On Windows 8 they've replaced the Start Menu with a Start Screen using Metro GUI.
Desktop applications can be run from this screen, but when they exit the user is left at the desktop.
Is there a Windows setting that will return to the Start Screen automatically when the application is closed, if it was launched from Metro?
Or is there an API available so that the application itself can detect whether it was launched from Metro and then switch back to it as it is shutting down?
(I want something automatic or programmatic. "Press the Windows key" is not an acceptable solution.)
Window 8 metro GUI is working like Start menu so I will change my application's setup program to put some command line options for desktop menu shortcut and pick it up from Param array. When closing I would try sending Windows button combination (Ctrl+Esc) to windows. Actual code to do that depends on the language used to develop your app. If developed in .Net following class can be helpful
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/system.windows.forms.sendkeys.send.aspx
following library may also be useful
http://inputsimulator.codeplex.com/