asked on

Checking / Creating a desktop shortcut

I have an Access 2003 database that uses the Sagekey installation wizzard. The problem is, that when the users run the install, they are not installing an Access database on their PC, just the runtime and registry setup. The MDE file that they are ultimately loading is on the server, which means you can't use the Sagekey software to generate the shortcut.

My question is this - through VBA can you reliably detect if a the user has the application shortcut on the the desktop? If not I want it to be created on the fly, which I think I can do.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

SOLUTION

viralypatel

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

ASKER CERTIFIED SOLUTION

Scott McDaniel (EE MVE )

membership

This solution is only available to members.

To access this solution, you must be a member of Experts Exchange.

Start Free Trial

Scott McDaniel (EE MVE )

Note too that the only way to check if a shortcut exists is if you know the name and location of the shortcut. For example, if I wanted to see if a shortcut named MyAccessShortcut.lnk existed on the desktop I could do so, but I couldn't determine if the same shortcut existed on the Start Menu, or in the Program Menu unless i also checked those locations. Also, if Windows has renamed it to MyAccessShortcut2.lnk, then the routine would not locate that one.

In general, it's best to just create the shortcut and let the users decide if they want to keep them. Even the most unsophisticated Windows users know how to delete a shortcut!

Andy Brown

ASKER

Superb - that works a treat.