Shortcut files should be added as LNK files and not as source files [RESOLVED]
Posted: 19.02.2020, 21:50
There is this small inconvenience that I have just noticed when writing this post https://freecommander.com/forum/viewtop ... 769#p31769; at least on Windows 10 and Build 770 32-bit public
When you have for example a BAT file and create for whatever reason a shortcut to it, then that second file gets a LNK extension. And now if you right click it and go to Properties > Shortcut you will see that the >>Target<< shows the path to the original file. That is normal
But now if you try to make an icon shortcut within FreeCommander to that LNK shortcut by using the >>Customize Favorite toolbars<< option, you have to put some data in the >>Program or folder<< box, right? So you click the >>...<< icon, select >>Seek program...<<, navigate to proper folder, switch to >>All files (*.*)<< and select the LNK file. So what happens? Instead of seeing in the >>Program or folder<< box a path ending with the LNK you get to see the BAT at its end. And that beats the purpose of creating [for whatever reason] the LNK file
To workaround that issue the user has now to either manually change the end of the path; or copy it in its entirety by using the "Copy as path" entry available in the shell menu- to access which the user would have to first close the >Define favorite toolbars>> window. And al of that:
- requires some knowledge about operating system
- is inconvenient
- takes extra time and clicks
- makes FreeCommander look unprofessional
It is not a bug, as FC apparently simply chooses to read the path of the target and not the path of the LNK file itself- but that is the core of that issue
So I make a notion of switching FreeCommander to taking notice of the actual file's path and no of its target
When you have for example a BAT file and create for whatever reason a shortcut to it, then that second file gets a LNK extension. And now if you right click it and go to Properties > Shortcut you will see that the >>Target<< shows the path to the original file. That is normal
But now if you try to make an icon shortcut within FreeCommander to that LNK shortcut by using the >>Customize Favorite toolbars<< option, you have to put some data in the >>Program or folder<< box, right? So you click the >>...<< icon, select >>Seek program...<<, navigate to proper folder, switch to >>All files (*.*)<< and select the LNK file. So what happens? Instead of seeing in the >>Program or folder<< box a path ending with the LNK you get to see the BAT at its end. And that beats the purpose of creating [for whatever reason] the LNK file
To workaround that issue the user has now to either manually change the end of the path; or copy it in its entirety by using the "Copy as path" entry available in the shell menu- to access which the user would have to first close the >Define favorite toolbars>> window. And al of that:
- requires some knowledge about operating system
- is inconvenient
- takes extra time and clicks
- makes FreeCommander look unprofessional
It is not a bug, as FC apparently simply chooses to read the path of the target and not the path of the LNK file itself- but that is the core of that issue
So I make a notion of switching FreeCommander to taking notice of the actual file's path and no of its target