It seems that there is not a direct way to create a shortcut from the command line in Windows. The solution presented here takes less than two minutes to set up and works pretty good. However, if you find a better one, I would like to know.
First you have to create a small text file by the name mkshortcut.vbs. Use your favorite text editor to edit the file, even notepad will do. Then copy the following text and paste it into the file:
set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell" )
set oShellLink = WshShell.CreateShortcut(Wscript.Arguments.Named("shortcut") & ".lnk")
oShellLink.TargetPath = Wscript.Arguments.Named("target")
oShellLink.WindowStyle = 1
oShellLink.Save
Then save the file and exit the editor. Make sure that you move the file in a directory in your PATH (usually C:WINDOWSSystem32 is fine). Now, from the command line you can create shortcuts this way:
mkshortcut /target:TargetName /shortcut:ShortcutName
You will have to replace TargetName with the name of the target file and ShortcutName with the name of the shortcut to be created (do not include a .lnk extension!). For example:
C:>mkshortcut /target:"c:/documents and settings/giannis/desktop" /shortcut:"My Desktop"
C:>dir *.lnk
Volume in drive C has no label.
Volume Serial Number is 70FC-EBB4
Directory of C:
12/03/2008 11:12 AM 453 My Desktop.lnk
1 File(s) 453 bytes
0 Dir(s) 46,659,989,504 bytes free
C:>
Make sure that in target you include the full path of the target file name, starting with the drive letter and going down. For some reason Windows seem unable to create shortcuts with a relative path. Always use absolute paths for target.
Just used this on Win7x64 – worked great. Thanks!
Good one. Helped me a lot
Thanks for this tutorial, works great!
I’m wondering how I can add extra parameters for the shortcut, any ideas?
What I mean is something like this “C:tempfile.exe -show edited” etc.
I tried using apostrophes but then it won’t find the file at all!
Got it.
If you need extra parameters, you’ll have to add
oShellLink.Arguments = “-params /whatever”
after the TargetPath. 🙂
can you please provide the full script & steps
How would you set it to open with a program like textpad. Saying its like a config file
Awesome script – is there any way to add arguments to set a specific icon file?
Good Work
Awesome, thanks. Am using this in a project.
how you can specify a location to save the shortcut
we have target, name of the shortcut but if i want to save on the network drive (example “x:DAYvoice.lnk”)
we need a new option (example “/save”)
C:>mkshortcut /target:”c:/documents and settings/giannis/desktop” /shortcut:”My Desktop” /save:”x:DAY”
This command maybe help you
mklink /d %userprofile%desktopdata d:data
Good Luck
Iran ahwaz
How can i add this to run on user logon, does the VBS script have to be on the local machine of the users?
Can you please update this script to support generic shortcut creation?
mkshortcut.vbs /target:”” /shortcut: /location:
Sweet! I used it succesfully to re-create a shortcut to Excel in my start menu. Doing it straight from the explorer gave me a nasty msvcr80.dll.
I rewrote the script a little to this:
set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject(“WScript.Shell” )
sStartmenuPath = WshShell.SpecialFolders(“StartMenu”)
set oShellLink = WshShell.CreateShortcut(sStartmenuPath & “” & Wscript.Arguments.Named(“shortcut”) & “.lnk”)
oShellLink.TargetPath = Wscript.Arguments.Named(“target”)
oShellLink.WindowStyle = 1
oShellLink.Save
More info on SpecialFolders is here:
http://www.devguru.com/technologies/wsh/quickref/wshshell_specialfolders.html
Thanks for sharing!
Just starting to learn scripting…
I think i have the basic language down but can some one post what this script would look like if it had a “location to save .lnk” object?
Im using this in a batch file process to copy files from a network drive then create a shortcut to delete the files when the user is done, need to copy the shortcut to the C:/User/Public/Desktop location.
Also when i run the mkshortcut.vbs from the command line i get this error:
Windows Script Host
Script: C:Windowssystem32mkshortcut.vbs
Line:3
Char: 1
Error: Invalid proceedure call or argument
Code: 800A0005
Source: Microsoft VBScript runtime error
would appreciate any help.
whoops i meant “location to save .lnk” argument!!!!!!
Thanks. Great stuff.
Thanks for the tip and taking the time to write it :). Big help
Thank you !! Enabled automated build of links to template files under %userprofile%.
This is great- thanks!
If you also need to set the “Start in” or “Working Directory” you can add to the script as follows:
set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject(“WScript.Shell” )
set oShellLink = WshShell.CreateShortcut(Wscript.Arguments.Named(“shortcut”) & “.lnk”)
oShellLink.TargetPath = Wscript.Arguments.Named(“target”)
oShellLink.WorkingDirectory = Wscript.Arguments.Named(“startin”)
oShellLink.WindowStyle = 1
oShellLink.Save
Then the command would be:
mkshortcut /target:”C:\target_directory\file” /startin:”C:\target_directory” /shortcut:”C:\shortcut_directoy\shortcut”
Thanks bro.. It works..!!
how do u create a file
how did you do it
that didnt work so do u kno an easy way to do it
Thanks, this really helped me a lot!
To do this from a batch file I did the following:
ECHO set WshShell = WScript.CreateObject(“WScript.Shell” ) > “%userprofile%\desktop\shortcut.vbs”
ECHO set oShellLink = WshShell.CreateShortcut(Wscript.Arguments.Named(“shortcut”) ^& “.lnk”) >> “%userprofile%\desktop\shortcut.vbs”
ECHO oShellLink.TargetPath = Wscript.Arguments.Named(“target”) >> “%userprofile%\desktop\shortcut.vbs”
ECHO oShellLink.Arguments = Wscript.Arguments.Named(“Arguments”) >> “%userprofile%\desktop\shortcut.vbs”
ECHO oShellLink.WindowStyle = 1 >> “%userprofile%\desktop\shortcut.vbs”
ECHO oShellLink.Save >> “%userprofile%\desktop\shortcut.vbs”
“%userprofile%\desktop\shortcut.vbs” /target:”C:\Windows\System32\control.exe” /Arguments:”smscfgrc” /shortcut:”Configuration Manager”
del “%userprofile%\desktop\shortcut.vbs” /S /Q >NUL
Thanks for the program, however like some others, I had errors like some of the others.
Since arguements ran from a batch script require to be in quotes, otherwise the value will be cut out, I had to remove quotes first within the .vbs file in order to get the script to create a shortcut without errors. Plus I changed some of the variable names.
Resources:
http://ss64.com/vb/shortcut.html
http://ss64.com/vb/arguments.html
‘Remove quotes
myFileName = WScript.Arguments.Named.Item(“filename”)
myTarget = WScript.Arguments.Named.Item(“target”)
myStartin = WScript.Arguments.Named.Item(“startin”)
myFileName = replace(myFileName, “”””, “”)
myTarget = replace(myTarget, “”””, “”)
myStartin = replace(myStartin, “”””, “”)
‘Create Shortcut
Set objShell = WScript.CreateObject(“WScript.Shell”)
Set objLink = objShell.CreateShortcut(myFileName & “.lnk”)
objLink.TargetPath = myTarget
objLink.WorkingDirectory = myStartin
objLink.WindowStyle = “1”
objLink.Save
‘Clean up
Set myFileName = Nothing
Set myTarget = Nothing
Set myStartin = Nothing
Set objShell = Nothing
Thanks for this ;]
Hi
I would like to create a batch file, to create a RDP link to a specific address on the desktop. A file that i can mail to users to just run.
thanx
gr8
this is sweet as hell
I need a walkthrough with this
i need help
need help with this
Everything is very open with a precise description of the issues.
It was definitely informative. Your site is very useful.
Thank you for sharing!
I did it, and I get a shortcut with blank name. Which means, that if I do it again, new shortcut will replace old. I tried by changing “.lnk” to “.lnk” (so later I rename it) and what I had was a void file with mkshortcut name. Any solution?
CORRECTED
I did it, and I get a shortcut with blank name. Which means, that if I do it again, new shortcut will replace old. I tried by changing “.lnk” to “.lnk” (so later I rename it) and what I had was a void file with mkshortcut name. Any solution?
giannis, something is compelety wrong . This shortcut not have “start in” not have “target” not have anything important. Not work.
It donn’t work and I did it all right
This has been a great help in setting up programs through SCCM and other manually installed applicaitons