How do I create a shortcut via command-line in Windows?

Question

I want my .bat script (test.bat) to create a shortcut to itself so that I can copy it to my windows 8 Startup folder.

I have written this line of code to copy the f

Answer 1

You could use a PowerShell command. Stick this in your batch script and it'll create a shortcut to %~f0 in %userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup:

powershell "$s=(New-Object -COM WScript.Shell).CreateShortcut('%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\%~n0.lnk');$s.TargetPath='%~f0';$s.Save()"

---

If you prefer not to use PowerShell, you could use mklink to make a symbolic link. Syntax:

mklink saveShortcutAs targetOfShortcut

See mklink /? in a console window for full syntax, and this web page for further information.

In your batch script, do:

mklink "%userprofile%\Start Menu\Programs\Startup\%~nx0" "%~f0"

The shortcut created isn't a traditional .lnk file, but it should work the same nevertheless. Be advised that this will only work if the .bat file is run from the same drive as your startup folder. Also, apparently admin rights are required to create symbolic links.

Answer 2

I present a small hybrid script [BAT/VBS] to create a desktop shortcut. And you can of course modifie it to your purpose.

@echo off
mode con cols=87 lines=5 & color 9B
Title Shortcut Creator for your batch and applications files by Hackoo 2015
Set MyFile=%~f0
Set ShorcutName=HackooTest
(
echo Call Shortcut("%MyFile%","%ShorcutName%"^)
echo ^'**********************************************************************************************^)
echo Sub Shortcut(ApplicationPath,Nom^)
echo    Dim objShell,DesktopPath,objShortCut,MyTab
echo    Set objShell = CreateObject("WScript.Shell"^)
echo    MyTab = Split(ApplicationPath,"\"^)
echo    If Nom = "" Then
echo    Nom = MyTab(UBound(MyTab^)^)
echo    End if
echo    DesktopPath = objShell.SpecialFolders("Desktop"^)
echo    Set objShortCut = objShell.CreateShortcut(DesktopPath ^& "\" ^& Nom ^& ".lnk"^)
echo    objShortCut.TargetPath = Dblquote(ApplicationPath^)
echo    ObjShortCut.IconLocation = "Winver.exe,0"
echo    objShortCut.Save
echo End Sub
echo ^'**********************************************************************************************
echo ^'Fonction pour ajouter les doubles quotes dans une variable
echo Function DblQuote(Str^)
echo    DblQuote = Chr(34^) ^& Str ^& Chr(34^)
echo End Function
echo ^'**********************************************************************************************
) > Shortcutme.vbs
Start /Wait Shortcutme.vbs
Del Shortcutme.vbs
::***************************************Main Batch*******************************************
cls
echo Done and your main batch goes here !
echo i am a test 
Pause > Nul
::********************************************************************************************

Answer 3

I created a VB script and run it either from command line or from a Java process. I also tried to catch errors when creating the shortcut so I can have a better error handling.

Set oWS = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
shortcutLocation = Wscript.Arguments(0)

'error handle shortcut creation
On Error Resume Next
Set oLink = oWS.CreateShortcut(shortcutLocation)
If Err Then WScript.Quit Err.Number

'error handle setting shortcut target
On Error Resume Next
oLink.TargetPath = Wscript.Arguments(1)
If Err Then WScript.Quit Err.Number

'error handle setting start in property
On Error Resume Next
oLink.WorkingDirectory = Wscript.Arguments(2)
If Err Then WScript.Quit Err.Number

'error handle saving shortcut
On Error Resume Next
oLink.Save
If Err Then WScript.Quit Err.Number

I run the script with the following commmand:

cscript /b script.vbs shortcutFuturePath targetPath startInProperty

It is possible to have it working even without setting the 'Start in' property in some cases.

Answer 4

link.vbs

set fs  = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
set ws  = WScript.CreateObject("WScript.Shell")
set arg = Wscript.Arguments

linkFile = arg(0)

set link = ws.CreateShortcut(linkFile)
    link.TargetPath = fs.BuildPath(ws.CurrentDirectory, arg(1))
    link.Save

command

C:\dir>link.vbs ..\shortcut.txt.lnk target.txt

Answer 5

Cannot be done with pure batch.Check the shortcutJS.bat - it is a jscript/bat hybrid and should be used with .bat extension:

call shortcutJS.bat -linkfile "%~n0.lnk" -target  "%~f0" -linkarguments "some arguments"

With -help you can check the other options (you can set icon , admin permissions and etc.)

Answer 6

Nirsoft's NirCMD can create shortcuts from a command line, too. (Along with a pile of other functions.) Free and available here:

http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/nircmd.html

Full instructions here: http://www.nirsoft.net/utils/nircmd2.html#using (Scroll down to the "shortcut" section.)

Yes, using nircmd does mean you are using another 3rd-party .exe, but it can do some functions not in (most of) the above solutions (e.g., pick a icon # in a dll with multiple icons, assign a hot-key, and set the shortcut target to be minimized or maximized).

Though it appears that the shortcutjs.bat solution above can do most of that, too, but you'll need to dig more to find how to properly assign those settings. Nircmd is probably simpler.