Need a shortcut to a FOLDER

[rkesmodel]

I have an installer that also creates a subdirectory called 'TestData' in the same folder as the exe. It would be great if the installer could create a shortcut to that folder on the 'All Users' desktop.

Here is the problem. The program will be installed on a customer's computer. At certain points in the program a password is required. The default password, or the customer password (if he changes it), is encrypted into a file in the same directory as the exe. During installation a file is created with the default password. Also, up until now I would create a shortcut to the 'TestData' folder (where all customer test data is saved) on the desktop.

I was asked what would happen if the customer lost, or forgot, his password. In this case they would be able to backup their data, completely uninstall the program, and reinstall it, restoring the default password. I do not know if the uninstaller would delete the shortcut or if it would become 'broken' during the uninstallation and would not want to have to go to the customer's site to re-create it.

Is there a way for the installer to create it? I have tried the Shortcuts section in the Installer Build specifications, but that will only create shorcuts to files (why?).

Any assistance appreciated.

Roy

[Dirk J.]

You could alway go through the windows API calls, but that's usually a bit troublesome at best.

An easy workaround is to create an internet shortcut instead, which is just an *.ini file, with *.url extention.

The plain format is as follows:

[internetShortcut]

URL=c:\windows

IconFile=C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHELL32.dll

IconIndex=4

HotKey=0

IDList=

See attached VI for details...

[rkesmodel]

QUOTE(Dirk J. @ Mar 23 2007, 03:36 AM)

You could alway go through the windows API calls, but that's usually a bit troublesome at best.

An easy workaround is to create an internet shortcut instead, which is just an *.ini file, with *.url extention.

The plain format is as follows:

[internetShortcut]

URL=c:\windows

IconFile=C:\WINDOWS\system32\SHELL32.dll

IconIndex=4

HotKey=0

IDList=

See attached VI for details...

Thanks, Dirk. Two questions. 1. Could you send me that example in 8.01? B. How do you make it work during the installation (not execution)?

Roy