Is there a list of what the folder tokens resolve to in Windows?

[mchadwick19]

I'm looking at an issue where my taskbar config file specified in a LayoutModification.xml file may not be functioning properly due to our folder redirection.

We are redirecting "ProgramsMenu" (which I don't think we should be) but when this gets repopulated in the desktop and then the layout file gets evaluated the path is no longer there.

I wanted to verify that the <ProgramsMenu> folder token resolves to %Appdata%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs or is it something else?

[DEMdev · Accepted solution]

Hi mchadwick19,

The <ProgramsMenu> folder token maps to the Windows "known folder" FOLDERID_Programs, which corresponds with %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs.

What exactly do you mean by "when this gets repopulated in the desktop and then the layout file gets evaluated the path is no longer there"?

[mchadwick19]

That is what I figured the path would be, but I couldn't find the documentation that says exactly that.

So we have a line in the LayoutModification.xml file under %LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows\Shell that adds a file explorer shortcut to the task bar that looks like:

<taskbar:DesktopApp DesktopApplicationLinkPath="%APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools\File Explorer.lnk"/>

Without folder redirection this folder path is valid and exists. When we redirect the Programs Menu folder we only get the shortcuts populated by UEM OR whatever application puts an icon in the start menu on launch/configuration, making this path invalid.

I know this because we are having some AD/GP issues that is causing the UEM GPO not to apply. When the GPO applies, the shortcut doesn't exist. When it does not apply the shortcut exists.

This may be a separate issue but we also see some discrepancies if a user moves between a Pool that does not have an AppX package (calculator) to one that does. The user does not see the calculator app in the second image. Although I believe this may be from a configuration file that is capturing the start menu cache.

[DEMdev]

Hi mchadwick19,

Do you mean that %APPDATA%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\System Tools\File Explorer.lnk does not exist if you redirect the Programs Menu folder? Or that System Tools\File Explorer.lnk does not exist in the redirected location?

[mchadwick19]

The path referenced in the link does not exist if the folder is redirected. I think the best way around this is to not redirect the programs menu folder. The more I look at it, the more I don't see a purpose in doing so.

[DEMdev]

OK, I can't really explain that... Those files are just coming from the default profile (or whichever Windows profile you've created), and don't care about folder redirection...

But, yeah, if you don't need to redirect your Programs Menu, that might be the easiest workaround for this

[mchadwick19]

I think it's because when the folder is redirected for the first time, it is created as an empty folder and none of the existing content (from the Windows default profile) is copied to the redirected location. I have a feeling if I were to also use UEM to create the shortcut in that path everything would be fine as well.

Multiple ways of fixing it, but my initial question is answered about what the folder token resolves to. Thank you!