New-TaskbarCustomizationXML

1.0.0

New-TaskbarCustomizationXML.ps1

                                <#PSScriptInfo

    .VERSION

        1.0.0

    .AUTHOR

        Michael Frank

    .COMPANYNAME

        michaelsendpoint.com

    .Name

        New-TaskbarCustomizationXML

    .TAGS

        Taskbar, XML, Customization, Windows, PowerShell, Script, TaskbarLayoutModification.xml, Taskbar Layout Modification

    .GUID

        9a813673-2f44-4b7e-ad7d-30e27f4a3817

    .SYNOPSIS

        Generates a custom Taskbar layout XML file based on user-selected shortcuts and applications for Windows systems.

    .creationdate

        30.03.2025

    .lasteditdate

        30.03.2025

    .DESCRIPTION

        This script automates the creation of a custom Taskbar layout XML file for Windows systems.

        It allows users to select shortcuts and applications to be pinned to the Taskbar.

        The script retrieves existing Taskbar shortcuts and installed applications, presenting them in graphical selection forms.

        Selected items are then used to generate an XML file that defines the Taskbar layout.

        It includes functionality to convert file paths to environment variable-based paths for portability.

        The XML file is structured according to Microsoft's Taskbar layout schema.

        The script ensures user-friendly interaction through Windows Forms and handles file creation and formatting programmatically.

        It is designed for IT administrators or advanced users customizing Windows environments.

#>

# ------------------------------------------------- Windows Folder Selection Form

Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms

$browser = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.FolderBrowserDialog

$null = $browser.ShowDialog()

$Folder = $browser.SelectedPath

if (!($Folder)) {

    exit

}

# ------------------------------------------------- Function to convert paths to environment variables

function Convert-PathToEnvVariable {

    param (

        [string]$Path

    )

    # Define a hashtable of common environment variables and their values

    $envVariables = @{

        '%APPDATA%' = $env:APPDATA

        '%USERPROFILE%' = $env:USERPROFILE

        '%PROGRAMDATA%' = $env:ProgramData

        '%WINDIR%' = $env:windir

    }

    # Replace parts of the path with environment variables

    foreach ($envVar in $envVariables.GetEnumerator()) {

        if ($Path -like "$($envVar.Value)*") {

            $Path = $Path -replace [regex]::Escape($envVar.Value), $envVar.Key

        }

    }

    return $Path

}

# ------------------------------------------------- Get system Parameters

# Create new folders for the XML and JSON files

$xmlfolder = New-Item -Path "$($Folder)\TaskBar_XML" -ItemType Directory -Force

$user_apps = get-startapps #gets all installed apps from the user

# Get the list of shortcuts in the taskbar

$appdatafolder = "$($env:APPDATA)\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\User Pinned\TaskBar"

$taskbarshortcuts = Get-ChildItem -Path $appdatafolder -Filter *.lnk

$startmenushortcuts = @()

$startmenushortcuts += get-childitem -path "C:\Users\thefa\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs" -recurse -filter "*.lnk"

$startmenushortcuts += get-childitem -path "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs" -recurse -filter "*.lnk"

$startmenushortcuts += get-childitem -path "C:\ProgramData\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu" -recurse -filter "*.lnk"

# Create an array to store the details of the shortcuts

$taskbarShortcutsDetails = @()

# Create a WScript.Shell COM object

$wshShell = New-Object -ComObject WScript.Shell

# Iterate through each shortcut and resolve the target path and parameters

foreach ($shortcut in $startmenushortcuts) {

    $shortcutPath = $shortcut.FullName

    $shortcutObject = $wshShell.CreateShortcut($shortcutPath) 

    # Create a custom object to store the shortcut details

    $shortcutDetails = [PSCustomObject]@{

        Name         = $shortcut.Name

        ShortcutPath = $shortcutPath

        TargetPath   = $shortcutObject.TargetPath

        Arguments    = $shortcutObject.Arguments

    }

    # Add the details to the array

    $taskbarShortcutsDetails += $shortcutDetails

}

# ------------------------------------------------- Windows Multiple Choice Form for current Taskbar Shortcuts

Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms

Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Drawing

$form = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Form

$form.Text = 'Taskbar Shortcuts Selector'

$form.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(400,600)

$form.StartPosition = 'CenterScreen'

$OKButton = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button

$OKButton.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(280,70)

$OKButton.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(75,30)

$OKButton.Text = 'OK'

$OKButton.DialogResult = [System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult]::OK

$form.AcceptButton = $OKButton

$form.Controls.Add($OKButton)

$label = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Label

$label.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10,20)

$label.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(300,50)

$label.Text = 'Please select the shortcuts you want to add to the Taskbar file:'

$form.Controls.Add($label)

$listBox = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Listbox

$listBox.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10,70)

$listBox.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(260,20)

$listBox.SelectionMode = 'MultiExtended'

foreach ($shortcut in $taskbarshortcuts){

    [void] $listBox.Items.Add("$($shortcut.Name)")

}

$listBox.Height = 500

$form.Controls.Add($listBox)

$form.Topmost = $true

$result = $form.ShowDialog()

if ($result -eq [System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult]::OK)

{

    $links = $listBox.SelectedItems

    #$links # Shows the selected items in the console

}

# ------------------------------------------------- Windows Multiple Choice Form for current installed Apps

Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Windows.Forms

Add-Type -AssemblyName System.Drawing

$form = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Form

$form.Text = 'Taskbar App Selector'

$form.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(400,600)

$form.StartPosition = 'CenterScreen'

$OKButton = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Button

$OKButton.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(280,70)

$OKButton.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(75,30)

$OKButton.Text = 'OK'

$OKButton.DialogResult = [System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult]::OK

$form.AcceptButton = $OKButton

$form.Controls.Add($OKButton)

$label = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Label

$label.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10,20)

$label.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(300,50)

$label.Text = 'Please select the addition apps you want to add to the Taskbar file:'

$form.Controls.Add($label)

$listBox = New-Object System.Windows.Forms.Listbox

$listBox.Location = New-Object System.Drawing.Point(10,70)

$listBox.Size = New-Object System.Drawing.Size(260,20)

$listBox.SelectionMode = 'MultiExtended'

foreach ($user_app in $user_apps){

    [void] $listBox.Items.Add("$($user_app.Name)")

}

$listBox.Height = 500

$form.Controls.Add($listBox)

$form.Topmost = $true

$result = $form.ShowDialog()

if ($result -eq [System.Windows.Forms.DialogResult]::OK)

{

    $apps = $listBox.SelectedItems

    #$apps # Shows the selected items in the console

}

# ------------------------------------------------- Create the XML File

# Create the XML file

$XmlWriter = New-Object System.XMl.XmlTextWriter("$($xmlfolder)\TaskbarLayoutModification.xml", $Null)

# indent all nodes with tabs

$XmlWriter.Formatting = 'Indented'

$XmlWriter.Indentation = 1

$XmlWriter.IndentChar = "`t"

# Write the XML declaration with version and encoding

$XmlWriter.WriteProcessingInstruction("xml", 'version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"')

# Add the LayoutModificationTemplate element

$XmlWriter.WriteStartElement('LayoutModificationTemplate')

$XmlWriter.WriteAttributeString('xmlns', 'http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/LayoutModification')

$XmlWriter.WriteAttributeString('xmlns:defaultlayout', 'http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/FullDefaultLayout')

$XmlWriter.WriteAttributeString('xmlns:start', 'http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/StartLayout')

$XmlWriter.WriteAttributeString('xmlns:taskbar', 'http://schemas.microsoft.com/Start/2014/TaskbarLayout')

$XmlWriter.WriteAttributeString('Version', '1')

# Add CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection element

$XmlWriter.WriteStartElement('CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection')

$XmlWriter.WriteAttributeString('PinListPlacement', 'Replace')

# Add another defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout element with Region attribute

$XmlWriter.WriteStartElement('defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout')

# Add taskbar:TaskbarPinList

$XmlWriter.WriteStartElement('taskbar:TaskbarPinList')

# Add taskbar:DesktopApp ID elements

foreach($app in $apps){

    $name = $user_apps | where-object{$_.name -eq $app} | select-object appid

    $XmlWriter.WriteStartElement('taskbar:DesktopApp')

    $XmlWriter.WriteAttributeString('DesktopApplicationID', $name.AppID)

    $XmlWriter.WriteEndElement()

}

# Add taskbar:DesktopApp elements

foreach($link in $links){

    $name = $taskbarShortcutsDetails | where-object{$_.name -eq $link}

    $convertedPath = Convert-PathToEnvVariable -Path $name[0].ShortcutPath

    $convertedPath = $convertedPath + $name[0].Arguments

    $XmlWriter.WriteStartElement('taskbar:DesktopApp')

    $XmlWriter.WriteAttributeString('DesktopApplicationLinkPath', $convertedPath)

    $XmlWriter.WriteEndElement()

}

if(!$links -and !$apps){

    $XmlWriter.WriteStartElement('taskbar:DesktopApp')

    $XmlWriter.WriteAttributeString('DesktopApplicationLinkPath', '#leaveempty')

    $XmlWriter.WriteEndElement()

}

# Close taskbar:TaskbarPinList

$XmlWriter.WriteEndElement()

# Close defaultlayout:TaskbarLayout

$XmlWriter.WriteEndElement()

# Close CustomTaskbarLayoutCollection

$XmlWriter.WriteEndElement()

# Close LayoutModificationTemplate

$XmlWriter.WriteEndElement()

# End the XML document

$XmlWriter.Flush()

$XmlWriter.Close()