Copy Desktop Shortcut from One Computer to Another

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Copy Desktop Shortcut from One Computer to Another?

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Howdy John.
I’m not sure any of these shortcut copies will work the way you want them to or not. But to Physically move the shortcuts…

1. Go to My Computer / 3 1/2 Floppy A: and minimize or shrink the window and drag the shortcut from the floppy to the desktop.
2. Go to the server, navigate to the workstation where the shortcut you want resides, and copy it to the location you want to save it on the server.
3. Again, go to the server and copy or move the shortcut back to the workstation it came from or any other workstatiion on the network.

Shortcuts generally work best when they are created in the location that they will be used from. That way the shortcut uses the correct path to find the target. If you start moving shortcuts around to different machines, servers and workstations that’s just going to get confusing. You didn’t say what these shortcuts point to. If they point to locations on your network or individual machines, then you probably shouldn’t move them around. If they point to a webpage or a universal location then it shouldn’t cause any problems. A little more detail about the intended use or situation would help here.

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Hi Guys

Thanks for the Information

In my case I

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John,

If you are sure that the targets of the shortcuts are in identically named paths on all PC’s, you should be able to store master copies of the shortcuts on a network drive and copy these down to the individual PC’s. I have done this succesfully in Windows NT4; I think Window 98 should be OK too. Take note of Drew’s precaution about Windows 2000.

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John,
Have to agree with Hans here. If all paths & targets are in fact the same , a master folder or a .zip archive that you can copy on each client machine or on a network server or drive, would enable you to reinstall the icons yourself over the network, allow the client access to the network drive or folder on their system or e-mail the .zip file to a remote client in the event of an unintended deletion.

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FWIW, this is modified example of VBA sub that copies updated files (including desktop shortcut) from network server to local PC, using FileSystemObject (FSO) methods. To use FSO (assuming it hasn’t been disabled by your friendly IT Dept) set a reference to Microsoft Scripting Runtime (scrrun.dll) or Windows Script Host (WSH) Object Model library (wshom.ocx)). (This is for secured Access database, where the shortcut has to point to correct workgroup information file in addition to target database):

Private Sub RunSetup()
On Error GoTo Err_Handler

Dim strpathUNC As String
Dim strPathNet As String
Dim strPathLocal As String
Dim strPathDesktop As String
Dim strFile As String
Dim strFolder As String

Dim fso As New Scripting.FileSystemObject

strpathUNC = “SERVERNAMEGLOBALDEPTACCESSMYAPP”
strPathNet = “G:ACCESSMYAPP”
strPathLocal = “C:ACCESSMYAPP”
strPathDesktop = GetDesktopPath

‘ Create local folder if doesn’t already exist:
strFolder = Left(strPathLocal, Len(strPathLocal) – 1)
If Not fso.FolderExists(strFolder) Then
fso.CreateFolder (strFolder)
End If

‘ CopyFolder method will copy folder & all files in folder to destination folder:
strFolder = “ICONS”
fso.CopyFolder strPathNet & strFolder, strPathLocal, True ‘Overwrite files
‘ CopyFile method will copy all files fm source folder to target folder:
fso.CopyFile strPathNet & “SETUP*.*”, strPathLocal, True ‘Overwrite files
strFile = “Shortcut to MyApp.LNK”
fso.CopyFile strPathLocal & strFile, strPathDesktop, True

Exit_Sub:
Set fso = Nothing
Exit Sub
Err_Handler:
‘ Error handling here
Resume Exit_Sub
End Sub

WIN API functions are used to get correct path for target PC’s Desktop folder, as shown in this example:

Option Compare Database
Option Explicit

Public Type ShortItemId
cb As Long
abID As Byte
End Type

Public Type ItemIDList
mkid As ShortItemId
End Type

‘ Use one of these constants for specified folder:
Const CSIDL_TEMPLATES = &H15
Const CSIDL_STARTMENU = &HB
Const CSIDL_FAVORITES = &H6
Const CSIDL_DESKTOPDIRECTORY = &H10

Public Declare Function SHGetPathFromIDList Lib “shell32.dll” _
(ByVal pidl As Long, ByVal pszPath As String) As Long

Public Declare Function SHGetSpecialFolderLocation Lib “shell32.dll” _
(ByVal hwndOwner As Long, ByVal nFolder As Long, pidl As ItemIDList) As Long

Function GetSpecialFolder(ByVal CSIDL As Long) As String
On Error GoTo Err_Handler

‘NOTE: Added ByVal to CSIDL argument or get ByRef argument type mismatch error
Dim lngIDL As Long
Dim strPath As String
Dim IDL As ItemIDList
Const NOERROR = 0
Const MAX_LENGTH = 260

lngIDL = SHGetSpecialFolderLocation(Application.hWndAccessApp, CSIDL, IDL)
If lngIDL = NOERROR Then
strPath = Space(MAX_LENGTH)
lngIDL = SHGetPathFromIDList(ByVal IDL.mkid.cb, ByVal strPath)
If lngIDL Then
GetSpecialFolder = Left$(strPath, InStr(strPath, Chr$(0)) – 1) & “”
End If
End If

Exit_Sub:
Exit Function
Err_Handler:
MsgBox Err.Description, vbCritical Or vbOKOnly
Resume Exit_Sub
End Function

Public Function GetDesktopPath() As String
GetDesktopPath = GetSpecialFolder(CSIDL_DESKTOPDIRECTORY)
End Function

Note that this code is used in an Access .MDE file used to update actual application files; thus the Access application hWndAccessApp function is used to provide SHGetSpecialFolderLocation hwndOwner argument. If not using Access to run this, modify code accordingly. At work we use both WIN 98 & WIN 2K and function works correctly on both. On home computer (WIN XP Home Ed) function also returns correct desktop folder for currently logged in user. Ex: C:Documents and SettingsMARK DDesktop

Note: The API code based in part (with the usual corrections, like missing ByVal’s) on MSKB Article 182606 – ODE: How to Create a Shortcut on the Desktop with ODE

HTH

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I have ‘copied’ shortcuts before, and the situation where I was doing so was when I had made a ‘custom’ shortcut, like a shortcut to a secured Access mdb file, that had command line arguments in it, to point to the correct workgroup file, and possibly even a username and password.

Just a little warning. I know this is the Windows 98 lounge, but when you start copying shortcuts in Windows 2000, it’s a whole new ball of wax. Windows 2000 ‘marks’ its shortcuts, so that if the file they are pointing to moves, the shortcuts adapt. It’s slick, but it has issues if you send someone a shortcut. One issue, is that the shortcut actually points to the machine that made the shortcut. Not a problem if you have access to that machine, but if it is off, the shortcut won’t work.

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