Difficulties setting up Application shortcuts in Sitecore 8.1

Question

I'm attempting to set up a shortcut in the Sitecore (8.1) start menu to an application (basically a custom .aspx page sitting within the /sitecore folder). I've roughly followed these instructions (and have paid attention to this gotchya), but in detail I have done the following (all in the core database):

• Created a new Layout with the Path set to the relative URL of my .aspx page
• Created a new Application and assigned the new Layout in the Presentation Details
• Created a new Application Shortcut (within /sitecore/content/Documents and settings/All users/Start menu/Programs) linking to the Application item (making sure the raw value of the Application link includes the url attribute)

Sure enough, the shortcut appears in the start menu, but clicking it does nothing. I've checked the network trace and the following is returned:

{"commands":
 [
  {"command":"SetAttribute","value":"/temp/iconcache/people/16x16/astrologer.png","id":"globalHeaderUserPortrait","name":"src"},
  {"command":"SetPipeline","value":"6CD9455F4EA6498F978F96D5A1CDD5E6"},
  {"command":"Eval","value":"scForm.browser.closePopups(\"Shell RunShortcut\")"}
 ]
}

Does anyone have any suggestions about what I might be doing wrong here?

Answer 1

The link to the instructions page is unreachable to me. So I'm just going to explain how I've done it.

In the core db:

• Create a new layout under /sitecore/layout/Layouts/Custom Applications/ and set the path to the aspx page, starting from the website root (e.g. /path/to/page.aspx (note the forward slash at the start))
• Create an item under /sitecore/content/Applications/ with the /sitecore/templates/Sitecore Client/Applications/Application template. Fill in a Display name, choose an Icon and optionally a Tool tip.
• Open the presentation details of the new item and choose the earlier created layout as Layout.
• Under /sitecore/content/Documents and settings/All users/Start menu/Programs, create a new item based on the /sitecore/templates/Sitecore Client/Applications/Application shortcut template.

• Set the Application link and a Display name. The raw value for Application looks like this in my case:

  <link text='' linktype='internal' style='' alt=''  querystring='' id='{3585E982-D30B-43EB-93A9-F5F9450FB450}' url="/Applications/Sales"/>
  

Make sure you have built the codebehind for your aspx page and that the binary is in the bin folder.