A simple method to create a shortcut of executable file

• Download CreateShortcut - 3.78 KB

Introduction

It is not easy what create a shortcut of executable file in program. William Rayer have a good article to introduce a method about it;you could see here . But it may be complex to some people. There is a simple method which can do same thing.

Background

As we all known, a shortcut is a file of *.lnk which have complex content. *.URL have same function with *.lnk, but it`s content is very simple.For example:

========================================

[InternetShortcut]
URL=C:\MyFolder\Test.exe
IconIndex=0
IconFile=C:\MyFolder\Test.exe

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Save the the file then we can get a shortcut of Test.exe .

Sample program

There show how to create shortcut using code. We can use 'WritePrivateProfileString' to create *.URL simply.

See here:

     
#include <windows.h>
#include <stdio.h>

BOOL CreateShortcut(char *ptchExecutableFileName, char *ptchShortcutName)
{
    BOOL Res = TRUE;
    FILE *fp;
    
    if(NULL == (fp = fopen(ptchExecutableFileName, "r")))
    {
        printf("\nCan`t find executable file!\n");
        return FALSE;
    }
    fclose(fp);
    
    Res &= WritePrivateProfileString("InternetShortcut", "URL",        ptchExecutableFileName, ptchShortcutName);
    Res &= WritePrivateProfileString("InternetShortcut", "IconIndex",  "0",                    ptchShortcutName);
    Res &= WritePrivateProfileString("InternetShortcut", "IconFile",   ptchExecutableFileName, ptchShortcutName);
    
    return Res;
}


/* 
    For example: create a shortcut on desktop for e:\Test.exe 
    CreateShortcut("E:\\Test.exe", "C:\\Documents and Settings\\Administrator\\Desktop\\Test.url");
//*/

  

Existing issue

The method can create shortcut of executable file normally. But I don`t know how to create a shortcut of folder .If there is a folder c:\MyFolder , and write following file:

========================================

[InternetShortcut]
URL=C:\MyFolder
IconIndex=0
IconFile=C:\MyFolder

========================================

Save it.When click the icon of the file you can open the folder, but the display of the icon is abnormal !

If you known , please tell us how to solve the issue.