Create a shortcut on Desktop

Question

I want to create a shortcut pointing to some EXE file  on the desktop  using  NET Framework 3 5 and relying on an official Windows API  How can I do that

User · Answer

Use ShellLink cs at vbAccelerator to create your shortcut easily    private static void AddShortCut     using  ShellLink shortcut   new ShellLink          shortcut Target   Application ExecutablePath      shortcut WorkingDirectory   Path GetDirectoryName Application ExecutablePath       shortcut Description    My Shorcut       shortcut DisplayMode   ShellLink LinkDisplayMode edmNormal      shortcut Save SHORTCUT FILEPATH

User · Answer

Here is a piece of code that has no dependency on an external COM object  WSH   and supports 32-bit and 64-bit programs   using System  using System IO  using System Runtime InteropServices  using System Runtime InteropServices ComTypes  using System Text   namespace TestShortcut       class Program               static void Main string   args                        IShellLink link    IShellLink new ShellLink                    setup shortcut information             link SetDescription  My Description                link SetPath   c  MyPath MyProgram exe                    save it             IPersistFile file    IPersistFile link              string desktopPath   Environment GetFolderPath Environment SpecialFolder DesktopDirectory               file Save Path Combine desktopPath   MyLink lnk    false                         ComImport       Guid  00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046        internal class ShellLink                   ComImport       InterfaceType ComInterfaceType InterfaceIsIUnknown        Guid  000214F9-0000-0000-C000-000000000046        internal interface IShellLink               void GetPath  Out  MarshalAs UnmanagedType LPWStr   StringBuilder pszFile  int cchMaxPath  out IntPtr pfd  int fFlags           void GetIDList out IntPtr ppidl           void SetIDList IntPtr pidl           void GetDescription  Out  MarshalAs UnmanagedType LPWStr   StringBuilder pszName  int cchMaxName           void SetDescription  MarshalAs UnmanagedType LPWStr   string pszName           void GetWorkingDirectory  Out  MarshalAs UnmanagedType LPWStr   StringBuilder pszDir  int cchMaxPath           void SetWorkingDirectory  MarshalAs UnmanagedType LPWStr   string pszDir           void GetArguments  Out  MarshalAs UnmanagedType LPWStr   StringBuilder pszArgs  int cchMaxPath           void SetArguments  MarshalAs UnmanagedType LPWStr   string pszArgs           void GetHotkey out short pwHotkey           void SetHotkey short wHotkey           void GetShowCmd out int piShowCmd           void SetShowCmd int iShowCmd           void GetIconLocation  Out  MarshalAs UnmanagedType LPWStr   StringBuilder pszIconPath  int cchIconPath  out int piIcon           void SetIconLocation  MarshalAs UnmanagedType LPWStr   string pszIconPath  int iIcon           void SetRelativePath  MarshalAs UnmanagedType LPWStr   string pszPathRel  int dwReserved           void Resolve IntPtr hwnd  int fFlags           void SetPath  MarshalAs UnmanagedType LPWStr   string pszFile

User · Answer

private void CreateShortcut string executablePath  string name                CMDexec  echo Set oWS   WScript CreateObject  WScript Shell    gt  CreateShortcut vbs            CMDexec  echo sLinkFile        Environment GetEnvironmentVariable  homedrive        users      Environment GetEnvironmentVariable  username        desktop      name     ink   gt  gt  CreateShortcut vbs            CMDexec  echo Set oLink   oWS CreateShortcut sLinkFile   gt  gt  CreateShortcut vbs            CMDexec  echo oLink TargetPath        executablePath       gt  gt  CreateShortcut vbs            CMDexec  echo oLink Save  gt  gt  CreateShortcut vbs            CMDexec  cscript CreateShortcut vbs            CMDexec  del CreateShortcut vbs

User · Answer

Here s my code   public static class ShortcutHelper        region Constants          lt summary gt          Default shortcut extension          lt  summary gt      public const string DEFAULT SHORTCUT EXTENSION     lnk        private const string WSCRIPT SHELL NAME    WScript Shell        endregion           lt summary gt          Create shortcut in current path           lt  summary gt           lt param name  linkFileName  gt shortcut name include  lnk extension   lt  param gt           lt param name  targetPath  gt target path lt  param gt           lt param name  workingDirectory  gt working path lt  param gt           lt param name  arguments  gt arguments lt  param gt           lt param name  hotkey  gt hot key ex  Ctrl Shift Alt A  lt  param gt           lt param name  shortcutWindowStyle  gt window style lt  param gt           lt param name  description  gt shortcut description lt  param gt           lt param name  iconNumber  gt icon index start of 0  lt  param gt           lt returns gt shortcut file path  lt  returns gt           lt exception cref  System IO FileNotFoundException  gt  lt  exception gt      public static string CreateShortcut          string linkFileName          string targetPath          string workingDirectory               string arguments               string hotkey               ShortcutWindowStyles shortcutWindowStyle   ShortcutWindowStyles WshNormalFocus          string description               int iconNumber   0                if  linkFileName Contains DEFAULT SHORTCUT EXTENSION     false                        linkFileName   string Format   0  1    linkFileName  DEFAULT SHORTCUT EXTENSION                      if  File Exists targetPath     false                        throw new FileNotFoundException targetPath                      if  workingDirectory    string Empty                        workingDirectory   Path GetDirectoryName targetPath                      string iconLocation   string Format   0   1    targetPath  iconNumber            if  Environment Version Major  gt   4                        Type shellType   Type GetTypeFromProgID WSCRIPT SHELL NAME               dynamic shell   Activator CreateInstance shellType               dynamic shortcut   shell CreateShortcut linkFileName                shortcut TargetPath   targetPath              shortcut WorkingDirectory   workingDirectory              shortcut Arguments   arguments              shortcut Hotkey   hotkey              shortcut WindowStyle   shortcutWindowStyle              shortcut Description   description              shortcut IconLocation   iconLocation               shortcut Save                      else                       Type shellType   Type GetTypeFromProgID WSCRIPT SHELL NAME               object shell   Activator CreateInstance shellType               object shortcut   shellType InvokeMethod  CreateShortcut   shell  linkFileName               Type shortcutType   shortcut GetType                 shortcutType InvokeSetMember  TargetPath   shortcut  targetPath               shortcutType InvokeSetMember  WorkingDirectory   shortcut  workingDirectory               shortcutType InvokeSetMember  Arguments   shortcut  arguments               shortcutType InvokeSetMember  Hotkey   shortcut  hotkey               shortcutType InvokeSetMember  WindowStyle   shortcut  shortcutWindowStyle               shortcutType InvokeSetMember  Description   shortcut  description               shortcutType InvokeSetMember  IconLocation   shortcut  iconLocation                shortcutType InvokeMethod  Save   shortcut                      return Path Combine System Windows Forms Application StartupPath  linkFileName              private static object InvokeSetMember this Type type  string methodName  object targetInstance  params object   arguments                return type InvokeMember              methodName              BindingFlags Public   BindingFlags Instance   BindingFlags SetProperty              null              targetInstance              arguments              private static object InvokeMethod this Type type  string methodName  object targetInstance  params object   arguments                return type InvokeMember              methodName              BindingFlags Public   BindingFlags Instance   BindingFlags InvokeMethod              null              targetInstance              arguments                   lt summary gt          windows styles          lt  summary gt      public enum ShortcutWindowStyles                    lt summary gt              Hide              lt  summary gt          WshHide   0               lt summary gt              NormalFocus              lt  summary gt          WshNormalFocus   1               lt summary gt              MinimizedFocus              lt  summary gt          WshMinimizedFocus   2               lt summary gt              MaximizedFocus              lt  summary gt          WshMaximizedFocus   3               lt summary gt              NormalNoFocus              lt  summary gt          WshNormalNoFocus   4               lt summary gt              MinimizedNoFocus              lt  summary gt          WshMinimizedNoFocus   6

User · Answer

Without additional reference   using System  using System Runtime InteropServices   public class Shortcut    private static Type m type   Type GetTypeFromProgID  WScript Shell    private static object m shell   Activator CreateInstance m type     ComImport  TypeLibType  short 0x1040   Guid  F935DC23-1CF0-11D0-ADB9-00C04FD58A0B    private interface IWshShortcut        DispId 0       string FullName    return  MarshalAs UnmanagedType BStr    DispId 0   get         DispId 0x3e8       string Arguments    return  MarshalAs UnmanagedType BStr    DispId 0x3e8   get   param  In  MarshalAs UnmanagedType BStr    DispId 0x3e8   set         DispId 0x3e9       string Description    return  MarshalAs UnmanagedType BStr    DispId 0x3e9   get   param  In  MarshalAs UnmanagedType BStr    DispId 0x3e9   set         DispId 0x3ea       string Hotkey    return  MarshalAs UnmanagedType BStr    DispId 0x3ea   get   param  In  MarshalAs UnmanagedType BStr    DispId 0x3ea   set         DispId 0x3eb       string IconLocation    return  MarshalAs UnmanagedType BStr    DispId 0x3eb   get   param  In  MarshalAs UnmanagedType BStr    DispId 0x3eb   set         DispId 0x3ec       string RelativePath    param  In  MarshalAs UnmanagedType BStr    DispId 0x3ec   set         DispId 0x3ed       string TargetPath    return  MarshalAs UnmanagedType BStr    DispId 0x3ed   get   param  In  MarshalAs UnmanagedType BStr    DispId 0x3ed   set         DispId 0x3ee       int WindowStyle    DispId 0x3ee   get   param  In   DispId 0x3ee   set         DispId 0x3ef       string WorkingDirectory    return  MarshalAs UnmanagedType BStr    DispId 0x3ef   get   param  In  MarshalAs UnmanagedType BStr    DispId 0x3ef   set         TypeLibFunc  short 0x40   DispId 0x7d0       void Load  In  MarshalAs UnmanagedType BStr   string PathLink        DispId 0x7d1       void Save       public static void Create string fileName  string targetPath  string arguments  string workingDirectory  string description  string hotkey  string iconPath        IWshShortcut shortcut    IWshShortcut m type InvokeMember  CreateShortcut   System Reflection BindingFlags InvokeMethod  null  m shell  new object     fileName         shortcut Description   description      shortcut Hotkey   hotkey      shortcut TargetPath   targetPath      shortcut WorkingDirectory   workingDirectory      shortcut Arguments   arguments      if   string IsNullOrEmpty iconPath           shortcut IconLocation   iconPath      shortcut Save          To create Shortcut on Desktop       string lnkFileName   System IO Path Combine Environment GetFolderPath Environment SpecialFolder Desktop    Notepad lnk        Shortcut Create lnkFileName          System IO Path Combine Environment GetFolderPath Environment SpecialFolder System    notepad exe            null  null   Open Notepad    Ctrl Shift N   null

User · Answer

With additional options such as hotkey  description etc   At first  Project   Add Reference   COM   Windows Script Host Object Model   using IWshRuntimeLibrary   private void CreateShortcut       object shDesktop    object  Desktop     WshShell shell   new WshShell      string shortcutAddress    string shell SpecialFolders Item ref shDesktop       Notepad lnk     IWshShortcut shortcut    IWshShortcut shell CreateShortcut shortcutAddress     shortcut Description    New shortcut for a Notepad     shortcut Hotkey    Ctrl Shift N     shortcut TargetPath   Environment GetFolderPath Environment SpecialFolder System       notepad exe     shortcut Save

User · Answer

You can use this ShellLink cs class to create the shortcut   To get the desktop directory  use   var dir   Environment GetFolderPath Environment SpecialFolder DesktopDirectory     or use Environment SpecialFolder CommonDesktopDirectory to create it for all users

User · Answer

For Windows Vista 7 8 10  you can create a symlink instead via mklink   Process Start  cmd exe      c mklink  linkName   applicationPath       Alternatively  call CreateSymbolicLink via P Invoke

User · Answer

I have created a wrapper class based on Rustam Irzaev's answer with use of IWshRuntimeLibrary.

IWshRuntimeLibrary -> References -> COM > Windows Script Host Object Model

using System;
using System.IO;
using IWshRuntimeLibrary;
using File = System.IO.File;

public static class Shortcut
{
    public static void CreateShortcut(string originalFilePathAndName, string destinationSavePath)
    {
        string fileName = Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(originalFilePathAndName);
        string originalFilePath = Path.GetDirectoryName(originalFilePathAndName);

        string link = destinationSavePath + Path.DirectorySeparatorChar + fileName + ".lnk";
        var shell = new WshShell();
        var shortcut = shell.CreateShortcut(link) as IWshShortcut;
        if (shortcut != null)
        {
            shortcut.TargetPath = originalFilePathAndName;
            shortcut.WorkingDirectory = originalFilePath;
            shortcut.Save();
        }
    }

    public static void CreateStartupShortcut()
    {
        CreateShortcut(System.Reflection.Assembly.GetEntryAssembly()?.Location, Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Startup));
    }

    public static void DeleteShortcut(string originalFilePathAndName, string destinationSavePath)
    {
        string fileName = Path.GetFileNameWithoutExtension(originalFilePathAndName);
        string originalFilePath = Path.GetDirectoryName(originalFilePathAndName);

        string link = destinationSavePath + Path.DirectorySeparatorChar + fileName + ".lnk";
        if (File.Exists(link)) File.Delete(link);
    }

    public static void DeleteStartupShortcut()
    {
        DeleteShortcut(System.Reflection.Assembly.GetEntryAssembly()?.Location, Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Startup));
    }
}

User · Answer

I Use simply for my app   using IWshRuntimeLibrary      gt  Ref  gt  COM  gt  Windows Script Host Object          private static void CreateShortcut                 string link   Environment GetFolderPath  Environment SpecialFolder Desktop                  Path DirectorySeparatorChar   Application ProductName     lnk           var shell   new WshShell            var shortcut   shell CreateShortcut  link   as IWshShortcut          shortcut TargetPath   Application ExecutablePath          shortcut WorkingDirectory   Application StartupPath            shortcut            shortcut Save

User · Answer

I use  Windows Script Host Object Model  reference to create shortcut     and to create shortcut on specific location       void CreateShortcut string linkPath  string filename                   Create shortcut dir if not exists         if   Directory Exists linkPath               Directory CreateDirectory linkPath               shortcut file name         string linkName   Path ChangeExtension Path GetFileName filename     lnk                COM object instance props         IWshRuntimeLibrary WshShell shell   new IWshRuntimeLibrary WshShell            IWshRuntimeLibrary IWshShortcut sc    IWshRuntimeLibrary IWshShortcut shell CreateShortcut linkName           sc Description    some desc             shortcut IconLocation     C                 sc TargetPath   linkPath             save shortcut to target         sc Save

User · Answer

Here s a  Tested  Extension Method  with comments to help you out  using IWshRuntimeLibrary  using System   namespace Extensions       public static class XShortCut                    lt summary gt              Creates a shortcut in the startup folder from a exe as found in the current directory               lt  summary gt               lt param name  quot exeName quot  gt The exe name e g  test exe as found in the current directory lt  param gt               lt param name  quot startIn quot  gt The shortcut s  quot Start In quot  folder lt  param gt               lt param name  quot description quot  gt The shortcut s description lt  param gt               lt returns gt The folder path where created lt  returns gt          public static string CreateShortCutInStartUpFolder string exeName  string startIn  string description                        var startupFolderPath   Environment SpecialFolder Startup GetFolderPath                var linkPath   startupFolderPath     quot   quot    exeName    quot -Shortcut lnk quot               var targetPath   Environment CurrentDirectory     quot   quot    exeName              XFile Delete linkPath               Create linkPath  targetPath  startIn  description               return startupFolderPath                          lt summary gt              Create a shortcut              lt  summary gt               lt param name  quot fullPathToLink quot  gt the full path to the shortcut to be created lt  param gt               lt param name  quot fullPathToTargetExe quot  gt the full path to the exe to  really execute  lt  param gt               lt param name  quot startIn quot  gt Start in this folder lt  param gt               lt param name  quot description quot  gt Description for the link lt  param gt          public static void Create string fullPathToLink  string fullPathToTargetExe  string startIn  string description                        var shell   new WshShell                var link    IWshShortcut shell CreateShortcut fullPathToLink               link IconLocation   fullPathToTargetExe              link TargetPath   fullPathToTargetExe              link Description   description              link WorkingDirectory   startIn              link Save                       And an example of use  XShortCut CreateShortCutInStartUpFolder THEEXENAME       Environment CurrentDirectory       quot Starts some executable in the current directory of application quot     1st parm sets the exe name  found in the current directory  2nd parm is the  quot Start In quot  folder and 3rd parm is the shortcut description   The naming convention of the link leaves no ambiguity as to what it will do   To test the link just double click it  Final Note  the application itself  target  must have an ICON image associated with it   The link is easily able to locate the ICON within the exe   If the target application has more than one icon  you may open the link s properties and change the icon to any other found in the exe

User · Answer

If you want a simple code to put on other location  take this  using IWshRuntimeLibrary   WshShell shell   new WshShell    IWshShortcut shortcut   shell CreateShortcut   quot C  FOLDER SOFTWARENAME lnk quot    shortcut TargetPath     quot C  FOLDER SOFTWARE exe quot   shortcut Save

User · Answer

URL shortcut  private void urlShortcutToDesktop string linkName  string linkUrl        string deskDir   Environment GetFolderPath Environment SpecialFolder DesktopDirectory        using  StreamWriter writer   new StreamWriter deskDir          linkName     url                  writer WriteLine   InternetShortcut             writer WriteLine  URL     linkUrl             Application shortcut  private void appShortcutToDesktop string linkName        string deskDir   Environment GetFolderPath Environment SpecialFolder DesktopDirectory        using  StreamWriter writer   new StreamWriter deskDir          linkName     url                  string app   System Reflection Assembly GetExecutingAssembly   Location          writer WriteLine   InternetShortcut             writer WriteLine  URL file        app           writer WriteLine  IconIndex 0            string icon   app Replace                     writer WriteLine  IconFile     icon             Also check this example   If you want to use some API specific functions then you will want to use the IShellLink interface as well as the IPersistFile interface  through COM interop    Here is an article that goes into detail what you need to do it  as well as sample code

[c#] Create a shortcut on Desktop

The answer is

Examples related to c#

Tags