running an .lnk file in c++

Use ShellExecuteEx function.
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb762154.aspx
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/library/bb759784.aspx

SHELLEXECUTEINFO info;
ZeroMemory(&info, sizeof(SHELLEXECUTEINFO));
info.cbSize = sizeof(SHELLEXECUTEINFO);
info.lpFile = _T("path to .lnk file");
info.lpVerb = _T("open")
if ( ShellExecuteEx(&info) ) {
  // success
} else {
  // fail
  DWORD dwLastErr = GetLastError();
  // analyse error
}

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Forget ';' after _T("open")

I think this is the only things i need, i trimed it a little bit


      SHELLEXECUTEINFO info;
      ZeroMemory(&info, sizeof(SHELLEXECUTEINFO));
      info.cbSize = sizeof(SHELLEXECUTEINFO);
      info.lpFile = _T("path to .lnk file");
      info.lpVerb = _T("open");
      ShellExecuteEx(&info);



i got this error.


mouse_ops.cpp:28: error: `_T' was not declared in this scope

try to include tchar.h file or use Unicode version of function  ShellExecuteExW and SHELLEXECUTEINFOW and L"path to .lnk file" instead of _T("path to .lnk file").

>>mouse_ops.cpp:28: error: `_T' was not declared in this scope
That means your project isn't unicode encoding.
If you use vc6 ,in your project setting->c/c++, add "UNICODE _UNICODE_" to preprocessor definitions .
Otherwise, if you use vc7 or vc8 ,in your project properties,add "UNICODE _UNICODE_" to preprocessor definitions .
Macro UNICODE means that it will support unicode in your own code;
Macro _UNICODE_ means that it will support unicode by (GNU)c lib you linked.
To support unicode , you need to use the function which support unicode.
As wizrr said, ShellExecuteExW and SHELLEXECUTEINFOW  are necessary.

>>>> That means your project isn't unicode encoding.
>>>> #include <tchar.h>
>>>> Or just use no _T() at all:
It makes no sense to push a prog to UNICODE in order to make the _T compile. The _T is a macro that allows to *switch* between ANSI and UNICODE characters. As jkr said you simply have to include the tchar.h or - better - follow his second advice to drop all _T () which rarely have any advantage for the task you are asking for.

Regards, Alex

You can try also TEXT( instead of _T(. In any case you can define your own macro

#ifdef UNICODE
#define _UNICODE_OR_ANSI(text) L##text
#else
#define _UNICODE_OR_ANSI(text) ##text
#endif

and use it.

You also can use ansi version of functions ShellExecuteExA and SHELLEXECUTEINFOWA and just "path to .lnk file" instead of _T("path to .lnk file").

When working with _T like macro you should use _tcscmp instead of strcmp and e.g.. But when you using printf function's you must know is your format parameter is ANSI or UNICODE. See

char * g_csFormatBuffer = new char[5048];
 
std::string formatString(char * a_csFormat, ...) {
	va_list param_pt;
 
	va_start(param_pt, a_csFormat);
 
	vsprintf(g_csFormatBuffer, a_csFormat, param_pt);
 
	va_end(param_pt);
 
	return (std::string(g_csFormatBuffer));
}
// this is thread-unsafe function it uses global buffer
 
//if you use function function like this
TCHAR * tcsParam = _T("PARAM");
std::string myStr = formatString("my parameter is %S", tcsParam);
// you will get errors when compiling without using UNICODE
std::string myStr = formatString("my parameter is %s", tcsParam);
// you will get errors when compiling using UNICODE
// ------------
// how to solve? define macro as follows
#ifdef UNICODE
#define AT_FMT "%S"
#else
#define AT_FMT "%s"
#endif
 
#define TAT_FMT _T( AT_FMT )
//and use it as follows:
std::string myStr = formatString("my parameter is " AT_FMT, tcsParam);
// that will compiled normally and works without errors if ANSI or UNCICODE is used

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