How to start applications of various types from another application?

Start applications knowing their route

The main way to run one application from another is to use Process.Start. For example, the following code opens an instance of Chrome:

System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("chrome.exe");

In this case you don't need the path, since it is in the path. If not, you can put the full path to the executable:

System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(@"C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe");

If you need to pass parameters to it, you can do that as well:

System.Diagnostics.Process.Start("chrome.exe", "--incognito");

Launch installed applications using Click Once

To run applications launched via Click Once there are several options:

• If the application was installed from a URL (on a local network, for example), it can be run using Iexplore.exethe URL of the file .applicationas a parameter:

  Process.Start("Iexplore.exe", "http://miServidor/aplicacion/aplicacion.application");
  

  With this option, if the application is not installed, it will automatically skip its setup.

• Another option is to search for the appref-mscorresponding file, knowing the start menu folder where it is located. Something like that:

  StringBuilder sb = new StringBuilder();
  sb.Append(Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Programs));
  sb.Append("\\");
  sb.Append("CarpetaEnElMenuInicio");
  sb.Append("\\");
  sb.Append("MiAplicacion.appref-ms");
  string shortcutPath = sb.ToString();
  System.Diagnostics.Process.Start(shortcutPath);
  

Launch UWP apps

Starting UWP apps is a bit more complex. Automate the startup of Windows 10 UWP apps for a few options. One is the following:

• Get the Package Family Name of the application to run (you can get it by opening a PowerShell and running get-appxpackage MiNombreDePaquete)

• Run your app using app appxlauncher.exe:

  C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\App Certification Kit\microsoft.windows.softwarelogo.appxlauncher.exe" MiNombreDePaquete_ph1m9x8skttmg!AppId
  

There are other options that you can consult in the link added above.