Launching a Desktop Application with a Metro-style app

If you simply want to run a desktop application like (notepad, wordpad, internet explorer etc) then go through Process Methods and ProcessStartInfo Class

try{// Start the child process.    Process p = new Process();    // Redirect the output stream of the child process.    p.StartInfo.UseShellExecute = false;    p.StartInfo.FileName = "C:\Path\To\App.exe";    p.Start();}

// Exp 2

// Uses the ProcessStartInfo class to start new processes,// both in a minimized mode.void OpenWithStartInfo(){    ProcessStartInfo startInfo = new ProcessStartInfo("IExplore.exe");    startInfo.WindowStyle = ProcessWindowStyle.Minimized;    Process.Start(startInfo);    startInfo.Arguments = "www.northwindtraders.com";    Process.Start(startInfo);}

On Windows 8 Metro application i discovered this: How to Start a external Program from Metro App.

All the Metro-style applications work in the highly sand boxed environment and there is no way to directly start an external application.

You can try to use Launcher class – depends on your need it may provide you a feasible solution.

Check this:
Can I use Windows.System.Launcher.LauncherDefaultProgram(Uri) to invoke another metro style app?

Ref: How to launch a Desktop app from within a Metro app?

Metro IE is a special app. You cannot invoke an executable from Metro style apps.

Try this - I have not test yet but may be it will help you..

Launcher.LaunchFileAsync

// Path to the file in the app package to launchstring exeFile = @"C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\Skyrim\TESV.exe";var file = await Windows.ApplicationModel.Package.Current.InstalledLocation.GetFileAsync(exeFile);if (file != null){    // Set the option to show the picker    var options = new Windows.System.LauncherOptions();    options.DisplayApplicationPicker = true;    // Launch the retrieved file    bool success = await Windows.System.Launcher.LaunchFileAsync(file, options);    if (success)    {       // File launched    }    else    {       // File launch failed    }}

I found a solution which is suitable for me. I just made an empty textfile in my app and called it launcher.yourappyouwanttostart and then executed it with

Windows.System.Launcher.LaunchFileAsync("launcher.yourappyouwanttostart");

On the first startup it asks you for the assocation for this file and then you choose the exe file you want to run and from now on every time you execute this file, your app will be started.

I haven't actually tried if it works and it's not really a beautiful solution, but I guess Metro-style apps can launch a URI. You could then create a desktop-program that is registered for a custom URI scheme that would then do the actual program launching.