Creating Internet Explorer style desktop shortcut.

Introduction

Whenever we want to create shortcuts for our programs on the desktop, what we do normally is, we create .lnk files for our programs using IShellLink. When we create it in such a way, what we get is an icon on the desktop with an arrow on its bottom left corner, and if you right click it, you'll get the normal menu, with the cut, copy, paste, delete etc. items. But if you see the Internet Explorer's shortcut icon on the desktop, it's a normal icon without the arrow on its corner and with a different menu also. (If you see Microsoft's Connection Manager, you'll see the difference more than Internet Explorer). Now lets see how to create such a shortcut on the desktop with your own customized menu items.

When you execute this code, you'll get an icon on the desktop with 'Netlinker'; as its shortcut name. If you double click it, it'll open the Internet Explorer and if you right click, you can see a customized menu with no cut, copy, paste, rename items. You also cannot delete this shortcut from the desktop. If you select the properties for this icon, it'll open the Internet Properties dialog box.

Implementing

Choose a 32x32 icon and specify its path:

CString shtct_ico=_T("C:\\32x32.ico");

This is to show the Internet Explorer properties dialog box.

CString shtct_prop=_T("rundll32.exe shell32.dll,Control_RunDLL inetcpl.cpl,,0");

This is the shortcut name to be displayed on the desktop

CString shtct_name=_T("Netlinker");

Catch the path of the Internet Explorer and store it:

CRegKey m_Kiepath;
CString ie_path;
DWORD dwval;
m_Kiepath.Open(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,"SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\AppPaths\\IEXPLORE.EXE");
m_Kiepath.QueryValue(ie_path.GetBuffer(1000),NULL,&dwval);
m_Kiepath.Close();
String shtct_to=ie_path;

Create a GUID using guidgen.exe and copy it to the clipboard and paste it here. This is the GUID that we are going to use for the representation of our shortcut and its menu items. Here, the GUID that we have generated is 6270AEE4-AA41-11d4-A25D-008048B63F94.

Create this GUID key under the HKCR\CLSID and set the shortcut name as its value:

CRegKey m_kdsktp;
m_kdsktp.Create(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT,"CLSID\\{6270AEE4-AA41-11d4-A25D-008048B63F94}");
m_kdsktp.SetValue(shtct_name);
m_kdsktp.Close();

Under this GUID, create the DefaultIcon key, which represents the icon for the shortcut, so set its value with the path of the icon:

m_kdsktp.Create(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT,"CLSID\\{6270AEE4-AA41-11d4-A25D-008048B63F94}\\DefaultIcon");
m_kdsktp.SetValue(shtct_ico);
m_kdsktp.Close();

Now set the menu items for the right click menu. Here is the Open menu item, and its executable is set:

m_kdsktp.Create(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT,
                     "CLSID\\{6270AEE4-AA41-11d4-A25D-008048B63F94}\\Shell\\Open\\Command");
m_kdsktp.SetValue(shtct_to);
m_kdsktp.Close();

Set the properties menu item and its executable:

m_kdsktp.Create(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT,"CLSID\\{6270AEE4-AA41-11d4-A25D-008048B63F94}\\Shell\\Properties\\Command");
m_kdsktp.SetValue(shtct_prop);
m_kdsktp.Close();

Now set the attributes of the menu so that the default menu items such as cut, copy, paste, rename, delete etc are removed.

BYTE *b;
HANDLE heap;
char a[20];
m_kdsktp.Create(HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT,"CLSID\\{6270AEE4-AA41-11d4-A25D-008048B63F94}\\ShellFolder");
strcpy(a,"00.00.00.00");
heap=HeapCreate(0,0,0);
b=(BYTE*)HeapAlloc(heap,0,30);
scanf(a,"%x.%x.%x.%x",&b[0],&b[1],&b[2],&b[3]);19/08/2001
RegSetValueEx(m_kdsktp.m_hKey,"Attributes",0,REG_BINARY,b,4);
HeapFree(heap,0,b);
HeapDestroy(heap);
m_kdsktp.Close();

Now we have to create a reference for this GUID under HKLM\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Explorer\Desktop\Namespace. Then only it'll appear on the desktop.

m_kdsktp.Create(HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE,
     "SOFTWARE\\Microsoft\\Windows\\CurrentVersion\\Explorer\\Desktop\\NameSpace\\{6270AEE4-AA41-11d4-A25D-008048B63F94}");
m_kdsktp.SetValue("Netlink");
m_kdsktp.Close();

Since we've played with the shell, we must notify it. Then only the changes will reflect immediately.

SHChangeNotify(SHCNE_ASSOCCHANGED,SHCNF_FLUSHNOWAIT,0, 0);