C++: How do I create a Shortcut in the Start Menu on Windows

Question

I would like to know how to obtain the path to the start menu folder on Windows and then create a shortcut to a path that might contain non-ASCII characters.

Answer 1

Here is the solution. It uses Qt but it's also possible without. Then just use std::wstring instead of QString. For concatenating the paths and filenames you will then have to use string operations instead of using QDir.

#include <shlobj.h> 

bool createStartMenuEntry(QString targetPath) {
    targetPath = QDir::toNativeSeparators(targetPath);

    WCHAR startMenuPath[MAX_PATH];
    HRESULT result = SHGetFolderPathW(NULL, CSIDL_COMMON_PROGRAMS, NULL, 0, startMenuPath);

    if (SUCCEEDED(result)) {
        QString linkPath = QDir(QString::fromWCharArray(startMenuPath)).absoluteFilePath("Shortcut Name.lnk");

        CoInitialize(NULL);
        IShellLinkW* shellLink = NULL;
        result = CoCreateInstance(CLSID_ShellLink, NULL, CLSCTX_ALL, IID_IShellLinkW, (void**)&shellLink);
        if (SUCCEEDED(result)) {
            shellLink->SetPath(targetPath.toStdWString().c_str());
            shellLink->SetDescription(L"Shortcut Description");
            shellLink->SetIconLocation(targetPath.toStdWString().c_str(), 0);
            IPersistFile* persistFile;
            result = shellLink->QueryInterface(IID_IPersistFile, (void**)&persistFile);

            if (SUCCEEDED(result)) {
                result = persistFile->Save(linkPath.toStdWString().c_str(), TRUE);

                persistFile->Release();
            } else {
                return false;
            }
            shellLink->Release();
        } else {
            return false;
        }
    } else {
        return false;
    }
    return true;
}

Thats the part that obtains the location of the start-menu folder:

WCHAR startMenuPath[MAX_PATH];
HRESULT result = SHGetFolderPathW(NULL, CSIDL_COMMON_PROGRAMS, NULL, 0, startMenuPath);

The rest is then creation of the shortcut. Exchange shortcut name and description for your desired values.

Answer 2

Same idea as accepted answer but Visual Studio method.

Usage:

CString sProgramsPath = getenv("PROGRAMDATA");
CString sShortcutPath = sProgramsPath += "\\Microsoft\\Windows\\Start Menu\\Programs\\SHORTCUT_NAME.lnk";
// (that's .LNK)

CreateLink("C:\\target_file_path\\target_file_name.exe",
            "sShortcutPath",
            "C:\\target_file_path\\,
            "Shortcut Description");

Function:

/*============================================================================*/

// CreateLink - Uses the Shell's IShellLink and IPersistFile interfaces 
//              to create and store a shortcut to the specified object. 
//
// Returns the result of calling the member functions of the interfaces. 
//
// Parameters:
// lpszPathObj  - Address of a buffer that contains the path of the object,
//                including the file name.
// lpszPathLink - Address of a buffer that contains the path where the 
//                Shell link is to be stored, including the file name.
// lpszPath     - Working directory of target Obj file
// lpszDesc     - Address of a buffer that contains a description of the 
//                Shell link, stored in the Comment field of the link
//                properties.

    HRESULT                     CreateLink(
    LPCSTR                      lpszPathObj,
    LPCSTR                      lpszPathLink,
    LPCSTR                      lpszPath,
    LPCSTR                      lpszDesc )

/*============================================================================*/
{ 
    IShellLink* psl = NULL;
    HRESULT hres = CoInitialize(NULL);

    if (!SUCCEEDED(hres))
        LOGASSERT(FALSE);

    // Get a pointer to the IShellLink interface. It is assumed that CoInitialize
    // has already been called.

    hres = CoCreateInstance(CLSID_ShellLink, NULL, CLSCTX_INPROC_SERVER, IID_IShellLink, (LPVOID*)&psl); 
    if (SUCCEEDED(hres)) 
    { 
        IPersistFile* ppf; 

        // Set the path to the shortcut target and add the description. 
        psl->SetPath(lpszPathObj);
        psl->SetDescription(lpszDesc);
        psl->SetWorkingDirectory(lpszPath);

        // Query IShellLink for the IPersistFile interface, used for saving the 
        // shortcut in persistent storage. 
        hres = psl->QueryInterface(IID_IPersistFile, (LPVOID*)&ppf); 

        if (SUCCEEDED(hres))
        { 
            WCHAR wsz[MAX_PATH]; 

            // Ensure that the string is Unicode. 
            MultiByteToWideChar(CP_ACP, 0, lpszPathLink, -1, wsz, MAX_PATH); 

            // Add code here to check return value from MultiByteWideChar 
            // for success.

            // Save the link by calling IPersistFile::Save. 
            hres = ppf->Save(wsz, TRUE);
            if (!SUCCEEDED(hres))
                LOGASSERT(FALSE);

            ppf->Release(); 
        } 
        psl->Release(); 
    }

    CoUninitialize();

    return hres;
}