Shortcut Examples

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Here are a few example macros and how they will expand during install:

Example 1: Create a shortcut link to your application
Shortcut location =%Common Programs% \ %VersionId% \ %VersionId%
expands to = C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs \ My Application \ My Application

Shortcut Target= %InstallPath% \ %ProgramName%
expands to= C:\Program Files\My Application \ myprogram.exe



Example 2: Create an uninstall shortcut link
Shortcut location= %Common Programs% \ %VersionId% \Uninstall %VersionId%
expands to = C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs \ My Application \Uninstall My Application

Shortcut Target= %InstallPath% \ %ProgramName%
expands to= C:\Program Files\My Application \ myprogram.exe

Additional Arguments = -uninstall
*Thinstall automatically detects the -uninstall command-line parameter when your program is executed.

Icon name = uninstall
*Icon name can only be "uninstall" or blank.


Example 3: Create a HTML Help shortcut
Shortcut location= %Common Programs% \ %VersionId%%VersionId% Help
expands to = C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs \ My Application \ My Application Help

Shortcut Target= %InstallPath% \Help.chm
expands to= C:\Program Files\My Application \Help.chm

( Note : Help.chm should be given the property of Extract on Install, with a virtual path of %InstallPath%\Help.chm)


Example 4: Create a Web Link

Shortcut location= %Common Programs%\%VersionId%\My Web Site
expands to = C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Start Menu\Programs \ My Application \ My Web Site

Shortcut Target= %installpath%\My Web Site.url
expands to= C:\Program Files\My Application \My Web Site.url

Note: You must also do the following:
1. Create the file "My Web Site.url", contents are a text file looking like this:

[InternetShortcut]

URL=http://www.mywebsite.com

2. Add "My Web Site.url" to your Thinstall project, edit virtual filename to "%InstallPath%\My Web Site.url"
3. Set Extraction option "Extract on Install" so file is visisble to Windows after Installation.

Because the file has the extension ".url" it will display the icon of the currently installed browser.

Example 5: Create a StartMenu subdirectory

If you have a large number of similar links you may want to place them in a subdirectory / submenu in the StartMenu. To do this, simple add the name of the Subdirectory into the Location Link like this:

Link1 Shortcut location= %Common Programs%\%VersionId%\Web Links\Discussion Board
Link2 Shortcut location= %Common Programs%\%VersionId%\Web Links\Main Page