Working in Windows using start menu? Desktop? Hell no.. This is my fav tool.

mRunUtil – Customizable Desktop Launcher & Utility Hub

A lightweight, fast, and keyboard-friendly Windows utility launcher designed for IT administrators, developers, and power users to centralize tools, scripts, network paths, and bookmarks.

Overview

mRunUtil acts as a unified command bridge that replaces cluttered desktops and fragmented shortcuts with an organized, searchable hierarchy. Powered by a straightforward XML configuration, it supports local drives, UNC corporate network shares, custom parameters, and deep integration with both Windows Explorer and Total Commander.

Key Features

📁 Hierarchical Organization

Structure utilities into multi-level, collapsible groups and sub-groups. Custom icons can be defined per group and per item for immediate visual recognition.

⚡ Universal Target Launching

Execute desktop applications (.exe), scripts (.bat, .ps1), MMC consoles, local/UNC shared folders, and web links (http:// / https://).

🔎 Live Instant Search

Type-as-you-go filtering searches item names, target paths, command-line parameters, and working directories with real-time tree expansion.

⌨️ Global & Item Hotkeys

Summon the app from any background window with Ctrl+Alt+] and assign system-wide shortcuts directly to frequently run utilities.

📂 Total Commander Integration

Auto-locates TOTALCMD.EXE (via registry/env). Offers native toggle between Windows Explorer and Total Commander with existing tab (/O) or new instance (/N) modes.

🖱️ Drag & Drop Reordering

Reorganize your tools on the fly by dragging items between groups or to the root level. All structure changes are automatically saved in the background.

Detailed Feature Capabilities

Smart Launch vs. Open Location:
- For folders and network locations, double-clicking immediately opens the directory in your preferred file manager.
- For files, Open Location jumps to the parent folder and pre-selects the file in Explorer or opens it in Total Commander.
- For web links, URLs always open in your system default browser.
Advanced Launch Parameters:
- Full support for command-line arguments (e.g. args="/v:10.0.0.72" for RDP).
- Dedicated Working Directory field to ensure scripts execute from their correct base.
- Environment variable expansion (e.g. %SystemRoot%, %APPDATA%).
- Run as Administrator flag (uses Windows UAC runas elevation).
Integrated Visual Editor:
- Add, edit, or delete items and groups directly inside the interface without touching raw XML.
- Safety lock: editing and drag-and-drop are disabled while search filter is active to prevent accidental subset overwrites.
- Node count confirmation when deleting groups to prevent accidental batch loss.
Network-Ready & Portable:
- Point configuration to a central shared UNC path (e.g., \\server\share\MenuConfig.xml) to distribute a standardized IT toolbox to team members.

Keyboard Shortcuts & Navigation

Key Combination	Context	Action
`Ctrl + Alt + ]`	Global (Any App)	Bring mRunUtil to front and select the search bar (fallback: Ctrl+Alt+Space)
`Down Arrow` / `Tab`	Search Box	Immediately focus the first matching item in the tree
`Enter`	Tree Item	Execute / launch the selected item
`Tab`	Tree Item	Return cursor focus back to the search bar
`Delete`	Tree Item / Group	Delete the selected item or group (with confirmation)

Configuration Example (MenuConfig.xml)

The menu structure is defined in a readable XML file:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<Menu title="IT Utilities" icon="Assets/app.ico">
  <Group name="Networking">
    <Item name="Ping Gateway" path="%SystemRoot%\System32\cmd.exe" args="/c ping 10.0.0.1" />
    <Item name="Wireshark" path="C:\Program Files\Wireshark\wireshark.exe" hotkey="Ctrl+Alt+W" />
    <Item name="Router Admin" path="https://10.0.0.1" />
  </Group>
  <Group name="Admin">
    <Item name="PowerShell (Admin)" path="%SystemRoot%\System32\WindowsPowerShell\v1.0\powershell.exe" runAsAdmin="true" />
    <Item name="Shared Scripts" path="\\server\share\scripts\" />
  </Group>
</Menu>