Adding Shortcuts in Windows 98

If you would like to add a shortcut to your program in the Start Menu, you can use the undocumented API call, fCreateShellLink, that is used in the setupkit.

Declarations

Private Declare Function fCreateShellLink Lib "VB5STKIT.DLL" (ByVal lpstrFolderName As String, ByVal lpstrLinkName As String, ByVal lpstrLinkPath As String, ByVal lpstrLinkArgs As String) As Long

If you are using Windows 95 then the following API is used:

Private Declare Function fCreateShellLink Lib "STKIT432.DLL" (ByVal lpstrFolderName as String, ByVal lpstrLinkName as String, ByVal lpstrLinkPath as String, ByVal lpstrLinkArgs as String) As Long

Use

To add a shortcut to the Start Menu, you call the function with these parameters:

  • lpstrFolderName = Where to place the link in relation to the Programs folder on the Start Menu
  • lpstrLinkName = Name or Text to appear in the link
  • lpstrLinkPath = Path of the file to link to
  • lpstrLinkArgs = Arguments for the file

    For instance, to add a shortcut to the desktop, you would use the following code:

    Dim lngResult As Long

    Call lngResult = fCreateShellLink("..\..\Desktop", "Link to my program", "C:\Path\Program.exe","")