out of keeping with
the rather decent organizational approach I think they have taken toward the
UI in this operating system.

I'd appreciate further communication from anyone who's in the least bit
interested because my foray into solving this little conundrum hasn't been
getting anywhere.

Thanks.

"Lang Murphy" wrote:

> Have you tried deleting the shortcuts and recreating your own? I'm running
> O2007 Beta on Vista RTM and not having those types of problems, but I don't
> have Visio or OneNote installed. Have you tried installing O2007, checking
> to see if the problem exists, install Visio, check the problem, install
> OneNote, check the problem?
>
> Lang
>
> "jimmuh" <jimmuh@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:ED24F098-EEE5-43F3-AD04-30B3F6C664A7@microsoft.com...
> > I've posted about this issue under Office General Questions, but we
> > haven't
> > got very far with it. Location of that discussion --
> >
> > http://www.microsoft.com/communities...xp=&sloc=en-us
> >
> > I'll restate as briefly as possible:
> >
> > Systems are running Vista Business, Office Professional 2007, Office Visio
> > Professional 2007, Office OneNote 2007 -- all RTM. Complete install was
> > used
> > for each of the Office applications.
> >
> > The Office shortcuts produced by the installation process in the Start
> > Menu
> > work fine when selected by mouse or by arrow keys. The do NOT work when
> > selected with the Start Menu search function. It gets weirder. If I pin
> > any
> > of these shortcuts to the Start Menu's top level, they don't function at
> > all,
> > regardless of how they are selected. Same for placing them in the Quick
> > Launch toolbar. Drag them from their non-functioning position on the Start
> > Menu or in Quick Launch to the Desktop, and they work. All user accounts
> > behave the same. I have seen this now on five systems. I have not seen the
> > shortcuts behave properly (or in a manner that I would deem to be proper,
> > anyway) on a single machine with this combination of software.
> >
> > Systems are configured very much alike -- using renamed primary accounts,
> > Ctrl-Alt-Del required to log in, not showing last logged user. Nothing
> > fancy.
> >
> > Am I doing something wrong / dumb? Is there a fix for this? A hidden
> > setting? An obvious setting? Folks in the Office discussion area don't
> > seem
> > to be coming up with anything. I'm most CERTAINLY not coming up with
> > anything. Have tried Office diagnostics / repair - nothing. Have tried a
> > removal then reinstallation of the applications on one system - same
> > result.
> > If I'm doing something dumb, at least I'm being consistent about it.
> >
> > :\
>

Aw, heck. I got tired of fiddling around with this. Life is too danged short
to worry about something like this. Pretty much everything else I'm using in
Office and Vista is working fine. Life is good.

So I blew away the stupid "Microsoft Office blah blah" shortcuts and just
created my own shortcuts to the executables. All of those work just fine --
with pin/unpin to start menu and with the start menu search function. I'll
just have to do without the Open and New shortcuts.

And, by the way, I did have to blow away the Microsoft shortcuts because
their presence in the Start Menu folders prevented the search function from
finding the working versions. Yes, that's right. Say, for instance, I typed
"exc.." in the start menu search. The Microsoft Office Excel shortcut would
get selected (despite the Excel one I created being pinned to the start menu
AND ahead of it in the Microsoft Office folder, and hitting Enter would still
get me nada.

Weird. Weird. Weird.

"jimmuh" wrote:

> Hmmm. I guess I should have been more explicit about what I'm trying to
> accomplish.
>
> Yes, I can create new shortcuts directly to the actual executables in
> "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\". I've created those shortcuts
> directly on the Desktop and dragged them into
> "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\", and those shortcuts,
> in turn, do behave "properly" when pinned to the start menu.
>
> But what I'm wondering about is why the special type of link that Microsoft
> creates for the Office apps with the installation procedure won't work this
> way? Could this be by design, as a result of some specific setting? It
> wouldn't seem to make any sense. I'm pursuing this because I want to be sure
> that there's not some issue with the way I'm preparing these systems. I don't
> want to be breaking stuff. Particularly since I would really prefer using the
> "Open Microsoft Office Document" and "New Microsoft Office Document"
> shortcuts, and I don't think there's a direct executable I can link to create
> regular shortcuts for those functions. At least I haven't found any way to do
> it.
>
> A few additional observations about my system.
>
> 1. You'll notice I said that I create shortcuts to the Microsoft apps on the
> Desktop and then place them under the Programs folder. The reason I do it
> that way is that Explorer doesn't seem to want me to create shortcuts
> directly within the start menu location. The option to create a new folder is
> there, but no option to create a new shortcut. This goes for both the
> Organize menu and the right-click context menu. Design, or symptom of a
> problem on these systems I'm preparing? All Vista systems I've seen have been
> this way. (Of course I'm the one who prepared them, so who knows...)
>
> 2. When I look at the "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu" I see
> "Open Microsoft Office Document" and "New Microsoft Office Document"
> shortcuts already there that are NOT being displayed on the top level of the
> start menu. When I look in "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start
> Menu\Programs\" I do NOT see those two shortcuts, but both of those shortcuts
> are displayed AT THAT LEVEL of the Start Menu! Again, I'm asking myself if
> this is by design or if it is a symptom of an issue with the way these
> systems were prepared. If it is by design -- putting the shortcuts in one
> physical location in the file structure but showing them in a
> non-corresponding organizational location in the Start Menu -- then I think
> that's kind of a wacky thing for Microsoft to do. And way out of keeping with
> the rather decent organizational approach I think they have taken toward the
> UI in this operating system.
>
> I'd appreciate further communication from anyone who's in the least bit
> interested because my foray into solving this little conundrum hasn't been
> getting anywhere.
>
> Thanks.
>
> "Lang Murphy" wrote:
>
> > Have you tried deleting the shortcuts and recreating your own? I'm running
> > O2007 Beta on Vista RTM and not having those types of problems, but I don't
> > have Visio or OneNote installed. Have you tried installing O2007, checking
> > to see if the problem exists, install Visio, check the problem, install
> > OneNote, check the problem?
> >
> > Lang
> >
> > "jimmuh" <jimmuh@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:ED24F098-EEE5-43F3-AD04-30B3F6C664A7@microsoft.com...
> > > I've posted about this issue under Office General Questions, but we
> > > haven't
> > > got very far with it. Location of that discussion --
> > >
> > > http://www.microsoft.com/communities...xp=&sloc=en-us
> > >
> > > I'll restate as briefly as possible:
> > >
> > > Systems are running Vista Business, Office Professional 2007, Office Visio
> > > Professional 2007, Office OneNote 2007 -- all RTM. Complete install was
> > > used
> > > for each of the Office applications.
> > >
> > > The Office shortcuts produced by the installation process in the Start
> > > Menu
> > > work fine when selected by mouse or by arrow keys. The do NOT work when
> > > selected with the Start Menu search function. It gets weirder. If I pin
> > > any
> > > of these shortcuts to the Start Menu's top level, they don't function at
> > > all,
> > > regardless of how they are selected. Same for placing them in the Quick
> > > Launch toolbar. Drag them from their non-functioning position on the Start
> > > Menu or in Quick Launch to the Desktop, and they work. All user accounts
> > > behave the same. I have seen this now on five systems. I have not seen the
> > > shortcuts behave properly (or in a manner that I would deem to be proper,
> > > anyway) on a single machine with this combination of software.
> > >
> > > Systems are configured very much alike -- using renamed primary accounts,
> > > Ctrl-Alt-Del required to log in, not showing last logged user. Nothing
> > > fancy.
> > >
> > > Am I doing something wrong / dumb? Is there a fix for this? A hidden
> > > setting? An obvious setting? Folks in the Office discussion area don't
> > > seem
> > > to be coming up with anything. I'm most CERTAINLY not coming up with
> > > anything. Have tried Office diagnostics / repair - nothing. Have tried a
> > > removal then reinstallation of the applications on one system - same
> > > result.
> > > If I'm doing something dumb, at least I'm being consistent about it.
> > >
> > > :\
> >

Yeah, sometimes you just have to file stuff away in the Weird Folder and
move on...

Lang

"jimmuh" <jimmuh@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:9A11FE85-E551-4EBD-873D-B3C88598AA4E@microsoft.com...
> Aw, heck. I got tired of fiddling around with this. Life is too danged
> short
> to worry about something like this. Pretty much everything else I'm using
> in
> Office and Vista is working fine. Life is good.
>
> So I blew away the stupid "Microsoft Office blah blah" shortcuts and just
> created my own shortcuts to the executables. All of those work just
> fine --
> with pin/unpin to start menu and with the start menu search function. I'll
> just have to do without the Open and New shortcuts.
>
> And, by the way, I did have to blow away the Microsoft shortcuts because
> their presence in the Start Menu folders prevented the search function
> from
> finding the working versions. Yes, that's right. Say, for instance, I
> typed
> "exc.." in the start menu search. The Microsoft Office Excel shortcut
> would
> get selected (despite the Excel one I created being pinned to the start
> menu
> AND ahead of it in the Microsoft Office folder, and hitting Enter would
> still
> get me nada.
>
> Weird. Weird. Weird.
>
> "jimmuh" wrote:
>
>> Hmmm. I guess I should have been more explicit about what I'm trying to
>> accomplish.
>>
>> Yes, I can create new shortcuts directly to the actual executables in
>> "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\". I've created those
>> shortcuts
>> directly on the Desktop and dragged them into
>> "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\", and those
>> shortcuts,
>> in turn, do behave "properly" when pinned to the start menu.
>>
>> But what I'm wondering about is why the special type of link that
>> Microsoft
>> creates for the Office apps with the installation procedure won't work
>> this
>> way? Could this be by design, as a result of some specific setting? It
>> wouldn't seem to make any sense. I'm pursuing this because I want to be
>> sure
>> that there's not some issue with the way I'm preparing these systems. I
>> don't
>> want to be breaking stuff. Particularly since I would really prefer using
>> the
>> "Open Microsoft Office Document" and "New Microsoft Office Document"
>> shortcuts, and I don't think there's a direct executable I can link to
>> create
>> regular shortcuts for those functions. At least I haven't found any way
>> to do
>> it.
>>
>> A few additional observations about my system.
>>
>> 1. You'll notice I said that I create shortcuts to the Microsoft apps on
>> the
>> Desktop and then place them under the Programs folder. The reason I do it
>> that way is that Explorer doesn't seem to want me to create shortcuts
>> directly within the start menu location. The option to create a new
>> folder is
>> there, but no option to create a new shortcut. This goes for both the
>> Organize menu and the right-click context menu. Design, or symptom of a
>> problem on these systems I'm preparing? All Vista systems I've seen have
>> been
>> this way. (Of course I'm the one who prepared them, so who knows...)
>>
>> 2. When I look at the "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu" I see
>> "Open Microsoft Office Document" and "New Microsoft Office Document"
>> shortcuts already there that are NOT being displayed on the top level of
>> the
>> start menu. When I look in "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start
>> Menu\Programs\" I do NOT see those two shortcuts, but both of those
>> shortcuts
>> are displayed AT THAT LEVEL of the Start Menu! Again, I'm asking myself
>> if
>> this is by design or if it is a symptom of an issue with the way these
>> systems were prepared. If it is by design -- putting the shortcuts in one
>> physical location in the file structure but showing them in a
>> non-corresponding organizational location in the Start Menu -- then I
>> think
>> that's kind of a wacky thing for Microsoft to do. And way out of keeping
>> with
>> the rather decent organizational approach I think they have taken toward
>> the
>> UI in this operating system.
>>
>> I'd appreciate further communication from anyone who's in the least bit
>> interested because my foray into solving this little conundrum hasn't
>> been
>> getting anywhere.
>>
>> Thanks.
>>
>> "Lang Murphy" wrote:
>>
>> > Have you tried deleting the shortcuts and recreating your own? I'm
>> > running
>> > O2007 Beta on Vista RTM and not having those types of problems, but I
>> > don't
>> > have Visio or OneNote installed. Have you tried installing O2007,
>> > checking
>> > to see if the problem exists, install Visio, check the problem, install
>> > OneNote, check the problem?
>> >
>> > Lang
>> >
>> > "jimmuh" <jimmuh@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
>> > news:ED24F098-EEE5-43F3-AD04-30B3F6C664A7@microsoft.com...
>> > > I've posted about this issue under Office General Questions, but we
>> > > haven't
>> > > got very far with it. Location of that discussion --
>> > >
>> > > http://www.microsoft.com/communities...xp=&sloc=en-us
>> > >
>> > > I'll restate as briefly as possible:
>> > >
>> > > Systems are running Vista Business, Office Professional 2007, Office
>> > > Visio
>> > > Professional 2007, Office OneNote 2007 -- all RTM. Complete install
>> > > was
>> > > used
>> > > for each of the Office applications.
>> > >
>> > > The Office shortcuts produced by the installation process in the
>> > > Start
>> > > Menu
>> > > work fine when selected by mouse or by arrow keys. The do NOT work
>> > > when
>> > > selected with the Start Menu search function. It gets weirder. If I
>> > > pin
>> > > any
>> > > of these shortcuts to the Start Menu's top level, they don't function
>> > > at
>> > > all,
>> > > regardless of how they are selected. Same for placing them in the
>> > > Quick
>> > > Launch toolbar. Drag them from their non-functioning position on the
>> > > Start
>> > > Menu or in Quick Launch to the Desktop, and they work. All user
>> > > accounts
>> > > behave the same. I have seen this now on five systems. I have not
>> > > seen the
>> > > shortcuts behave properly (or in a manner that I would deem to be
>> > > proper,
>> > > anyway) on a single machine with this combination of software.
>> > >
>> > > Systems are configured very much alike -- using renamed primary
>> > > accounts,
>> > > Ctrl-Alt-Del required to log in, not showing last logged user.
>> > > Nothing
>> > > fancy.
>> > >
>> > > Am I doing something wrong / dumb? Is there a fix for this? A hidden
>> > > setting? An obvious setting? Folks in the Office discussion area
>> > > don't
>> > > seem
>> > > to be coming up with anything. I'm most CERTAINLY not coming up with
>> > > anything. Have tried Office diagnostics / repair - nothing. Have
>> > > tried a
>> > > removal then reinstallation of the applications on one system - same
>> > > result.
>> > > If I'm doing something dumb, at least I'm being consistent about it.
>> > >
>> > > :\
>> >

Some day, when I have a few hours to burn, or when I don't have the time but
opportunity knocks, I'll look at this again to see if I can figure out just
what was going on. But the arrangement I have here is just fine -- only
requiring a little adaptation in the way I do a few things with respect to
opening a few specific documents.

Can't say that the Vista / Office 2007 experience has been negative overall.
Pretty good software all around. I really can't believe how smoothly and
quickly everything works. I'm running it on a couple of notebook computers --
one of them a pretty high end Dell Precision model with a couple of gigs of
RAM from a couple of years ago and the other a Panasonic R3 (ultra-portable).
The Panny has Intel integrated video, so it doesn't get to use Aero Glass.
The OS and other software look great on both computers, and everything
(including boot and shutdown) is quick and responsive.

But someone, either Microsoft or myself, screwed up a little on those
shortcuts.



"Lang Murphy" wrote:

> Yeah, sometimes you just have to file stuff away in the Weird Folder and
> move on...
>
> Lang
>
> "jimmuh" <jimmuh@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> news:9A11FE85-E551-4EBD-873D-B3C88598AA4E@microsoft.com...
> > Aw, heck. I got tired of fiddling around with this. Life is too danged
> > short
> > to worry about something like this. Pretty much everything else I'm using
> > in
> > Office and Vista is working fine. Life is good.
> >
> > So I blew away the stupid "Microsoft Office blah blah" shortcuts and just
> > created my own shortcuts to the executables. All of those work just
> > fine --
> > with pin/unpin to start menu and with the start menu search function. I'll
> > just have to do without the Open and New shortcuts.
> >
> > And, by the way, I did have to blow away the Microsoft shortcuts because
> > their presence in the Start Menu folders prevented the search function
> > from
> > finding the working versions. Yes, that's right. Say, for instance, I
> > typed
> > "exc.." in the start menu search. The Microsoft Office Excel shortcut
> > would
> > get selected (despite the Excel one I created being pinned to the start
> > menu
> > AND ahead of it in the Microsoft Office folder, and hitting Enter would
> > still
> > get me nada.
> >
> > Weird. Weird. Weird.
> >
> > "jimmuh" wrote:
> >
> >> Hmmm. I guess I should have been more explicit about what I'm trying to
> >> accomplish.
> >>
> >> Yes, I can create new shortcuts directly to the actual executables in
> >> "C:\Program Files\Microsoft Office\Office12\". I've created those
> >> shortcuts
> >> directly on the Desktop and dragged them into
> >> "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\", and those
> >> shortcuts,
> >> in turn, do behave "properly" when pinned to the start menu.
> >>
> >> But what I'm wondering about is why the special type of link that
> >> Microsoft
> >> creates for the Office apps with the installation procedure won't work
> >> this
> >> way? Could this be by design, as a result of some specific setting? It
> >> wouldn't seem to make any sense. I'm pursuing this because I want to be
> >> sure
> >> that there's not some issue with the way I'm preparing these systems. I
> >> don't
> >> want to be breaking stuff. Particularly since I would really prefer using
> >> the
> >> "Open Microsoft Office Document" and "New Microsoft Office Document"
> >> shortcuts, and I don't think there's a direct executable I can link to
> >> create
> >> regular shortcuts for those functions. At least I haven't found any way
> >> to do
> >> it.
> >>
> >> A few additional observations about my system.
> >>
> >> 1. You'll notice I said that I create shortcuts to the Microsoft apps on
> >> the
> >> Desktop and then place them under the Programs folder. The reason I do it
> >> that way is that Explorer doesn't seem to want me to create shortcuts
> >> directly within the start menu location. The option to create a new
> >> folder is
> >> there, but no option to create a new shortcut. This goes for both the
> >> Organize menu and the right-click context menu. Design, or symptom of a
> >> problem on these systems I'm preparing? All Vista systems I've seen have
> >> been
> >> this way. (Of course I'm the one who prepared them, so who knows...)
> >>
> >> 2. When I look at the "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu" I see
> >> "Open Microsoft Office Document" and "New Microsoft Office Document"
> >> shortcuts already there that are NOT being displayed on the top level of
> >> the
> >> start menu. When I look in "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start
> >> Menu\Programs\" I do NOT see those two shortcuts, but both of those
> >> shortcuts
> >> are displayed AT THAT LEVEL of the Start Menu! Again, I'm asking myself
> >> if
> >> this is by design or if it is a symptom of an issue with the way these
> >> systems were prepared. If it is by design -- putting the shortcuts in one
> >> physical location in the file structure but showing them in a
> >> non-corresponding organizational location in the Start Menu -- then I
> >> think
> >> that's kind of a wacky thing for Microsoft to do. And way out of keeping
> >> with
> >> the rather decent organizational approach I think they have taken toward
> >> the
> >> UI in this operating system.
> >>
> >> I'd appreciate further communication from anyone who's in the least bit
> >> interested because my foray into solving this little conundrum hasn't
> >> been
> >> getting anywhere.
> >>
> >> Thanks.
> >>
> >> "Lang Murphy" wrote:
> >>
> >> > Have you tried deleting the shortcuts and recreating your own? I'm
> >> > running
> >> > O2007 Beta on Vista RTM and not having those types of problems, but I
> >> > don't
> >> > have Visio or OneNote installed. Have you tried installing O2007,
> >> > checking
> >> > to see if the problem exists, install Visio, check the problem, install
> >> > OneNote, check the problem?
> >> >
> >> > Lang
> >> >
> >> > "jimmuh" <jimmuh@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> >> > news:ED24F098-EEE5-43F3-AD04-30B3F6C664A7@microsoft.com...
> >> > > I've posted about this issue under Office General Questions, but we
> >> > > haven't
> >> > > got very far with it. Location of that discussion --
> >> > >
> >> > > http://www.microsoft.com/communities...xp=&sloc=en-us
> >> > >
> >> > > I'll restate as briefly as possible:
> >> > >
> >> > > Systems are running Vista Business, Office Professional 2007, Office
> >> > > Visio
> >> > > Professional 2007, Office OneNote 2007 -- all RTM. Complete install
> >> > > was
> >> > > used
> >> > > for each of the Office applications.
> >> > >
> >> > > The Office shortcuts produced by the installation process in the
> >> > > Start
> >> > > Menu
> >> > > work fine when selected by mouse or by arrow keys. The do NOT work
> >> > > when
> >> > > selected with the Start Menu search function. It gets weirder. If I
> >> > > pin
> >> > > any
> >> > > of these shortcuts to the Start Menu's top level, they don't function
> >> > > at
> >> > > all,
> >> > > regardless of how they are selected. Same for placing them in the
> >> > > Quick
> >> > > Launch toolbar. Drag them from their non-functioning position on the
> >> > > Start
> >> > > Menu or in Quick Launch to the Desktop, and they work. All user
> >> > > accounts
> >> > > behave the same. I have seen this now on five systems. I have not
> >> > > seen the
> >> > > shortcuts behave properly (or in a manner that I would deem to be
> >> > > proper,
> >> > > anyway) on a single machine with this combination of software.
> >> > >
> >> > > Systems are configured very much alike -- using renamed primary
> >> > > accounts,
> >> > > Ctrl-Alt-Del required to log in, not showing last logged user.
> >> > > Nothing
> >> > > fancy.
> >> > >
> >> > > Am I doing something wrong / dumb? Is there a fix for this? A hidden
> >> > > setting? An obvious setting? Folks in the Office discussion area
> >> > > don't
> >> > > seem
> >> > > to be coming up with anything. I'm most CERTAINLY not coming up with
> >> > > anything. Have tried Office diagnostics / repair - nothing. Have
> >> > > tried a
> >> > > removal then reinstallation of the applications on one system - same
> >> > > result.
> >> > > If I'm doing something dumb, at least I'm being consistent about it.
> >> > >
> >> > > :\
> >> >
>