Quick Access Features: Exploring the ‘Properties’ View

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Registration
• Using Advanced Installer
  • GUI
  • Working with Projects
  • Installer Project
    * Product Information
    * Resources
    * Files and Folders
    * Files
    * Temporary Files
    * File Operations
    * Folders
    * Permissions Tab - Installer Project
    * Shortcuts
    * Shortcut Properties View
    * Internet Shortcut Properties Dialog
    * Shortcuts
    * INI Files
    * XML Files
    * JSON Files
    * Text File Updates
    * Windows Libraries
    * Tiles
    * Java Products
    * Registry
    * File Associations
    * Assemblies
    * Drivers
    * Services
    * Package Definition
    * Requirements
    * User Interface
    * System Changes
    * Server
    * Custom Behavior
  • Patch Project
  • Merge Module Project
  • Updates Configuration Project
  • Windows Store App Project
  • Modification Package Project
  • Optional Package Project
  • Windows Mobile CAB Projects
  • Visual Studio Extension Project
  • Software Installer Wizards - Advanced Installer
  • Visual Studio integration
  • Alternative to AdminStudio/Wise
  • Replace Wise
  • Migrating from Visual Studio Installer
  • Keyboard Shortcuts
  • Shell Integration
  • Command Line
  • Advanced Installer PowerShell Automation Interfaces
• Features and Functionality
• Tutorials
• Samples
• How-tos
• FAQs
• Windows Installer
• Deployment Technologies
• IT Pro
• MSIX
• Video Tutorials
• Advanced Installer Blog
• Table of Contents

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Shortcut Properties View

In this dialog, you can edit the properties of a new internal/external shortcut or change the properties of an already existing one. The dialog is the same, with small differences.

General

• Name
• The shortcut file’s name. It will be visible to the user, it can only be edited for new shortcuts, and it can not be changed for existing ones. This field is of pseudo-formatted type. You can localize this value.
• Description
• The target application’s description. It will be visible to the user as a tool-tip for the shortcut file. You can localize this value.
• Hot Key
• A combination of keys that can be used to start or switch to the target application.
• Pin to Taskbar
• During installation - the shortcut will be pinned to taskbar during the installation if the user chooses so. This approach, recommended by Microsoft, lets the user decide if he wants to pin during installation
• After installation - the shortcut will not be pinned to taskbar immediately. The user can still pin it manually after the installation
• Disabled - disables the shortcut’s ability to be pinned to the taskbar.
• AppUserModel.ID
• Specify an Application User Model ID which can be used by the taskbar to associate processes, files, and windows with an application. This field is of Formatted Type and can be edited with Smart Edit Control .
• Advertised shortcut
• Select this check-box if you want to install the shortcut as advertised .
• Run as Administrator
• This option allows you to run the shortcut as an administrator while protecting your computer from unauthorized activity.
• Prevent auto Pin to Start
• Prevents a shortcut from being automatically pinned to the Start screen during installation. You should enable this option only for your secondary tools, this way the user will see in Start page only the main shortcuts of your application.

Microsoft recommends against automatically pinning to Taskbar as part of the installation as this should always be the user’s choice.
For this specific reason Advanced Installer enforces asking the installing user for confirmation through thePINTOTASKBAR property, which must be set to IDYES to pin to taskbar.

On Windows 7 the shortcut will not be automatically added to the Start Menu > Recently Used section.

Arguments

This command line accepts, as input, the parameters (arguments) for the file opened by the shortcut. It can include references to files, folders, and properties. This field is of Formatted Type and can be edited with Smart Edit Control .

Paths

• Shortcut Target
• Path to the shortcut target file. Relative to one of the Windows Installer Folders . Can only be edited for External File shortcuts, and only at creation time.
• The Shortcut Target must always begin with a property. Otherwise, the shortcut will not be created. This field is of Formatted Type and can be edited with Smart Edit Control .
• Shortcut Folder
• The directory where the shortcut will be placed. You can change it only at creation time using the [Browse… ] button via the Folder Picker Dialog .
• Working Directory
• The working directory of the file launched by the shortcut. The directory can be changed by using the Folder Picker Dialog or theProperty Picker Dialog through the [Edit… ] button. When using a property, its value needs to be set to a valid path.

Display

• Icon File
• The file containing the icon for the shortcut. This file can be an executable (*.exe), dynamic linked library (*.dll), or icon file (*.ico). Select it by using the [Browse… ] button. When no icon is selected, the shortcut will use by default its target file icon.
• Icon Preview
• Acts as a preview zone for the selected icon and as a drop-down list box. If multiple icons are available, the default icon can be changed by choosing another one from this drop-down list box.
• Run Mode
• This sets the application main-window mode when it starts.

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