Categories /

Productivity - Program Launchers (60)

8start Launcher v3.0

billon on 8 Mar 2019
  • 5MB (uncompressed)
  • Released on 4 Jun 2011
  • Suggested by Andy Goh

8start Launcher is an application launcher that organizes shortcuts into groups and categories. It can be accessed via the system tray, user-defined hotkey or middle mouse button, and helps to keep your desktop clean. It is fully-skinnable with transparent PNG support.

NOTE: Website is down, linking to Archive.org.

Category:
Runs on:Win2K / WinXP / Vista / Win7 / Win8 / Win10
Writes settings to: Application folder
Stealth: ? Yes
Unicode support: No
Path portability: Automatic relative path (eg. ..\..\personal\work.doc)
License: Freeware
How to extract: Download the ZIP package and extract to a folder of your choice. Launch 8start.exe.
What's new?
  • Drag and drop feature added. You can add in the button easily by drag the icon from Desktop, Start Menu, Windows Explorer and even Browser.
Latest comments
JSSSX on 2019-08-28 08:12

For those in the same case where 8Start cannot launch anymore :
- You must uninstall the very last windows update KB4512508 and suspend windows updates.

Not the big deal, but you can still have it working for a few months.

Also, check LaunchBar Commander from DonationCoder, it seems the best alternative.

JSSSX on 2019-08-29 06:34

Last detail :
invalid procedure call error is brought to almost all VB6 apps since the last Windows 10 Update KB4512508

With some luck, there will be a fix and 8Start would come back to life then, but when ?...

JSSSX on 2019-09-01 02:56

https://support.microsoft.com/fr-fr/help/4512941/windows-10-update-kb4512941

KB4512941 is out on 30th of August and fixing VB6 issues, should fix 8start start up as well.

See all

Svift v1.1

lwc on 7 Jul 2023
  • 152KB (uncompressed)
  • Released on 11 Apr 2011
  • Suggested by I am Baas

Svift is a lightweight application launcher. Type a few letters to find applications on your Start menu or access online services such as search and email.

Category:
Runs on:WinXP / Vista / Win7
Writes settings to: Application folder
Stealth: ? Yes
License: Freeware
How to extract: Download the ZIP package and extract to a folder of your choice. Launch Svift.exe.
What's new? By popular request from Svift users under Windows 7, the shortcut key has been changed from Win+Space (which conflicted with Aero Peek) to Win+Enter.
Latest comments
freakazoid on 2011-04-18 05:08

It appears that you can't. It's a simple launcher that parses your Start Menu. Can configure some websites as well, but that appears to be it.

Emka on 2014-12-06 14:32

links broken

Midas on 2014-12-07 15:48

Site and download links have been removed by author.

See all

JauntePE v0.6.0 Alpha

webfork on 21 Mar 2020
  • 799KB (uncompressed)
  • Released on 10 Jun 2011
  • Suggested by redllar

JauntePE is a suite of tools that allows you to make applications portable by virtualizing access to the filesystem and registry.

For discussion and support, please visit JauntPE Sourceforge web forum or our two JauntPE dedicated forums -- JauntePE Discussion and JauntePE Launchers.

Category:
Runs on:Win98 / WinME / Win2K / WinXP
Writes settings to: Application folder
Stealth: ? Yes
License: GPL v3
How to extract: Download the ZIP package and extract to a folder of your choice. Launch JauntePE.exe.
What's new?
  • At redllar's request, I have updated this entry to point to the latest version of JauntePE and its new home/forum at SourceForge.net.
Latest comments
rbon on 2014-09-18 15:22

Portable JauntePE 0.6.6 Beta
- web site: http://www.portable-jauntepe.com-about.com/
- download page: http://www.portable-jauntepe.com-about.com/download.html
- direct download: http://sourceforge.net/projects/jauntepe/files/JauntePE060Nightly.zip/download
The link above download the file JauntePE060Nightly.zip and if You unzip it and see changelog.txt:
- gui's file version to 0.6.4
- runtime's file version to 0.6.6
Author is Redlar.

olliebean on 2016-01-01 17:19

Seems like this doesn't work any more in Windows 10. Although apps portablised using it in previous versions of Windows still seem to work OK.

Key Liune on 2018-10-10 11:53

JauntePE downloaded, just want to try it) I am a fan of portable apps!!!
I have experience Molbox, but this is no longer supported. Then he switched to Boxedapp. These programs are very cool!

See all

ControlPad v0.72

lwc on 7 Jul 2023
  • 2MB (uncompressed)
  • Released on 18 Dec 2010
  • Suggested by modussn

ControlPad turns the numeric keypad on your keyboard into a Windows command execution system. You may configure any alphanumeric code to: Execute any program, open any document, open any web address or send any series of keystrokes to the operating system.

Written in AutoHotkey.

Category:
Runs on:WinME / WinNT / Win2K / WinXP / Vista
Writes settings to: Application folder
Stealth: ? Yes
Path portability: Requires manual entry of relative path (eg. ..\..\personal\work.doc)
License: Free for personal use
How to extract: Download the ZIP package and extract to a folder of your choice. Launch ControlPad.exe.
Latest comments
webfork on 2010-10-27 20:48

It certainly got a lot of press as an impressive tool but I was unable to test it.

There's a "laptop mode" on this one that doesn't use the numpad but it still refuses to use anything except the F10 through F12 keys and those are currently mapped to something else.

Add comment

Windows In A Box v2.0

lwc on 7 Jul 2023
  • 250KB (uncompressed)
  • Released on 16 Jun 2007
  • Suggested by AlephX

Windows In A Box gives access to Windows XP settings and applications ordinarily hidden from user access without a lot of digging or sub-menus. This program provides them in a simpler menu-bar format.

NOTE: Website is gone, linking to Internet Archive Wayback Machine and

Category:
Runs on:WinXP
Writes settings to: None
License: Freeware
How to extract: Download the ZIP package and extract to a folder of your choice. Launch Window`s In A Box.exe.
Latest comments
kermik on 2010-07-20 06:39

As I've also said to the originator of this program - very useful but the language is really bad (like when was Window's (plural) = Windows) - or is it a way to not infringe on any copyright issues?

Dan on 2010-07-22 09:27

Trend Micro blocks the download link, listed as 'malicious'. anyone else have this problem?

Midas on 2012-07-10 13:19

Links are dead... :(

See all

Launchy v2.5

Checker on 28 Dec 2015
  • 13MB (uncompressed)
  • Released on 3 Apr 2010
  • Suggested by blaumag

Launchy is a keystroke-based program launcher. It indexes the shortcuts in the start menu and other user-specified folder, and attempts to match the partial substring you enter with the list of items in its index. When you run Launchy, it is completely hidden. You activate it by pressing [Alt-Space], and dismiss it by pressing [Esc].

Category:
Runs on:Win2K / WinXP / Vista / Win7
Writes settings to: Application folder
Stealth: ? No. Creates HKCU\Software\Trolltech
Unicode support: No
Path portability: Requires manual entry of relative path (eg. ..\..\personal\work.doc)
License: GPL
How to extract:
  1. Download the installer and extract to a folder of your choice
  2. The application is in the {app} folder
  3. Launch Launchy.exe
What's new?
  • Added Simon Capewell as a developer. This release owes quite a lot to him.
  • Faster performance.
  • Icons displayed correctly.
  • Environment variables updated correctly when system changes.
  • Controly includes more items.
  • New shortcut keys.
  • New controls:
    - Shift+tab or Shift+bkspc deletes previous tab.
    - Shift+Ctrl+Enter launches in elevated mode (Vista and Win7).
    - Down arrow shows history (when there is no current search text).
  • Default skin built into executable in case no other skin is found.
  • Down arrow.
  • Launchy now has an icon in the system tray.
  • Skins are simplified and easier to create.
Latest comments
Mike.S.G. on 2010-04-06 22:18

It looks as if Lupo's UniExtractor (1.6) is having troubles with the latest Launchy executable v2.5.

"Signature detected: Inno Setup Setup Data (5.3.8)
This is not directly supported, but i'll try to unpack it as version 5306
; Version detected: 5308
Unpacking failed. This version is not supported."

Mike.S.G. on 2010-04-07 03:50

This is how I fixed the problem...

I use Lupo's Universal Extractor - get the latest (v1.6 R8) updated Jan, 23, 2010. One problem, 'InnoUnp' is only @ 0.28, so you will need to get the latest 'innounp.exe' and update the \bin folder. This will do the trick, 'Launchy2.5.exe' can be extracted.

Lupo's Universal Extractor (Universal_Extractor.exe)(1.6 R8)
...http://www.lupopensuite.com/db/universalextractor.htm

Inno Setup Unpacker (innounp029.rar) - (0.29)
...http://sourceforge.net/projects/innounp/files/

Ennovy on 2017-01-06 13:42

During the setup you can select portable installation. Delete unins000.exe and unins000.dat.
Launch Launchy.exe

See all

Key Launch v2.0

lwc on 7 Jul 2023
  • 830KB (uncompressed)
  • Released on 17 Oct 2008
  • Suggested by Andrew Lee

Key Launch is a keyword-based program launcher. It creates an index of the files in a list of user-defined folders that allow you can quickly locate and launch any application or document by pressing Ctrl-Q. It also supports aliases, special commands (eg. http:, mailto:, callto: etc.) and a built-in calculator.

Portability: The program provides an \utils subfolder indexed automatically by default. You may optionally edit folder.ini to include relative paths or drive-less absolute paths for scanning. Use the variable, %drive%, to create portable aliases. More info.

Category:
Runs on:Win2K / WinXP / Vista
Writes settings to: Application folder
Stealth: ? Yes
Unicode support: Yes
Path portability: No
License: Freeware
How to extract:
  1. Download the installer and extract to a folder of your choice
  2. The application is in the {app} folder
  3. Launch keylaunch.exe
Latest comments
Wolfghost on 2010-02-02 14:04

Here is version 2.0:

http://tinyurl.com/yd3flhb

freakazoid on 2010-04-04 18:11

Hmm, could we have a new contender in the program launchers category and give Executor some competition?

Will give this a try.

freakazoid on 2010-04-04 18:19

Okay, just took a look at the features list. It doesn't offer hotkey support to launch programs like Executor does. But the program is quite powerful, just not as powerful as Executor ;)

See all

WinBar v2.0.1

lwc on 7 Jul 2023
  • 376KB (uncompressed)
  • Released on 29 Sep 2009
  • Suggested by Darkbee

WinBar is a system monitoring utility that provides information on CPU, memory, hard disk, battery etc. in a collapsible bar located at the top of the screen. It has various modules that you can enable/disable that provides access to a wide range of functions, including email, news, network time synchronization, application launcher etc.

WinBar is available in 32 and 64 bit editions.

Category:
Runs on:Win95 / Win98 / WinME / WinNT / Win2K / WinXP / Vista / Win7
Writes settings to: Application folder
License: GPL v3
How to extract:
  • Download the installer and extract to a folder of your choice
  • Delete $R0 file, $PLUGINSDIR and $APPDATA folders
  • Launch WinBar.exe
  • Right-click on the bar to configure for portability
Latest comments
Technomancer on 2008-03-13 11:59

Nice neat utility. I can keep an eye on the CPU usage and see if it seems excessive.
Needs to have a similar display for HDD activity.

Wolfghost on 2010-02-05 17:33

New home: http://sourceforge.net/projects/winbar/

Billy Bob on 2010-04-05 23:44

Look at Glint as an alternate, it shows CPU, disk and more

See all

LSMacro v1.0.1

webfork on 3 Dec 2019
  • 1MB (uncompressed)
  • Released on 1 Feb 2010
  • Suggested by Cornflower

LSMacro is a lightweight keyboard macro utility program that allows you to run programs, open URLs, do screen captures, or send key/mouse events to other programs with just a few keystrokes. Intuitive and easy to use, remaining in the System tray once macros are defined. Can create macro keys with Control, Shift, or Alt keys.

Note: The website is offline, a download mirror has been provided.

Category:
Runs on:WinXP / Vista / Win7
Writes settings to: Application folder, in macrolist.lis file.
Dependencies: None
License: Freeware
How to extract: Download the 7zip file and extract to a folder of your choice. Launch LSMacro.exe.
Similar/alternative apps: X-HotkeyP, TyperTask
Latest comments
Midas on 2015-12-11 21:29

@Billo255: that note was implying the "Download" link. We'll have to wait and see if anyone comes up with an alternative URL...

Billo255 on 2015-12-14 00:51

@Midas - Thanks but still confused. I was thinking the note meant that it was being hosted by PFC but the download link goes off into limbo the same way the weblink to the authors site does. (or at least it did when I clicked on it a few days ago).

Midas on 2015-12-14 16:37

All those dead links never pointed to TPFC -- you can check the tooltip on mouse over, the explicit linking to TPFC is just a database device to launch the original URL. TPFC usually doesn't host any files...

See all

Appetizer v1.4.7.508

webfork on 30 May 2018
  • 2MB (uncompressed)
  • Released on 2 Mar 2010
  • Suggested by Laurent

Appetizer lets you organize your shortcuts and folders into a resizable docking-style launcher. It supports "wizards" to import shortcuts from the start menu/quick launch toolbar, drag-and-drop organization, 'multi-launch' function etc.

Category:
Runs on:Win2K / WinXP / Vista / Win7 / Win8
Writes settings to: Application folder
Stealth: ? Yes
Unicode support: Yes
Path portability: Automatic compensation for dynamic drive letter in removable storage devices
License: GPL
How to extract: Download the ZIP package and extract to a folder of your choice. Launch Appetizer.exe.
Similar/alternative apps: Qsel
Latest comments
smaragdus on 2018-05-28 20:41

@Napiophelios
Entry updated.

Napiophelios on 2018-05-29 23:43

Thanks smaragdus :)

hamasaki on 2020-10-22 23:42

Doesn't run for me on Win10. Launches, locks up and I have to force close to get rid of it. That's from a clean run.

See all