How do I create a shortcut via command-line in Win

Question

I want my .bat script (test.bat) to create a shortcut to itself so that I can copy it to my windows 8 Startup folder.

I have written this line of code to copy the file but I haven't yet found a way to create the said shortcut, as you can see it only copies the script.

xcopy "C:\Users\Gabriel\Desktop\test.bat" "C:\Users\Gabriel\AppData\Roaming\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Startup"

Can you help me out?

Answer 1

Rohit Sahu's answer worked best for me in Windows 10. The PowerShell solution ran, but no shortcut appeared. The JScript solution gave me syntax errors. I didn't try mklink, since I didn't want to mess with permissions.

I wanted the shortcut to appear on the desktop. But I also needed to set the icon, the description, and the working directory. Note that MyApp48.bmp is a 48x48 pixel image. Here's my mod of Rohit's solution:

@echo off
cd c:\MyApp
echo Set oWS = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell") > CreateShortcut.vbs
echo sLinkFile = "%userprofile%\Desktop\MyApp.lnk" >> CreateShortcut.vbs
echo Set oLink = oWS.CreateShortcut(sLinkFile) >> CreateShortcut.vbs
echo oLink.TargetPath = "C:\MyApp\MyApp.bat" >> CreateShortcut.vbs
echo oLink.WorkingDirectory = "C:\MyApp" >> CreateShortcut.vbs
echo oLink.Description = "My Application" >> CreateShortcut.vbs
echo oLink.IconLocation = "C:\MyApp\MyApp48.bmp" >> CreateShortcut.vbs
echo oLink.Save >> CreateShortcut.vbs
cscript CreateShortcut.vbs
del CreateShortcut.vbs

Answer 2

link.vbs

set fs  = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
set ws  = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
set arg = Wscript.Arguments

linkFile = arg(0)

set link = ws.CreateShortcut(linkFile)
    link.TargetPath = fs.BuildPath(ws.CurrentDirectory, arg(1))
    link.Save

command

C:\dir>link.vbs ..\shortcut.txt.lnk target.txt

Answer 3

Cannot be done with pure batch.Check the shortcutJS.bat - it is a jscript/bat hybrid and should be used with .bat extension:

call shortcutJS.bat -linkfile "%~n0.lnk" -target  "%~f0" -linkarguments "some arguments"

With -help you can check the other options (you can set icon , admin permissions and etc.)

Answer 4

You could use a PowerShell command. Stick this in your batch script and it'll create a shortcut to %~f0 in %userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup:

powershell "$s=(New-Object -COM WScript.Shell).CreateShortcut('%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\%~n0.lnk');$s.TargetPath='%~f0';$s.Save()"

---

If you prefer not to use PowerShell, you could use mklink to make a symbolic link. Syntax:

mklink saveShortcutAs targetOfShortcut

See mklink /? in a console window for full syntax, and this web page for further information.

In your batch script, do:

mklink "%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\%~nx0" "%~f0"

The shortcut created isn't a traditional .lnk file, but it should work the same nevertheless. Be advised that this will only work if the .bat file is run from the same drive as your startup folder. Also, apparently admin rights are required to create symbolic links.

Answer 5

I present a small hybrid script [BAT/VBS] to create a desktop shortcut. And you can of course modifie it to your purpose.

@echo off
mode con cols=87 lines=5 & color 9B
Title Shortcut Creator for your batch and applications files by Hackoo 2015
Set MyFile=%~f0
Set ShorcutName=HackooTest
(
echo Call Shortcut("%MyFile%","%ShorcutName%"^)
echo ^'**********************************************************************************************^)
echo Sub Shortcut(ApplicationPath,Nom^)
echo    Dim objShell,DesktopPath,objShortCut,MyTab
echo    Set objShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell"^)
echo    MyTab = Split(ApplicationPath,"\"^)
echo    If Nom = "" Then
echo    Nom = MyTab(UBound(MyTab^)^)
echo    End if
echo    DesktopPath = objShell.SpecialFolders("Desktop"^)
echo    Set objShortCut = objShell.CreateShortcut(DesktopPath ^& "\" ^& Nom ^& ".lnk"^)
echo    objShortCut.TargetPath = Dblquote(ApplicationPath^)
echo    ObjShortCut.IconLocation = "Winver.exe,0"
echo    objShortCut.Save
echo End Sub
echo ^'**********************************************************************************************
echo ^'Fonction pour ajouter les doubles quotes dans une variable
echo Function DblQuote(Str^)
echo    DblQuote = Chr(34^) ^& Str ^& Chr(34^)
echo End Function
echo ^'**********************************************************************************************
) > Shortcutme.vbs
Start /Wait Shortcutme.vbs
Del Shortcutme.vbs
::***************************************Main Batch*******************************************
cls
echo Done and your main batch goes here !
echo i am a test 
Pause > Nul
::********************************************************************************************

Answer 6

The best way is to run this batch file. open notepad and type:-

@echo off
echo Set oWS = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell") > CreateShortcut.vbs
echo sLinkFile = "GIVETHEPATHOFLINK.lnk" >> CreateShortcut.vbs
echo Set oLink = oWS.CreateShortcut(sLinkFile) >> CreateShortcut.vbs
echo oLink.TargetPath = "GIVETHEPATHOFTARGETFILEYOUWANTTHESHORTCUT" >> CreateShortcut.vbs
echo oLink.Save >> CreateShortcut.vbs
cscript CreateShortcut.vbs
del CreateShortcut.vbs

Save as filename.bat(be careful while saving select all file types) worked well in win XP.