Control Shortcut Targets in Win98SE...

[LeanPudLou]

Hi All,
I want to create a desktop shortcut that will do the following:
Right Click on "My Computer"
Left Click on "Explore"

Any ideas?
Thanks all...

[Sylvander]

I believe you wish to create a shortcut to Windows Explorer on your desktop.

To do this, navigate the start menu to the Windows Explorer shortcut, then left click on it and drag & drop it onto the desktop.

Bingo!
You now have a copy of the shortcut on your desktop.
"Choose" this and Windows Explorer will open.

[LeanPudLou]

I have a shortcut to Windows Explorer on my desktop.

What I'd like to do is create a shortcut that mimics the following action:
(1) Right click on "My Computer"
When I do this a drop down menu appears
that has more options
(2) On the drop down\more options menu
Left Click on "Explore"

After left clicking on the "Explore" option I am presented with a more
compressed directory tree that shows all local drives without automatically expanding the tree so that it shows a bunch of files.

If I double click on Windows Explorer shortcut, then I get sort of the same thing except that the C: drive is expanded to show all the files on that particular partition.

[Sylvander]

I doubt if it’s possible to do that.

Why not just use the [Windows key + “E” key] combination to open Explorer.
This gives the result you desire [on my PC at least] and it’s so simple to do.

I think that the “Context Menu” you mention is constructed by the Explorer shell from information it looks up in the registry.
Shortcuts only activate a file [like “C:\Windows\Explorer.exe”].
Perhaps someone out there knows how to make a shortcut to a batch file with a command to run “Explorer.exe” with special parameters to do what you require?
It all sounds a bit complex though, especially when it can be done quite simply with the keyboard.

[Sylvander]

Instructions found here
http://www.burzurq.com/forum/explorer_shortcut.html
http://www.jsiinc.com/SUBA/tip0000/rh0057.htm

I used "Copernic Agent" to find these.
Get a free download here http://tinyurl.com/8imi

[sleddog]

Windows 95/98:

C:\Windows\explorer.exe /n,/e,/select,c:\

Windows 2000/XP:

C:\WINNT\explorer.exe /n,/e,/select,c:\

[Sylvander]

Following the instructions given in
http://www.burzurq.com/forum/explorer_shortcut.html
I right-clicked on the desktop and selected "New>Shortcut".
Having previously highlighted and copied
C:\Windows\explorer.exe /n,/e,/select,c:\
as supplied by sleddog I pasted this into the "Command Line" window, clicked "Next", typed a name for the shortcut and clicked "Finish.

That gave me exactly what you had asked for.

[Sylvander]

You sent me a private message
[I hope you don't mind me quoting some of it here. Better that everyone can see and learn from exchanges.]
some of which said:
"I'm thinking hard that "My Computer" is a system object (or something) and that one must hack the registry in order to create shortcuts...maybe...don't know.
At any rate, now I am curious about what the keyboard "WinKey" does. Have any clue about exactly what the WinKey does (sends)?"

Just to illustrate that this is all more comlex than you might think, I've copied [below] the output from "Regmon.exe" that shows the registry accesses made just to draw the little contest menu that shows when you right-click on "My Computer".
This lot exceeded the 10,000 characters allowed on this forun by about 1,000 characters so I've cut out about 1,000.

START OF REGMON.EXE OUTPUT
HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Pol icies\Explorer\NoViewContextMenu NOTFOUND
10.13930400 Explorer CloseKey HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Pol icies\Explorer SUCCESS
10.14060800 Explorer OpenKey HKCR\Folder SUCCESS hKey: 0xC29C3390
10.14095360 Explorer OpenKey HKCR\CLSID\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D} SUCCESS hKey: 0xC29C3280
10.14104320 Explorer OpenKey HKCR\Folder SUCCESS hKey: 0xC29C3390
10.14476800 Explorer OpenKey 0xC1819FD0\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\InProcServer32 SUCCESS hKey: 0xC29D8000
10.14491040 Explorer QueryValueEx 0xC1819FD0\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\InProcServer32 SUCCESS "shell32.dll"
10.14507920 Explorer QueryValueEx 0xC1819FD0\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\InProcServer32\ThreadingModel SUCCESS "Apartment"
10.14531760 Explorer CloseKey 0xC1819FD0\{20D04FE0-3AEA-1069-A2D8-08002B30309D}\InProcServer32 SUCCESS
10.14915440 Explorer OpenKey HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Pol icies\Explorer SUCCESS hKey: 0xC29D8000
10.14943200 Explorer CloseKey HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Pol icies\Explorer SUCCESS
10.15064080 Explorer OpenKey 0xC29C3280\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers NOTFOUND
10.15108720 Explorer OpenKey 0xC29C3390\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers SUCCESS hKey: 0xC29D8000
10.15121600 Explorer QueryValueEx 0xC29C3390\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers SUCCESS ""
10.15133920 Explorer EnumKey 0xC29C3390\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers SUCCESS WinZip
10.15149120 Explorer EnumKey 0xC29C3390\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers SUCCESS AVG Shell Extension
10.15161600 Explorer EnumKey 0xC29C3390\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers NOMORE
10.15195120 Explorer OpenKey 0xC29C3390\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\WinZip SUCCESS hKey: 0xC182AB90
10.15210160 Explorer QueryValueEx 0xC29C3390\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\WinZip SUCCESS "{E0D79300-84BE-11CE-9641-444553540000}"
10.15218960 Explorer CloseKey 0xC29C3390\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\WinZip SUCCESS
10.15248800 Explorer OpenKey 0xC29C3390\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\AVG Shell Extension SUCCESS hKey: 0xC182AB90
10.15260400 Explorer QueryValueEx 0xC29C3390\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\AVG Shell Extension SUCCESS "{1E2CDF40-419B-11D2-A5A1-002018648BA7}"
10.15271280 Explorer CloseKey 0xC29C3390\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers\AVG Shell Extension SUCCESS
10.15281280 Explorer CloseKey 0xC29C3390\shellex\ContextMenuHandlers SUCCESS
10.15522000 Explorer OpenKey 0xC1819FD0\{1E2CDF40-419B-11D2-A5A1-002018648BA7}\InProcServer32 SUCCESS hKey: 0xC29D8000
10.15540880 Explorer QueryValueEx 0xC1819FD0\{1E2CDF40-419B-11D2-A5A1-002018648BA7}\InProcServer32 SUCCESS "C:\PROGRAM FILES\GRISOFT\AVG6\AVGSE.DLL"
10.15556320 Explorer QueryValueEx 0xC1819FD0\{1E2CDF40-419B-11D2-A5A1-002018648BA7}\InProcServer32\ThreadingModel SUCCESS "Apartment"
10.17839440 Explorer OpenKey HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Exp lorer\AlwaysUnloadDll SUCCESS hKey: 0xC182AB90
10.17858640 Explorer QueryValueEx HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Exp lorer\AlwaysUnloadDll SUCCESS
10.17869680 Explorer CloseKey HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Exp lorer\AlwaysUnloadDll SUCCESS
10.17942640 Explorer OpenKey HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\AVGSE.DLL SUCCESS hKey: 0xC182AB90
10.17957120 Explorer QueryValueEx HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\AVGSE.DLL\Menu1 SUCCESS "Scan with &AVG"
10.17966480 Explorer CloseKey HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\AVGSE.DLL SUCCESS
10.18004960 Explorer OpenKey HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\AVGSE.DLL SUCCESS hKey: 0xC182AB90
10.18019360 Explorer QueryValueEx HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\AVGSE.DLL\Help1 SUCCESS "Scan against viruses with AVG"
10.18028400 Explorer CloseKey HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\App Paths\AVGSE.DLL SUCCESS
10.18049040 Explorer CloseKey 0xC1819FD0\{1E2CDF40-419B-11D2-A5A1-002018648BA7}\InProcServer32 SUCCESS
10.18851120 Explorer QueryValueEx 0xC1819FD0\{E0D79300-84BE-11CE-9641-444553540000}\InProcServer32 SUCCESS "C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\wzshlext.dll"
10.18864880 Explorer QueryValueEx 0xC1819FD0\{E0D79300-84BE-11CE-9641-444553540000}\InProcServer32\ThreadingModel SUCCESS "Apartment"
10.18927920 Explorer QueryValueEx 0xC1848D80\C:\PROGRA~1\WINZIP\WZSHLEXT NOTFOUND
10.20422960 Explorer OpenKey HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Exp lorer\AlwaysUnloadDll SUCCESS hKey: 0xC182AB90
10.20437520 Explorer QueryValueEx HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Exp lorer\AlwaysUnloadDll SUCCESS
10.20447600 Explorer CloseKey HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Exp lorer\AlwaysUnloadDll SUCCESS
10.21911280 Explorer QueryValueEx 0xC1819FD0\{21B22460-3AEA-1069-A2DC-08002B30309D}\InProcServer32 SUCCESS "shell32.dll"
10.21924320 Explorer QueryValueEx 0xC1819FD0\{21B22460-3AEA-1069-A2DC-08002B30309D}\InProcServer32\ThreadingModel SUCCESS "Apartment"
10.22057040 Explorer OpenKey HKLM\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Pol icies\Explorer NOTFOUND
10.22090160 Explorer OpenKey HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Pol icies\Explorer SUCCESS hKey: 0xC29D8000
10.22103680 Explorer QueryValueEx HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Pol icies\Explorer\NoFind NOTFOUND
10.22112160 Explorer CloseKey HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Pol icies\Explorer SUCCESS
10.22172000 Explorer OpenKey 0xC29C3280\Shell\open NOTFOUND
10.22182000 Explorer EnumKey 0xC29C3280\Shell SUCCESS find
10.22196080 Explorer EnumKey 0xC29C3280\Shell SUCCESS SiSoft Sandra 2001te Standard
10.22206800 Explorer EnumKey 0xC29C3280\Shell NOMORE
10.22238320 Explorer OpenKey 0xC29C3280\Shell\find SUCCESS hKey: 0xC182AB90
10.22255040 Explorer QueryValueEx 0xC29C3280\Shell\find SUCCESS ""
10.22263840 Explorer CloseKey 0xC29C3280\Shell\find SUCCESS
10.22345920 Explorer OpenKey 0xC29C3280\Shell\SiSoft Sandra 2001te Standard SUCCESS hKey: 0xC182AB90
10.22359840 Explorer QueryValueEx 0xC29C3280\Shell\SiSoft Sandra 2001te Standard SUCCESS "System &Summary..."
10.22368720 Explorer CloseKey 0xC29C3280\Shell\SiSoft Sandra 2001te Standard SUCCESS
10.22503120 Explorer QueryValueEx 0xC1819FD0\{21B22460-3AEA-1069-A2DC-08002B30309D}\InProcServer32 SUCCESS "shell32.dll"
10.22784320 Explorer OpenKey 0xC29C3390\Shell SUCCESS hKey: 0xC182AB90
10.22795760 Explorer QueryValueEx 0xC29C3390\Shell SUCCESS ""
10.22829600 Explorer OpenKey 0xC29C3390\Shell\open SUCCESS hKey: 0xC29C33C0
10.22906320 Explorer CloseKey 0xC29C3390\Shell\open SUCCESS
10.22917520 Explorer EnumKey 0xC29C3390\Shell SUCCESS open
10.22926560 Explorer EnumKey 0xC29C3390\Shell SUCCESS explore
10.22935680 Explorer EnumKey 0xC29C3390\Shell NOMORE
10.22963200 Explorer OpenKey 0xC29C3390\Shell\open SUCCESS hKey: 0xC29C33C0
10.22974480 Explorer QueryValueEx 0xC29C3390\Shell\open SUCCESS ""
10.22982640 Explorer CloseKey 0xC29C3390\Shell\open SUCCESS
10.23060720 Explorer OpenKey 0xC29C3390\Shell\explore SUCCESS hKey: 0xC29C33C0
10.23072320 Explorer QueryValueEx 0xC29C3390\Shell\explore SUCCESS ""
10.23080720 Explorer CloseKey 0xC29C3390\Shell\explore SUCCESS
10.23142400 Explorer OpenKey 0xC29C3390\Shell SUCCESS hKey: 0xC182AB90
10.23152240 Explorer QueryValueEx 0xC29C3390\Shell SUCCESS ""
10.23159520 Explorer CloseKey 0xC29C3390\Shell SUCCESS
10.23192240 Explorer OpenKey 0xC29C3390\shell\open\command SUCCESS hKey: 0xC29C33C0
10.23205520 Explorer QueryValueEx 0xC29C3390\shell\open\command SUCCESS "C:\WINDOWS\Explorer.exe /idlist,%I,%L"
10.23214240 Explorer CloseKey 0xC29C3390\shell\open\command SUCCESS
14.28356880 Explorer CloseKey 0xC29C3280 SUCCESS
14.28369520 Explorer CloseKey 0xC29D8000 SUCCESS
14.28384880 Explorer CloseKey 0xC29C3390 SUCCESS
14.28395840 Explorer CloseKey 0xC182AB90 SUCCESS
14.28433120 Explorer CloseKey 0xC29C3390 SUCCESS
14.28442720 Explorer CloseKey 0xC29C3280 SUCCESS
END OF REGMON.EXE OUTPUT

Whew! Get the idea?
I imagine the Windows key sends a command to the Windows shell [Explorer] telling it what is required [that it open the Start menu] and that basiic command can be modified by the addition of other keys.

[LeanPudLou]

Wow!
Okay...your point well made, and well taken...
I believe that I'll use WinKey + E


And again...thanks all for your time and attention to my question.
I tend to shy away from Forums and Lists, etc.. But after observing this particular Forum for some days, decided to join up. The folks here
about are really top notch!