Extract Path from shortcut link - windows batch

Question

How can I extract the path from a shortcut link in windows batch file without using vbscript?

Answer 1

You can do it with a wmic query to win32_shortcutfile. Just make sure all your backslashes are backslash-escaped within %filename%.

Syntax:

batfile shortcutfile.lnk

Code:

@echo off
setlocal

rem // ensure user supplied a filename with a .lnk extension
if /i "%~x1" neq ".lnk" (
    echo usage: %~nx0 shortcut.lnk
    goto :EOF
)

rem // set filename to the fully qualified path + filename
set "filename=%~f1"

rem // get target
for /f "delims=" %%I in (
    'wmic path win32_shortcutfile where "name='%filename:\=\\%'" get target /value'
) do for /f "delims=" %%# in ("%%~I") do set "%%~#"

rem // preserve ampersands
setlocal enabledelayedexpansion
echo(!target!