PowerShell: Pin and Unpin Applications to the Start Menu and Taskbar

am in the middle of building a new Windows 10 image and testing out all of the GPOs and applications. One of the settings we do is to add apps to the taskbar and start menu. I had written a script a couple of years ago to do this, but it was in a rush when I had just started this position. With the help of using Sapien's PowerShell studio, this script was a breeze to write. I didn't have time to really put much thought into the script. This time around, I have much more time to write the scripts.

The first thing is the old script does not work with Windows 10. I started to do a little research and found this person's script. I liked it and ended up taking some references from it, but as you have probably seen in some of my other scripts, I also like verification and adding more features. The first of the features I added is being able to generate an official list of all applications on the machine that are listed within the specified GUID. The reason for this feature is that you will need to add that application exactly like it appears in the generated list, otherwise it will not pin or unpin it. I also put a feature to allow the generated list to be exported to a csv file.

The next feature is being able to add all of the apps you want to be pinned or unpinned to a text file. The script will read the text file and process each app. One thing you will see I did was to put a unpin first within the pin functions. I did this so if there is an app already pinned and a possible change was made to the app affecting the pinned shortcut, an updated one will appear. I also put examples at the bottom on how to hardcode apps directly into the script if you do not want to use a text file.

The final feature was to use boolean variables to reflect on success or failure of each processed step. This allows the script to exit out with an error code 1, thereby flagging it as failed if implemented in SCCM/MDT.

Here is a screenshot on how to populate a the text file. As you can see in the script, I hardcoded 'Applications.txt' as the name of the file to contain the list of applications. It must be in the same directory as the powershell script. You can override the hardcoded filename by using the -AppsFile parameter. To unpin apps, change the add to remove in the list below.


You can download the script from here.


 <#  
.SYNOPSIS
A brief description of the ApplicationShortcutsWindows10.ps1 file.

.DESCRIPTION
This script will add shortcuts to the taskbar.

.PARAMETER AppsFile
Name of the text file that contains a list of the applications to be added or removed

.PARAMETER ConsoleTitle
ConsoleTitle assigned to the PowerShell console

.PARAMETER OutputToTextFile
Select if output needs to go to a text file

.PARAMETER GetApplicationList
Get a list of applications with the specific name needed to use or pinning and unpinning

.EXAMPLE
Read apps from within a text file that resides in the same directory as this script
powershell.exe -executionpolicy bypass -file ApplicationShortcutsWin10.ps1 -AppsFile 'Applications.txt'

Get an official list of applications with the exact names that need to be used for pinning/unpinning
powershell.exe -executionpolicy bypass -file ApplicationShortcutsWin10.ps1 -GetApplicationList

Get an official list of applications with the exact names that need to be used for pinning/unpinning and write to the text file ApplicationList.csv residing in the same directory as this script
powershell.exe -executionpolicy bypass -file ApplicationShortcutsWin10.ps1 -GetApplicationList -OutputToTextFile

Near the bottom of the script are commented out lines that give examples of how to hardcode apps inside this script

.NOTES
===========================================================================
Created with: SAPIEN Technologies, Inc., PowerShell Studio 2016 v5.2.123
Created on: 6/29/2016 10:33 AM
Created by: Mick Pletcher
Organization:
Filename: ApplicationShortcutsWindows10.ps1
===========================================================================
#>

[CmdletBinding()]
param
(
[string]$AppsFile = 'Applications.txt',
[ValidateNotNullOrEmpty()][string]$ConsoleTitle = 'Application Shortcuts',
[switch]$OutputToTextFile,
[switch]$GetApplicationList
)

function Add-AppToStartMenu {
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Pins an application to the start menu

.DESCRIPTION
Add an application to the start menu

.PARAMETER Application
Name of the application. This can be left blank and the function will use the file description metadata instead.

.NOTES
Additional information about the function.
#>

[CmdletBinding()][OutputType([boolean])]
param
(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Application
)

$Success = $true
$Status = Remove-AppFromStartMenu -Application $Application
If ($Status -eq $false) {
$Success = $false
}
Write-Host 'Pinning'$Application' to start menu.....' -NoNewline
((New-Object -Com Shell.Application).NameSpace('shell:::{4234d49b-0245-4df3-b780-3893943456e1}').Items() | Where-Object{ $_.Name -eq $Application }).verbs() | Where-Object{ $_.Name.replace('&', '') -match 'Pin to Start' } | ForEach-Object{ $_.DoIt() }
If ($? -eq $true) {
Write-Host 'Success' -ForegroundColor Yellow
} else {
Write-Host 'Failed' -ForegroundColor Red
$Success = $false
}
Return $Success
}

function Add-AppToTaskbar {
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Pins an application to the taskbar

.DESCRIPTION
Add an application to the taskbar

.PARAMETER Application
Name of the application. This can be left blank and the function will use the file description metadata instead.

.NOTES
Additional information about the function.
#>

[CmdletBinding()][OutputType([boolean])]
param
(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Application
)

$Success = $true
$Status = Remove-AppFromTaskbar -Application $Application
If ($Status -eq $false) {
$Success = $false
}
Write-Host 'Pinning'$Application' to start menu.....' -NoNewline
((New-Object -Com Shell.Application).NameSpace('shell:::{4234d49b-0245-4df3-b780-3893943456e1}').Items() | Where-Object{ $_.Name -eq $Application }).verbs() | Where-Object{ $_.Name.replace('&', '') -match 'Pin to taskbar' } | ForEach-Object{ $_.DoIt() }
If ($? -eq $true) {
Write-Host 'Success' -ForegroundColor Yellow
} else {
Write-Host 'Failed' -ForegroundColor Red
$Success = $false
}
Return $Success
}

function Get-ApplicationList {
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Get list of Applications

.DESCRIPTION
Get a list of available applications with the precise name to use when pinning or unpinning to the taskbar and/or start menu

.PARAMETER SaveOutput
Save output to a text file

.EXAMPLE
PS C:\> Get-ApplicationList

.NOTES
Additional information about the function.
#>

[CmdletBinding()]
param
(
[switch]$SaveOutput
)

$RelativePath = Get-RelativePath
$OutputFile = $RelativePath + "ApplicationList.csv"
$Applications = (New-Object -Com Shell.Application).NameSpace('shell:::{4234d49b-0245-4df3-b780-3893943456e1}').Items()
$Applications = $Applications | Sort-Object -Property name -Unique
If ($SaveOutput.IsPresent) {
If ((Test-Path -Path $OutputFile) -eq $true) {
Remove-Item -Path $OutputFile -Force
}
"Applications" | Out-File -FilePath $OutputFile -Encoding UTF8 -Force
$Applications.Name | Out-File -FilePath $OutputFile -Encoding UTF8 -Append -Force
}
$Applications.Name
}

function Get-Applications {
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Get Application List

.DESCRIPTION
Get the list of applications to add or remove

.EXAMPLE
PS C:\> Get-Applications

.NOTES
Additional information about the function.
#>

[CmdletBinding()][OutputType([object])]
param ()

$RelativePath = Get-RelativePath
$File = $RelativePath + $AppsFile
$Contents = Get-Content -Path $File -Force
Return $Contents
}

function Get-RelativePath {
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Get the relative path

.DESCRIPTION
Returns the location of the currently running PowerShell script

.NOTES
Additional information about the function.
#>

[CmdletBinding()][OutputType([string])]
param ()

$Path = (split-path $SCRIPT:MyInvocation.MyCommand.Path -parent) + "\"
Return $Path
}

function Invoke-PinActions {
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Process the application list

.DESCRIPTION
Add or remove applications within the text file to/from the taskbar and start menu.

.PARAMETER AppList
List of applications

.EXAMPLE
PS C:\> Invoke-PinActions -AppList 'Value1'

.NOTES
Additional information about the function.
#>

[CmdletBinding()][OutputType([boolean])]
param
(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $false)][ValidateNotNullOrEmpty()][object]$AppList
)

$Success = $true
foreach ($App in $AppList) {
$Entry = $App.Split(',')
If ($Entry[1] -eq 'startmenu') {
If ($Entry[2] -eq 'add') {
$Status = Add-AppToStartMenu -Application $Entry[0]
If ($Status -eq $false) {
$Success = $false
}
} elseif ($Entry[2] -eq 'remove') {
$Status = Remove-AppFromStartMenu -Application $Entry[0]
If ($Status -eq $false) {
$Success = $false
}
} else {
Write-Host $Entry[0]" was entered incorrectly"
}
} elseif ($Entry[1] -eq 'taskbar') {
If ($Entry[2] -eq 'add') {
$Status = Add-AppToTaskbar -Application $Entry[0]
If ($Status -eq $false) {
$Success = $false
}
} elseif ($Entry[2] -eq 'remove') {
$Status = Remove-AppFromTaskbar -Application $Entry[0]
If ($Status -eq $false) {
$Success = $false
}
} else {
Write-Host $Entry[0]" was entered incorrectly"
}
}
}
Return $Success
}

function Remove-AppFromStartMenu {
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Remove the pinned application from the start menu

.DESCRIPTION
A detailed description of the Remove-AppFromStartMenu function.

.PARAMETER Application
Name of the application. This can be left blank and the function will use the file description metadata instead.

.NOTES
Additional information about the function.
#>

[CmdletBinding()][OutputType([boolean])]
param
(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Application
)

$Success = $true
Write-Host 'Unpinning'$Application' from start menu.....' -NoNewline
((New-Object -Com Shell.Application).NameSpace('shell:::{4234d49b-0245-4df3-b780-3893943456e1}').Items() | Where-Object{ $_.Name -eq $Application }).verbs() | Where-Object{ $_.Name.replace('&', '') -match 'Unpin from Start' } | ForEach-Object{ $_.DoIt() }
If ($? -eq $true) {
Write-Host 'Success' -ForegroundColor Yellow
} else {
Write-Host 'Failed' -ForegroundColor Red
$Success = $false
}
Return $Success
}

function Remove-AppFromTaskbar {
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Unpins an application to the taskbar

.DESCRIPTION
Remove the pinned application from the taskbar

.PARAMETER Application
Name of the application. This can be left blank and the function will use the file description metadata instead.

.NOTES
Additional information about the function.
#>

[CmdletBinding()][OutputType([boolean])]
param
(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][string]$Application
)

$Success = $true
Write-Host 'Unpinning'$Application' from task bar.....' -NoNewline
((New-Object -Com Shell.Application).NameSpace('shell:::{4234d49b-0245-4df3-b780-3893943456e1}').Items() | Where-Object{ $_.Name -eq $Application }).verbs() | Where-Object{ $_.Name.replace('&', '') -match 'Unpin from taskbar' } | ForEach-Object{ $_.DoIt() }
If ($? -eq $true) {
Write-Host 'Success' -ForegroundColor Yellow
} else {
Write-Host 'Failed' -ForegroundColor Red
$Success = $false
}
Return $Success
}

function Set-ConsoleTitle {
<#
.SYNOPSIS
Console Title

.DESCRIPTION
Sets the title of the PowerShell Console

.PARAMETER Title
Title of the PowerShell Console

.NOTES
Additional information about the function.
#>

[CmdletBinding()]
param
(
[Parameter(Mandatory = $true)][String]$Title
)

$host.ui.RawUI.WindowTitle = $Title
}

Clear-Host
$Success = $true
Set-ConsoleTitle -Title $ConsoleTitle
If ($GetApplicationList.IsPresent) {
If ($OutputToTextFile.IsPresent) {
Get-ApplicationList -SaveOutput
} else {
Get-ApplicationList
}
}
If (($AppsFile -ne $null) -or ($AppsFile -ne "")) {
$ApplicationList = Get-Applications
$Success = Invoke-PinActions -AppList $ApplicationList
}

#Hardcoded applications
<#
$Success = Add-AppToStartMenu -Application 'Microsoft Outlook 2010'
$Success = Add-AppToTaskbar -Application 'Microsoft Outlook 2010'
#>

If ($Success -eq $false) {
Exit 1
}
Nguồn: http://mickitblog.blogspot.com/2016/07/powershell-pin-and-unpin-applications.html


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