543:
representing an instruction to perform a task associated with that file or executable so that they may be grouped by function or task rather than physical organisation in the file structure was first described in the research paper "A Task
Oriented Front End For The Windows Graphical User Interface",
331:
Although
Windows does not provide convenient tools to create it, Explorer supports a "folder link" or "shell link folder": a folder with the system attribute set, containing a hidden "desktop.ini" (folder customization) file which tells Explorer to look in that same folder for a "target.lnk" shortcut
306:
Generally, the effect of double-clicking a shortcut is intended to be the same as double-clicking the application or document to which it refers, but
Windows shortcuts contain separate properties for the target file and the "Start In" directory. If the latter parameter is not entered, attempting to
495:
were distinguished from other files by using names in italics. In Mac OS 8.5 and later, another distinguishing mark was added: an "alias arrow" – a black arrow with a thin, white border – similar to that used for shortcuts in
Microsoft Windows. In
332:
file pointing to another folder. When viewed in
Explorer, the shell link folder then appears to have the contents of the target folder in it—that is, the customized folder becomes the effective shortcut. This technique is used by Microsoft Windows for items like
324:, some shortcuts also store Application User Model IDs (AppUserModelIDs). Instead of the target command line, AppUserModelIDs may directly be used to launch applications. Shortcuts with AppUserModelIDs are used by some desktop programs and all
260:
Although shortcuts, when created, point to specific files or folders, they may break if the target is moved to another location. When a shortcut file that points to a nonexistent target is opened, Explorer will attempt to repair the shortcut.
500:, the names of aliases are no longer italicized, but the arrow badge remains. Additionally, an alias retains its dynamic reference to an object and does not have to be specified even when calling files on remote servers.
256:
files cannot be used in place of the file except in
Windows Explorer, and have other uses in Windows Explorer in addition to use as a shortcut to a local file (or GUID). These files also begin with "L".
539:, the user had to click on the representation of the actual file or executable in the location where the application or file was. The concept of disassociating the executable from the
846:
of
Joachim Metz, combining Microsoft specification and observations across Windows versions – for example, some aspects of Windows 95 behavior are not mentioned in MS-SHELLINK
303:
folders, pinned to the
Taskbar or the Desktop. In Windows 2000 onwards, file shortcuts can store comments which are displayed as a tooltip when the mouse hovers over the shortcut.
221:
for shortcuts to remote files, like web pages. Commonly referred to as "shortcuts" or "link files", both are displayed with a curled arrow overlay icon by default, and no
737:
241:
option causes the arrow to be displayed.) Shortcut files can be used to launch programs in minimized or maximized window states if the program supports it.
701:
675:
606:
865:
Shellify is a 100% managed .NET implementation of the
Microsoft Shell Link (.LNK) Binary File Format for accessing .lnk files without the Windows API
843:
909:
556:
that same year under an academia/business technology sharing agreement. A simplified form of this research was incorporated into
88:
to be passed to the target program when it is run. Each shortcut can have its own icon. Shortcuts are very commonly placed on a
774:
280:
for tracking the targets of shortcuts, so that the shortcut may be silently updated if the target moves to another hard drive.
307:
use the shortcut for some programs may generate "missing DLL" errors not present when the application is accessed directly.
805:
313:
can also be created on
Windows systems (Vista and up). They serve a similar function, although they are a feature of the
858:
225:. (The extension remains hidden in Windows Explorer even when "Hide extensions for known file types" is unchecked in
17:
642:
1307:
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84:, or the name of a target program file that the shortcut represents. The shortcut might additionally specify
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folders. The advent of file system links in Windows Vista and up has made shell link folders less useful.
273:
file system, the target object's unique identifier is stored in the shortcut file and Windows can use the
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1051:
483:
Macintosh does not have extensions for shortcuts. A file type called "alias" was introduced in Macintosh
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93:
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1259:
69:
allows the user to open a page, file or resource located at a remote Internet location or Web site.
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583:
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1264:
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895:
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647:
438:, a simple pointer to a target file or directory is implemented in the operating system as a
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58:
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317:. Windows shortcuts are files and work independently of the file system, through Explorer.
8:
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files. The format of these plain text files follows the 'desktop entry' specification by
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62:
46:
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265:-based versions of Windows use a simple search algorithm to fix broken shortcuts. On
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31:
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can be defined in the shortcut's properties for shortcuts that are located in the
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107:. The functional equivalent in the Macintosh operating system is called an
27:
Handle in a user interface that allows the user to find a file or resource
1113:
998:
988:
946:
932:
652:
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can be created within the Unix subsystem. The Safari browser has its own
314:
288:, added another special type of shortcuts called "Advertised Shortcuts."
72:
Shortcuts are typically implemented as a small file containing a target
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100:
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extensions, rather than file system extensions. As a shell extension,
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path besides the target path. Environment variables can be used. A
214:
887:
466:
347:. This is used to reference a track (song) on a CD (in standard
1227:
643:"Distributed Link Tracking on Windows-based domain controllers"
333:
296:
461:, and besides the location of the program they can provide an
431:
325:
869:
Win32::Shortcut - Perl Module to deal with Windows Shortcuts
65:
from the place where the shortcut is located. Similarly, an
742:
270:
73:
30:"Computer shortcut" redirects here. For other uses, see
328:
Modern/Universal Windows Platform apps for launching.
123:
files which provide additional configuration details.
339:There is another type of file that is similar to a
838:"MS-SHLLINK: Shell Link (.LNK) Binary File Format"
676:"Dawn of War - Dark Crusade: Error Loading Module"
775:"Manually creating junction points in Windows XP"
1299:
702:"Windows Confidential: Why are Shortcuts Files?"
119:which point to a target file, and often support
738:"Application User Model IDs (AppUserModelIDs)"
903:
491:to handle moves. Aliases in System 7 through
217:extension for shortcuts to local files, and
852:for accessing .lnk files in the Windows API
910:
896:
844:Windows Shortcut File format specification
607:"Windows Confidential: Tracking Shortcuts"
229:options, because it is controlled by the
600:
598:
53:that allows the user to find a file or
14:
1300:
772:
544:by Mike Roberts, published in 1991 by
291:File shortcuts in Windows can store a
891:
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595:
699:
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131:
560:in 1991, and four years later into
445:When the target is a program, many
24:
917:
651:. 28 February 2007. Archived from
126:
25:
1324:
826:
269:-based operating systems and the
773:Shultz, Greg (18 October 2004).
700:Chen, Raymond (September 2006).
1076:Hidden file / Hidden directory
798:
766:
730:
693:
674:Cheng, Chieh (19 April 2008).
667:
635:
605:Chen, Raymond (October 2009).
197:File shortcuts (also known as
13:
1:
1119:Filesystem Hierarchy Standard
806:"Desktop Entry Specification"
589:
515:, for storing Internet URLs.
487:; it tracks information like
884:, a guide for .desktop files
343:file, but has the extension
7:
1253:Comparison of file managers
1052:List of filename extensions
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103:, or in the main menu of a
10:
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94:application launcher panel
29:
1260:File system fragmentation
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537:graphical user interfaces
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447:graphical user interfaces
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275:Distributed Link Tracking
235:HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile
187:
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171:application/x-ms-shortcut
163:
141:
1064:Extended file attributes
972:Proprietary file formats
584:Program information file
384:Internet media type
165:Internet media type
1308:Executable file formats
1265:File-system permissions
358:
57:located in a different
548:and presented to both
472:
237:in the Registry. The
648:Microsoft Corporation
201:) were introduced in
182:Microsoft Corporation
1313:Windows architecture
1280:File synchronization
1129:Semantic file system
952:List of file formats
882:"Howto desktop file"
850:IShellLink interface
1109:Directory structure
546:Kingston University
469:and other details.
365:
138:
105:desktop environment
1047:Filename extension
861:2010-07-30 at the
754:on 13 January 2015
623:on 12 October 2009
574:NTFS symbolic link
415:Extended from
370:Filename extension
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244:Microsoft Windows
223:filename extension
143:Filename extension
136:
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1287:File verification
1040:Filename mangling
967:Open file formats
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397:Developed by
311:File system links
293:working directory
282:Windows Installer
248:files operate as
207:Microsoft Windows
195:
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178:Developed by
132:Microsoft Windows
98:Microsoft Windows
67:Internet shortcut
32:keyboard shortcut
18:Computer shortcut
16:(Redirected from
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1243:Data compression
1124:Grid file system
1102:Temporary folder
1092:Directory/folder
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759:
750:. Archived from
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714:. Archived from
707:TechNet Magazine
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619:. Archived from
612:TechNet Magazine
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430:systems such as
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284:, introduced in
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250:Windows Explorer
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863:Wayback Machine
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812:. 27 April 2020
810:freedesktop.org
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785:CBS Interactive
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840:from Microsoft
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827:External links
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718:on 4 July 2009
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554:Xerox EuroPARC
523:To execute an
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505:symbolic links
479:Alias (Mac OS)
477:Main article:
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407:Type of format
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43:file shortcut
40:
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1275:File sharing
1248:File manager
1238:File copying
1194:
1085:Organisation
1030:8.3 filename
984:Sidecar file
962:Magic number
875:
874:
871:Perl library
831:
830:
814:. Retrieved
809:
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788:. Retrieved
778:
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756:. Retrieved
752:the original
741:
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720:. Retrieved
716:the original
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683:. Retrieved
679:
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657:. Retrieved
653:the original
646:
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625:. Retrieved
621:the original
610:
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489:inode number
482:
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286:Windows 2000
274:
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231:NeverShowExt
226:
198:
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96:such as the
81:
71:
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36:
1114:File system
999:System file
989:Sparse file
947:File format
933:Binary file
832:Windows LNK
525:application
315:file system
199:shell links
1302:Categories
1221:Management
1146:Operations
1097:NTFS links
1018:Properties
856:"Shellify"
816:2023-10-27
590:References
562:Windows 95
455:.directory
390:text/plain
301:Start Menu
267:Windows NT
263:Windows 9x
239:IsShortcut
233:option in
203:Windows 95
101:Start menu
86:parameters
1190:Hard link
1071:File size
994:Swap file
942:Data file
937:text file
748:Microsoft
712:Microsoft
617:Microsoft
579:Hard link
550:Microsoft
535:in early
428:Unix-like
355:format).
322:Windows 7
227:File Type
113:Unix-like
59:directory
39:computing
1195:Shortcut
1025:Filename
979:Metafile
859:Archived
790:14 April
758:14 April
722:14 April
685:14 April
680:GearHack
659:14 April
627:14 April
568:See also
558:System 7
498:Mac OS X
493:Mac OS 9
485:System 7
451:.desktop
449:support
419:INI file
376:.desktop
215:filename
121:.desktop
92:, in an
55:resource
1178:Linking
519:History
513:.webloc
467:tooltip
353:RedBook
278:service
213:as the
90:desktop
1228:Backup
1205:Shadow
529:render
334:WebDAV
297:hotkey
82:object
80:to an
63:folder
47:handle
1200:Alias
1169:Write
1159:Close
926:Types
432:Linux
326:WinRT
209:uses
109:alias
49:in a
45:is a
1164:Read
1154:Open
1136:Path
792:2019
760:2019
743:MSDN
724:2019
687:2019
661:2019
629:2019
552:and
541:icon
533:file
465:, a
463:icon
453:and
434:and
359:Unix
349:CDDA
345:.cda
341:.lnk
271:NTFS
254:.lnk
246:.lnk
219:.url
211:.lnk
157:.cda
153:.url
149:.lnk
78:GUID
41:, a
527:or
473:Mac
436:BSD
426:On
137:lnk
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74:URI
61:or
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