RootsChat.Com
General => Technical Help => Topic started by: MattD30 on Tuesday 21 July 20 20:25 BST (UK)
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Hi
I'm hoping someone here can help as I think my brain has fried! How do I "pin" Rootschat [or any website] to my start menu on Windows 10?
Usually I would click the three dots at the top right and then click "pin to start" which is what the help page states, however when I tried this today I can't find the "pin to start" option. If I click on "more options" there is an option to "pin to taskbar" which I also use for some websites but I should be able to pin the page to the start menu.
So am I looking the wrong place or doing it the wrong way?
How do I pin this to the start?
Many Thanks
Matt
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After selecting the 3 dots, the "pin this page to start" options is under " More Tools"
Simon
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I would do it a different way.
I have my Browser of choice ( Firefox ) pinned to the Taskbar.
I want to open up Roots Chat then I simply click on the Firefox icon on the Taskbar and the Browser opens and it displays various websites each in its own Tab.
Amongst the Tabs within Firefox there is Roots Chat, Ancestry, Family Search and Lan OPC all there and ready to switch from Tab to Tab to access the various Websites.
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Hi
Once you are in Firefox
Tools / Options / Home /
Then select Homepage / Custom URLs
then add in the box (eg) https://Rootschat.com (https://Rootschat.com) | http://etc.com/pineapple (http://etc.com/pineapple) | . . .
for each webpage you wish to bring up across the top when firefox starts up,
[ "|" is the separator for each linked url ]
Alternatively, you could create a page full of links, as html, place that in a folder on your machine then point to it "as above".
et al / ad infinitum / etc., etc..
R
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After selecting the 3 dots, the "pin this page to start" options is under " More Tools"
Simon
Hi Simon
That's where I looked as I expected it to be there. All that comes up however is the following:
Save Page As
Cast Media to device
Pin to Taskbar
Launch Taskbar pinning wizzard
Browser Task manager
Developer Tools
I have no idea what the last one does and dare not touch it. I did try clicking on the "browse task manager" option but all that didn't seem to do anything.
It definitely was there and as far as I know the "pin to start" should be where you said.
Matt
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Hi all
I think I forgot to mention this in the first post. My browser is Microsoft Edge and not Firefox so the suggestions for that browser don't help me. Looking through the options on the menu that drops down from the three dots there is nothing like a "tools" option suggested in the posts for Firefox.
I did look on the "help" section of Edge [located at the bottom of the drop down menu] and according that you should be able to pin a website in the way suggested by locksmith - ie "More Tools" then "pin to start" but I don't have that option on the list when I click "More Tools"
I had to make some changes to the settings on Edge but I don't think that would affect anything. At least they shouldn't.
I have a few ideas on what I might try next but it would be good to know if there's another method.
Matt
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Why aren't you just using bookmarks?
Debra :)
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Matt,
Since I looked last night, I have had this month's Windows Updates including what looks like an overhaul of Edge, and you are right the option that you want appears to have been removed, probably because it's not something that is much used. As Debra say, I'm not sure why you are not using bookmarks, its what they're there for.
Simon
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Why aren't you just using bookmarks?
Debra :)
I though everyone did :)
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Why aren't you just using bookmarks?
Debra :)
If you pin a shortcut direct to your favourite website(s), it's one click to get to them, whereas using bookmarks/favourites you click once to open the browser and then another to open your bookmark.
Obviously you want to get to Rootschat as quickly as possible 8)
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We use many other sites to help with RC's queries. Hence the bookmarks 8)
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We use many other sites to help with RC's queries. Hence the bookmarks 8)
Yes, and when you have Rootschat open (obviously in a browser window) you already have quick access to your bookmarks. But if you want quick, one-click access to RC, for use when you haven't already got your browser open, you could equally pin a shortcut to the task bar. It's what it's there for.
Different people use software in different ways. They (in this case Microsoft) give you the facility to work in a way that is good for you.
I for instance have links on my task bar for various bits of software I use a lot, plus links to half a dozen websites I have found I often go to first (i.e when my browser isn't already open). These include RC, Anc and FindMyPast for family history. I have found that at the moment (it may change) other sites I tend to go to as secondary (i.e. when i am already in my browser) so "bookmarks only" is a sufficient method for those. Each to their own!
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We use many other sites to help with RC's queries. Hence the bookmarks 8)
Yes, and when you have Rootschat open (obviously in a browser window) you already have quick access to your bookmarks. But if you want quick, one-click access to RC, for use when you haven't already got your browser open, you could equally pin a shortcut to the task bar. It's what it's there for.
Different people use software in different ways. They (in this case Microsoft) give you the facility to work in a way that is good for you.
I for instance have links on my task bar for various bits of software I use a lot, plus links to half a dozen websites I have found I often go to first (i.e when my browser isn't already open). These include RC, Anc and FindMyPast for family history. I have found that at the moment (it may change) other sites I tend to go to as secondary (i.e. when i am already in my browser) so "bookmarks only" is a sufficient method for those. Each to their own!
Most of us have many interests.
Add - I've worked in or with computing, on and off since the late 1960s, so no lectures thank you.
Also, my task bar is full of quick links but to various facilities that I use across my various activites
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The idea of a desktop shortcut to a specific page, or something pinned to the Start menu, does kind of ring a bell, but it isn't something I've ever used, and I can't see how to do it now.
I can see something similar with the browser shortcuts that I have pinned to the taskbar: if you right click them, the menu includes a number of sites - Firefox has Frequent; Chrome has Most Visited and Recently Closed. Any of the sites listed can be pinned to that menu - but I don't know if there's a way of pre-selecting sites that you want to pin. If someone could work that out, it might be a suitable alternative for the OP.
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Hi all
I think I forgot to mention this in the first post. My browser is Microsoft Edge and not Firefox so the suggestions for that browser don't help me. Looking through the options on the menu that drops down from the three dots there is nothing like a "tools" option suggested in the posts for Firefox.
I did look on the "help" section of Edge [located at the bottom of the drop down menu] and according that you should be able to pin a website in the way suggested by locksmith - ie "More Tools" then "pin to start" but I don't have that option on the list when I click "More Tools"
I had to make some changes to the settings on Edge but I don't think that would affect anything. At least they shouldn't.
I have a few ideas on what I might try next but it would be good to know if there's another method.
Matt
Edge works very similar to all other Browsers.
At the top of Edge there is a + sign, click on it and type in the address of the site you want to have on show everytime you Start the Browser.
Click on the + and add the next website.
When you have all the sites you want in their own Tab click on the three dots.
Settings > On Start Up > Open on a specific Page or pages
Select Set to all currently open Tabs.
Then Click on each Tab
Click on three dots and select Favourites
Then select Add this page to Favourites.
Job done.
Now when you start Edge all the Tabs will be available and whever you open a new Tab the Favourites you save will be there ready to select
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"I though everyone did"
Nope, I never bother with them.
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Add - I've worked in or with computing, on and off since the late 1960s, so no lectures thank you.
Rather harsh (& unnecessary) Gadget. ReadyDale was only trying to assist the OP.
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Add - I've worked in or with computing, on and off since the late 1960s, so no lectures thank you.
Rather harsh (& unnecessary) Gadget. ReadyDale was only trying to assist the OP.
Thank you Pheno. I was going to reply, but didn't want to get in to a slanging match. Life's too short
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What you can also do is once you have saved the Website to Favourites is to then within Manage Favourites is to select Roots Chat and drag and drop it onto the Desktop.
This gives direct access directly to the website.
If someone takes exception at a response of mine then do please revisit your post that caused it as I will interpret your post as what I think it says and not necessarily what you meant to say. Hence please do not be ambiguous in your post
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Quite :)
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I feel compelled to respond to 'narky' posts by suggesting that you preface your posts by all that you already know so that people don't err against you in future.
In the belief that the function of this forum is help each other I fail to understand how some people can respond so negatively.
Pheno
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The fastest way to get to a 'favorite' is to type the first few letters into Google search. If I type 'wapo,' the Washington Post will come to the top of the list; 'find' brings up Find-A-Grave; 'broo' gets me to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle; 'chron' takes me to Chronicling America. Just the letter 'g' will bring up Google News. It's much faster than futzing around with folders of favorites.
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The fastest way to get to a 'favorite' is to type the first few letters into Google search. If I type 'wapo,' the Washington Post will come to the top of the list; 'find' brings up Find-A-Grave; 'broo' gets me to the Brooklyn Daily Eagle; 'chron' takes me to Chronicling America. Just the letter 'g' will bring up Google News. It's much faster than futzing around with folders of favorites.
Your way is not the quickest or easiest method.
The quickest method is to have your Favourite sites as ones that are permanently open in their own Tab in the browser, one click on the appropriate Tab and the desired website opens
The alternative fastest way is to have the web address of each favoured website saved to your Favourite, then:-
One click on +
And a new Tab opens displaying the websites saved to Favourites.
One click on the Icon for the website concerned and the webpage opens.
Max number of clicks = 2
Which is way quicker that starting Google, then typing part of the web name and then clicking on the returns.
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Just to add that Favourites are Bookmarks in Firefox.
add - link to how to:
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/bookmarks-firefox
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"The quickest method is to have your Favourite sites as ones that are permanently open in their own Tab in the browser, one click on the appropriate Tab and the desired website opens"
Of course. I do that, as well. I have three [sometimes four] windows each with about four or five permanent tabs that automatically load when I fire up the machine in the morning. I have a biological window, a genealogical window and a news window. These hold my essential web sites so I never have to look them up. Sometimes I'll have another window holding things that are temporarily important. Sites like the Daily Eagle qualify as favorites but not daily essentials so I get to them via the search list.
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Why aren't you just using bookmarks?
Debra :)
I don't use them because I need to see my main websites on the start menu. I have epilepsy and take strong medication which affects my memory. If I just put things in a bookmark I forget what is there. I need to have anything I want to use regularly pinned to the front as a visual indication, and for ease of use.
Bookmarks are not a good option for everyone although I do use them for some bits but I cannot tell you what is there now or where the bookmarks even are.
Oddly I can pin the site to the taskbar at the bottom which is what I have done for now. The "pin to start"
Matt
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What you can also do is once you have saved the Website to Favourites is to then within Manage Favourites is to select Roots Chat and drag and drop it onto the Desktop.
This gives direct access directly to the website.
If someone takes exception at a response of mine then do please revisit your post that caused it as I will interpret your post as what I think it says and not necessarily what you meant to say. Hence please do not be ambiguous in your post
Hi there
Your suggestion sounds interesting but how do I do it [step by step]?
I pin lots of sites I use regularly to the start menu so I really need to be able to do this via the usual left click method but at the moment I only want to re-pin this to the start [I unpinned it in error].
Oddly I can still unpin so you would expect the reverse to be possible as well.
Do you think Windows have something against people using this method? It is very useful I find.
Best Wishes
Matt
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What you can also do is once you have saved the Website to Favourites is to then within Manage Favourites is to select Roots Chat and drag and drop it onto the Desktop.
This gives direct access directly to the website.
If someone takes exception at a response of mine then do please revisit your post that caused it as I will interpret your post as what I think it says and not necessarily what you meant to say. Hence please do not be ambiguous in your post
Hi
Somehow I have just found that I have actually got Rootschat saved in a Favourites folder [along with over 100 other genealogy websites].
How do I "drag and drop" this to the start as you suggest? I've found the "Manage Bookmarks" option and can highlight the bookmark for Rootschat and even move it around within that list. When I try to "drag" it across to the start menu, the menu doesn't appear and if I bring up a small start menu [just by making it smaller] the tile for Rootschat doesn't move to it.
Am I doing this wrong? I thought I was getting somewhere thanks to your suggestion.
Many thanks
Matt
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Oddly I can pin the site to the taskbar at the bottom which is what I have done for now.
Once you've pinned it to the taskbar you can use the taskbar item to pin it to the start. There's probably a simpler, more direct way of doing this but it works.
Steps:
1) Right click the taskbar icon
2) Move the pointer over the website name in context menu (the popup menu)
3) Right click the name to open the secondary context menu
4) Left click "Pin to Start"
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Oddly I can pin the site to the taskbar at the bottom which is what I have done for now.
Once you've pinned it to the taskbar you can use the taskbar item to pin it to the start. There's probably a simpler, more direct way of doing this but it works.
Steps:
1) Right click the taskbar icon
2) Move the pointer over the website name in context menu (the popup menu)
3) Right click the name to open the secondary context menu
4) Left click "Pin to Start"
Hi
Many thanks for that. I have actually managed to do it before you suggested this. I was moving a few tiles around on my Start Menu and happened to hover over the tile for Rootschat in my "Frequently Used" list on the left. Suddenly a box popped up with the opion to "pin to start" so I click that and there it was! I've tried your method too and that did the same thing.
Unfortunately it won't let me resize the tile as much as before but that isn't a problem as sometimes smaller tiles are better [I just enjoyed having the ability to resize things].
So I think it's problem solved!!!!
Many thanks to you and EVERYONE who has replied to this post, made suggestions, listened to my moans, and generally added anything to help.
In future I'll be careful not to unpin anything!
Best Wishes to all
Matt
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There has always been a problem in people assuming that everyone should work the same way as their own favourite habit.
Thus, someone at Microsoft didn't see the point of having a feature which Matt had come to rely on, and removed it from the code.
They may have done analysis of the things people actually do, but statistics will not have shown whether this was actually useful. Matt, a big user of the feature, has probably used it less than a dozen times, but uses the result many times a day.
I think that the Send Feedback is in order, requesting it be reinstated. Believe it or not, Microsoft do sometimes take notice and act. Point out the disability angle, because they HAVE to be seen to be good on this.
Point out also that removing features based on stats is a stupid idea - there's one feature that most users will never run, and so by this thinking ought to be removed - Windows Setup.