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?

Answer 1

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);
}
}

Answer 2

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);
        writer.Flush();
    }
}

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);
        writer.Flush();
    }
}

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:

Answer 3

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);

Answer 4

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);
    }
}

Answer 5

Here's my code:

public static class ShortcutHelper
{
    #region Constants
    /// <summary>
    /// Default shortcut extension
    /// </summary>
    public const string DEFAULT_SHORTCUT_EXTENSION = ".lnk";

    private const string WSCRIPT_SHELL_NAME = "WScript.Shell";
    #endregion

    /// <summary>
    /// Create shortcut in current path.
    /// </summary>
    /// <param name="linkFileName">shortcut name(include .lnk extension.)</param>
    /// <param name="targetPath">target path</param>
    /// <param name="workingDirectory">working path</param>
    /// <param name="arguments">arguments</param>
    /// <param name="hotkey">hot key(ex: Ctrl+Shift+Alt+A)</param>
    /// <param name="shortcutWindowStyle">window style</param>
    /// <param name="description">shortcut description</param>
    /// <param name="iconNumber">icon index(start of 0)</param>
    /// <returns>shortcut file path.</returns>
    /// <exception cref="System.IO.FileNotFoundException"></exception>
    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 >= 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);
    }

    /// <summary>
    /// windows styles
    /// </summary>
    public enum ShortcutWindowStyles
    {
        /// <summary>
        /// Hide
        /// </summary>
        WshHide = 0,
        /// <summary>
        /// NormalFocus
        /// </summary>
        WshNormalFocus = 1,
        /// <summary>
        /// MinimizedFocus
        /// </summary>
        WshMinimizedFocus = 2,
        /// <summary>
        /// MaximizedFocus
        /// </summary>
        WshMaximizedFocus = 3,
        /// <summary>
        /// NormalNoFocus
        /// </summary>
        WshNormalNoFocus = 4,
        /// <summary>
        /// MinimizedNoFocus
        /// </summary>
        WshMinimizedNoFocus = 6,
    }
}

Answer 6

I Use simply for my app:

using IWshRuntimeLibrary; // > Ref > COM > 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();
    }