Support Logon Task for Faster Startup Experience

Flow.Launcher.Infrastructure/UserSettings/Settings.cs

@@ -238,6 +238,7 @@ public SearchPrecisionScore QuerySearchPrecision
         public bool EnableUpdateLog { get; set; }
 
         public bool StartFlowLauncherOnSystemStartup { get; set; } = false;
+        public bool UseLogonTaskForStartup { get; set; } = false;
         public bool HideOnStartup { get; set; } = true;
         bool _hideNotifyIcon { get; set; }
         public bool HideNotifyIcon

Flow.Launcher/App.xaml.cs

@@ -119,7 +119,14 @@ private void AutoStartup()
             {
                 try
                 {
-                    Helper.AutoStartup.Enable();
+                    if (_settings.UseLogonTaskForStartup)
+                    {
+                        Helper.AutoStartup.EnableViaLogonTask();
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        Helper.AutoStartup.EnableViaRegistry();
+                    }
                 }
                 catch (Exception e)
                 {

Flow.Launcher/Flow.Launcher.csproj

@@ -100,6 +100,7 @@
     <PackageReference Include="NHotkey.Wpf" Version="3.0.0" />
     <PackageReference Include="PropertyChanged.Fody" Version="3.4.0" />
     <PackageReference Include="SemanticVersioning" Version="3.0.0" />
+    <PackageReference Include="TaskScheduler" Version="2.11.0" />
     <PackageReference Include="VirtualizingWrapPanel" Version="2.1.1" />
   </ItemGroup>
 

Flow.Launcher/Helper/AutoStartup.cs

@@ -1,18 +1,31 @@
 using System;
+using System.IO;
+using System.Linq;
+using System.Security.Principal;
 using Flow.Launcher.Infrastructure;
 using Flow.Launcher.Infrastructure.Logger;
 using Microsoft.Win32;
+using Microsoft.Win32.TaskScheduler;
 
 namespace Flow.Launcher.Helper;
 
 public class AutoStartup
 {
     private const string StartupPath = @"SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Run";
+    private const string LogonTaskName = $"{Constant.FlowLauncher} Startup";
+    private const string LogonTaskDesc = $"{Constant.FlowLauncher} Auto Startup";
 
     public static bool IsEnabled
     {
         get
         {
+            // Check if logon task is enabled
+            if (CheckLogonTask())
+            {
+                return true;
+            }
+
+            // Check if registry is enabled
             try
             {
                 using var key = Registry.CurrentUser.OpenSubKey(StartupPath, true);
@@ -28,12 +41,74 @@ public static bool IsEnabled
         }
     }
 
-    public static void Disable()
+    private static bool CheckLogonTask()
+    {
+        using var taskService = new TaskService();
+        var task = taskService.RootFolder.AllTasks.FirstOrDefault(t => t.Name == LogonTaskName);
+        if (task != null)
+        {
+            try
+            {
+                // Check if the action is the same as the current executable path
+                var action = task.Definition.Actions.FirstOrDefault()!.ToString().Trim();
+                if (!Constant.ExecutablePath.Equals(action, StringComparison.OrdinalIgnoreCase) && !File.Exists(action))
+                {
+                    UnscheduleLogonTask();
+                    ScheduleLogonTask();
+                }
+
+                return true;
+            }
+            catch (Exception e)
+            {
+                Log.Error("AutoStartup", $"Failed to check logon task: {e}");
+            }
+        }
+
+        return false;
+    }
+
+    public static void DisableViaLogonTaskAndRegistry()
+    {
+        Disable(true);
+        Disable(false);
+    }
+
+    public static void EnableViaLogonTask()
+    {
+        Enable(true);
+    }
+
+    public static void EnableViaRegistry()
+    {
+        Enable(false);
+    }
+
+    public static void ChangeToViaLogonTask()
+    {
+        Disable(false);
+        Enable(true);
+    }
+
+    public static void ChangeToViaRegistry()
+    {
+        Disable(true);
+        Enable(false);
+    }
+
+    private static void Disable(bool logonTask)
     {
         try
         {
-            using var key = Registry.CurrentUser.OpenSubKey(StartupPath, true);
-            key?.DeleteValue(Constant.FlowLauncher, false);
+            if (logonTask)
+            {
+                UnscheduleLogonTask();
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                using var key = Registry.CurrentUser.OpenSubKey(StartupPath, true);
+                key?.DeleteValue(Constant.FlowLauncher, false);
+            }
         }
         catch (Exception e)
         {
@@ -42,17 +117,74 @@ public static void Disable()
         }
     }
 
-    internal static void Enable()
+    private static void Enable(bool logonTask)
     {
         try
         {
-            using var key = Registry.CurrentUser.OpenSubKey(StartupPath, true);
-            key?.SetValue(Constant.FlowLauncher, $"\"{Constant.ExecutablePath}\"");
+            if (logonTask)
+            {
+                ScheduleLogonTask();
+            }
+            else
+            {
+                using var key = Registry.CurrentUser.OpenSubKey(StartupPath, true);
+                key?.SetValue(Constant.FlowLauncher, $"\"{Constant.ExecutablePath}\"");
+            }
         }
         catch (Exception e)
         {
             Log.Error("AutoStartup", $"Failed to enable auto-startup: {e}");
             throw;
         }
     }
+
+    private static bool ScheduleLogonTask()
+    {
+        using var td = TaskService.Instance.NewTask();
+        td.RegistrationInfo.Description = LogonTaskDesc;
+        td.Triggers.Add(new LogonTrigger { UserId = WindowsIdentity.GetCurrent().Name, Delay = TimeSpan.FromSeconds(2) });
+        td.Actions.Add(Constant.ExecutablePath);
+
+        if (IsCurrentUserIsAdmin())
+        {
+            td.Principal.RunLevel = TaskRunLevel.Highest;
+        }
+
+        td.Settings.StopIfGoingOnBatteries = false;
+        td.Settings.DisallowStartIfOnBatteries = false;
+        td.Settings.ExecutionTimeLimit = TimeSpan.Zero;
+
+        try
+        {
+            TaskService.Instance.RootFolder.RegisterTaskDefinition(LogonTaskName, td);
+            return true;
+        }
+        catch (Exception e)
+        {
+            Log.Error("AutoStartup", $"Failed to schedule logon task: {e}");
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static bool UnscheduleLogonTask()
+    {
+        using var taskService = new TaskService();
+        try
+        {
+            taskService.RootFolder.DeleteTask(LogonTaskName);
+            return true;
+        }
+        catch (Exception e)
+        {
+            Log.Error("AutoStartup", $"Failed to unschedule logon task: {e}");
+            return false;
+        }
+    }
+
+    private static bool IsCurrentUserIsAdmin()
+    {
+        var identity = WindowsIdentity.GetCurrent();
+        var principal = new WindowsPrincipal(identity);
+        return principal.IsInRole(WindowsBuiltInRole.Administrator);
+    }
 }

Flow.Launcher/Languages/en.xaml

@@ -46,6 +46,8 @@
     <system:String x:Key="portableMode">Portable Mode</system:String>
     <system:String x:Key="portableModeToolTIp">Store all settings and user data in one folder (Useful when used with removable drives or cloud services).</system:String>
     <system:String x:Key="startFlowLauncherOnSystemStartup">Start Flow Launcher on system startup</system:String>
+    <system:String x:Key="useLogonTaskForStartup">Use logon task instead of startup entry for faster startup experience</system:String>
+    <system:String x:Key="useLogonTaskForStartupTooltip">After uninstallation, you need to manually remove this task (Flow.Launcher Startup) via Task Scheduler</system:String>
     <system:String x:Key="setAutoStartFailed">Error setting launch on startup</system:String>
     <system:String x:Key="hideFlowLauncherWhenLoseFocus">Hide Flow Launcher when focus is lost</system:String>
     <system:String x:Key="dontPromptUpdateMsg">Do not show new version notifications</system:String>

Flow.Launcher/SettingPages/ViewModels/SettingsPaneGeneralViewModel.cs

@@ -42,9 +42,20 @@ public bool StartFlowLauncherOnSystemStartup
             try
             {
                 if (value)
-                    AutoStartup.Enable();
+                {
+                    if (UseLogonTaskForStartup)
+                    {
+                        AutoStartup.EnableViaLogonTask();
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        AutoStartup.EnableViaRegistry();
+                    }
+                }
                 else
-                    AutoStartup.Disable();
+                {
+                    AutoStartup.DisableViaLogonTaskAndRegistry();
+                }  
             }
             catch (Exception e)
             {
@@ -54,6 +65,34 @@ public bool StartFlowLauncherOnSystemStartup
         }
     }
 
+    public bool UseLogonTaskForStartup
+    {
+        get => Settings.UseLogonTaskForStartup;
+        set
+        {
+            Settings.UseLogonTaskForStartup = value;
+
+            if (StartFlowLauncherOnSystemStartup)
+            {
+                try
+                {
+                    if (UseLogonTaskForStartup)
+                    {
+                        AutoStartup.ChangeToViaLogonTask();
+                    }
+                    else
+                    {
+                        AutoStartup.ChangeToViaRegistry();
+                    }
+                }
+                catch (Exception e)
+                {
+                    Notification.Show(InternationalizationManager.Instance.GetTranslation("setAutoStartFailed"),
+                        e.Message);
+                }
+            } 
+        }
+    }
 
     public List<SearchWindowScreenData> SearchWindowScreens { get; } =
         DropdownDataGeneric<SearchWindowScreens>.GetValues<SearchWindowScreenData>("SearchWindowScreen");

Flow.Launcher/SettingPages/Views/SettingsPaneGeneral.xaml

@@ -36,6 +36,13 @@
                     OnContent="{DynamicResource enable}" />
             </cc:Card>
 
+            <cc:Card Title="{DynamicResource useLogonTaskForStartup}" Sub="{DynamicResource useLogonTaskForStartupTooltip}">
+                <ui:ToggleSwitch
+                    IsOn="{Binding UseLogonTaskForStartup}"
+                    OffContent="{DynamicResource disable}"
+                    OnContent="{DynamicResource enable}" />
+            </cc:Card>
+
             <cc:Card
                 Title="{DynamicResource hideOnStartup}"
                 Icon="&#xed1a;"