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idahodixon
Level 2

How to create a NON-advertised shortcut (SingleImage

Hi,

I'm using InstallShield Limited Edition 2015 in Visual Studio 2013. In my Setup project (in the Visual Studio solution), under Step 3 'Configure the Target System' -> Shortcuts/Folders, I can see where to add a shortcut to the Desktop. The problem is that whether I right-click and select 'New Shortcut' or 'New Advertised Shortcut', the new shortcut that is created by the installer is an advertised one regardless of selection. Under the Behavior pane for the shortcut (in the project), it says "Advertised shortcut to [INSTALLDIR]MyProgram.Primary output" - no matter which type of shortcut I select.

The problem with an 'advertised' shortcut is that I cannot drag-n-drop files onto the shortcut, only on the executable. Being able to is a requirement from the customer. Since an actual executable is installed in Program Files, there is no need for the shortcut to be 'advertised'. How can I create just a regular shortcut in my single-image installation??

Thanks in advance,
Brian
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MrTree
Level 6

Hi,

I don't have the Limited Edition, so I don't know which Options you have. In IS2015 Premier you can change the type of the Shortcut under System Configuration - Shortcuts, select the shortcut, on the left side you now have Behavior - Advertised which you can set to "No".

Hope this helps.
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idahodixon
Level 2

In my setup project, Step 3 "Configure the Target System", there is a "Shortcuts/Folders" item. Double-click that and it opens a window where you can define shortcuts to be created. Under "Shortcuts" in that window, there is a "Desktop" folder item that you can right-click to select a shortcut to be created. Among others, it has "New Shortcut ins" and "New Advertised Shortcut" choices there. I can select each and both shortcuts are created on the Desktop at time of installation, BUT they are both advertised shortcuts. The selection of the plain "New Shortcut" option does NOT create a regular shortcut that just points to the installed executable.

Our program accepts drag-n-drop data files that we like to drop onto the shortcut - then the program runs and does what it is supposed to do. BUT with an advertised shortcut, dragging and dropping the data file onto the shortcut is disallowed (cursor turns into a small red circle/cross-bar symbol that means "cannot do"). That said, if I manually create a regular shortcut by right-clicking the Desktop and selecting 'New shortcut...', and browse to the installed executable, THEN dragging and dropping of the data file works just fine on that shortcut. It is obvious that the shortcut from the 'New Shortcut' selection in the installshield project is indeed creating the wrong type of shortcut ...a bug?? Right now, we have to disable the creation of shortcuts in the installer project, and define a post-install action to run a VBScript that creates the regular shortcut ...this seems wrong to have to do it this way, but it does solve our dilemma.

Thanks,
Brian
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