Distribute URL with a different icon

[Badger]

Hi

How can I distribute an URL for users to add to their Desktop and give the URL a different icon from the naff IE shortcut one?

I'm thinking it's going to have to be a manual process or something the network guys can push out.

[RichardCranium]

Edit: I've just realised I haven't answered your question with what I wrote below.


Create a .LNK file and drop that in the appropriate Desktop directory.

I just did ^C on my IE icon and then pasted it onto the desktop as a shortcut. Then edited the properties, put

http://forums.contractoruk.com/techn...ml#post1056260

at the end of the target:

"C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" http://forums.contractoruk.com/techn...ml#post1056260

and changed the icon to another one at random. I then renamed the shortcut "Any old stuff"

That created a

Any old stuff.lnk

in C:\Documents and Settings\RC\Desktop

which I copied to my wife's machine. Clicking on it on my wife's machine opens this thread.

Voila!

So I could have emailed it to her as an attachment and told her to drop it on her desktop.

HTH

(I bet there's a really, really clever and easy way.)

[NickFitz]

Edit: I've just realised I haven't answered your question with what I wrote below.


Create a .LNK file and drop that in the appropriate Desktop directory.

I just did ^C on my IE icon and then pasted it onto the desktop as a shortcut. Then edited the properties, put

http://forums.contractoruk.com/techn...ml#post1056260

at the end of the target:

"C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" http://forums.contractoruk.com/techn...ml#post1056260

and changed the icon to another one at random. I then renamed the shortcut "Any old stuff"

That created a

Any old stuff.lnk

in C:\Documents and Settings\RC\Desktop

which I copied to my wife's machine. Clicking on it on my wife's machine opens this thread.

Voila!

So I could have emailed it to her as an attachment and told her to drop it on her desktop.

HTH

(I bet there's a really, really clever and easy way.)

@RC: If I follow you and you're basically editing the shortcut to point to C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe http://example.com then you have the problem that it will always run IE, even if the user has configured a different browser as their default.

@Badger: I think shortcut files are simply a text file in .ini file format; I believe it's possible to create one (one with a .url extension, is it?) that explicitly specifies a URL and path to an icon file. Assuming that this is to be distributed within an organisation, it should be possible for the icon file to be on a network share accessible to all users - I believe Windows will cache it.

Try dragging a URL from the browser location bar onto the desktop; this will create a URL shortcut file. You should then be able to open this in Notepad or similar to get an idea of the contents. I have an idea it's something like:

[InternetShortcut]
URL=http://example.com/
Icon=\path\to\icon.ico

but don't quote me on that

[Moscow Mule]

If you're asking what I think you're asking:

This works on XP.

Pick any existing shortcut icon & duplicate it.

Right click on icon & select Properties, then Change Icon - point to whatever dll is required (might have to be a network location for it to work for all users can't remember exactly) and select you icon.

Then change it to point to whatever string you want (Change the Target Field).

[PAH]

For details of how to set this via the website that the URL points to (rather than via how the URL is distributed to the user) see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Favicon

[Badger]

Thanks for the info.

@RC, does that keep the different icon you choose?

@ Nick, I get a lot more stuff in shortcut when open with notepad so, no I wont quote you on that!

[NickFitz]

@ Nick, I get a lot more stuff in shortcut when open with notepad so, no I wont quote you on that!

Found this for you: An Unofficial Guide to the URL File Format

[Badger]

Excellent, thanks Nick.