I created my Start UI like I want and used this PowerShell cmdlet to create the .xml file for a user's default layout:
export-startlayout –path <path><file name>.xml -as xml
(http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dn467928.aspx)
It created an AppID for each shortcut to a URL in the xml file.
Those AppIDs are not consistent across machines (I tried it).
How can I add shortcuts to my Start UI in Windows 8.1 Pro with the layout xml file?
I put the xml file here. It works great but no shortcuts.
*Administrative Templates / Start Menu and Task bar / Start Screen Layout*
Best Answer
From my tests, the physical shortcut file needs to exist in the following path for it to display on the start screen:
%homeshare%\start menu\Programs\
Like you, I couldn't find a way of archiving this using "Export-startlayout".
Instead what I've done is put the shortcuts I want deployed in the GPT part of a GPO, I've then created a simply ROBOCOPY command to copy them to the start menu directory on login.
Example:
\domain.local\SysVol\tamar.local\Policies{F0C57572-7D16-49BC-8B4B-C8ABD9A363CB}\User\Scripts\Logon\ "%homeshare%\Start Menu\Programs" " webmail.url