Lacuna Launcher is a tiny, free app that can launch multiple programs and/or files with one click. It allows users to assign the order of the launched apps, to assign an optional delay before the apps start running (useful for programs launched on startup), as well as an optional wait time between each of the successive items launched.
A reader asked me about how he could launch a number of different apps using a single shortcut, and Lacuna Launcher is the small freeware program that I found that can do this. As an example, you may find that you always launch and work with your image editor, screen capturing program, and HTML editor together, and would like the ability to simply click on a single shortcut to launch all three simultaneously.
How to use this app: here’s an example that illustrates how Lacuna Launcher works.
- Download and unzip: let’s say that the location is “D:Lacuna Launcher”
- Create a list of items: using your favorite text editor, enter the full path for each item you want to launch, one per line. Save it somewhere (say as “D:’Lacuna Launcher’newlist.txt’”
- Create a shortcut for Lacuna Launcher: right-click on the executable (ll.exe) and select “create shortcut”.
Customize the new shortcut: right click properties, then edit the “target” field such that the path to the exe is followed by the path to your new text file. Both paths need to be inside quotes. You can (optionally) add two numbers after the paths; the first to specify the number of seconds to wait before the items should start running, and the second to specify the number of seconds to wait before running the next item. The following is an example where the apps launch immediately after and wait one second before each successive item (of course you can skip the numbers altogether for instant launches).
- example: “D:Lacuna Launcherll.exe” “D:Lacuna Launchernewlist.txt” 0 1
- Modify the shortcut name and icon: if you want. Right click properties/change icon to change the icon in XP, rename the shortcut, then place it in the desired location (e.g. the desktop)
- That’s it. Your new shortcut will now launch all the items on your list specified in your text file. Note that you can make as many lists and create as many shortcuts as you want.
Supported file types: Lacuna Launcher will launch executables (.exe’s), shortcuts (.lnk), internet shortcuts (.url), or anything that can be opened on your system (image files, music files, movies, etc.)
Usage from the command line interface: is supported.
The verdict: a nice, simple, freeware that gets the job done. What I like is that you can make as many lists as you like and as many shortcuts that all point to the single executable on your hard drive. Although a GUI for this where users could drag and drop shortcuts would be nice, as it is the program is very easy to use and you will be up and running within minutes of downloading. Recommended.
Version Tested: 1.0.0
Compatibility: WinAll.
Go to the program page to download the latest version (approx 234K).
