Adding Internet Shortcuts to StartMenu from Deployment Package

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egorjohnson@yahoo.com - 14 Apr 2005 10:48 GMT

Hi,

I am trying to add an Internet Shortcut to the StartMenu from the
Deployment Package. I know you can't do this directly and have to do
this as a custom action, as it was simple I wrote a VBScript to create
one. I don't have any trouble creating the shortcut in the script.
The problem I have is getting the correct path. I thought I would be
able to use something like

startpath =
Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.StartMenu) &
"\Programs\etc"

but "Environment" doesn't seem to be recognised. Is this the case in
VBScript? Should I be writing this in something else.

Thanks for any help

Regards

Egor

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Phil Wilson - 14 Apr 2005 15:25 GMT

You can trick Visual Studio into creating the shortcut, I learned recently.

First make your url file as a pure text file from scratch. Run a fresh
notepad and put the text in. I used this as a test:

[DEFAULT]
BASEURL=http://www.msn.com/
[InternetShortcut]
URL=http://www.msn.com/
Modified=006D681BAD2CC5018F
IconFile=http://hp.msn.com/global/c/shs/favicon.ico
IconIndex=1

Add this to Visual Studio as a text file. In the Visual Studio IDE, select
it and rename it to whatever.url (using right click Rename *in the IDE*).
This will then install as a URL - I tried this to the Desktop and it works
fine. It does NOT work if you try to edit an existing url file - you must
start from scratch with the text file.

Signature

Phil Wilson
[Microsoft MVP-Windows Installer]
Definitive Guide to Windows Installer
http://apress.com/book/bookDisplay.html?bID=280

> Hi,
>
[quoted text clipped - 17 lines]
>
> Egor

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egorjohnson@yahoo.com - 15 Apr 2005 10:11 GMT

Thanks Phil, works just as required.

I do get the following warning that I don't really understand, but it
doesn't seem to effect it, so I'm not that worried at the moment..

WARNING: File Weblink.url' should not be installed into a User's
Profile folder because it may not be available to all users.

Thanks again for your help

Egor

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Phil Wilson - 15 Apr 2005 15:38 GMT

The build process doesn't know if you're going to install this for "Just me"
or "Everyone". It's telling that if you install into a user profile location
and do a Just me install then other users won't be able to see it. I think
it's an unnecessary warning because it implies you're doing something wrong,
and I suspect that most people understand that if they install something
into a user profile area it can't be seen by other users.

Signature

Phil Wilson
[Microsoft MVP-Windows Installer]

> Thanks Phil, works just as required.
>
[quoted text clipped - 7 lines]
>
> Egor

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Adding Internet Shortcuts to StartMenu from Deployment Package

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