CREATING NEW SHORTCUTS

shortcut: a link to a file, folder, or program.

Practically all the icons on the desktop are shortcuts. That is they merely serve as pointers for the computer to find the actual executable file or a folder, or even a single file.

Placing a new shortcut on your desktop:

A. There are several ways to create shortcuts, but some are easier than others...let's learn how.

1. Probably the easiest is to find another shortcut to the program or file,

   NOTE: If using Win98 or better, you can find many shortcuts by Clicking "start", Programs, and then finding your program shortcut. If you have Win95, you will have to navigate to C:\windows\start menu (see Fig 1. below:

   Fig 1. Exloring start Menu Click to see full size

"Right" click the shortcut 

"Left" click "Copy".

Next go to the folder or location (desktop?) where you want the new shortcut.

"Right" click a blank area in the folder, or on the folder itself.

"Left" click "Paste"

1. The next best way, I think, is to find the program, or file that you want to create a shortcut to using Explorer:

   "Right" click the program file, or document, etc. 

   "Left" click "Create shortcut".

   Fig 2. Exploring a folder Click to see full size

   The new shortcut will be located at the bottom of the list of files you see (unless you View, Refresh). Use the scroll bar, if necessary, to find the new shortcut. The shortcut will be identified with a small arrow.

   Fig 3. Newly created shortcut Click image to see full size

   "Right" click the new shortcut

   "Left" click "Cut".

   Next go to the folder or location (desktop?) where you want the new shortcut.

   "Right" click a blank area of the folder

   "Left" click "Paste"

1. Another way: (see Figure 1)

• In any open Explorer window, "Right" click the mouse and hold on the item you want a shortcut for, then drag it out to the desktop, or other folder, let go and then "Left" click Copy Here, Create shortcut Here or Move here (you will have a drop down menu when you release the Right mouse button.
• Note that in Windows 95, you will have to open the folder c:\windows\start Menu\programs in Explorer in order to right click and drag a shortcut from that area.
• If you know the location to the program itself, (not the shortcut in start\Programs\etc.) then you simply have to find the file, that youI want a shortcut to. For instance: If  you want to create a shortcut, on desktop, to a program, such as Print shop Pro, the file you need to locate can be found by opening explorer in C:\Program Files\Paint shop Pro 6 folder and then finding the executable file that starts Paint shop Pro; in this case, psp.exe. (see Fig. 1 below)
• Now that you've found the file, make sure you can see the desktop, or other folder, behind the explorer window and then right click and drag. When over the desktop, or other folder, drop it and select create shortcut here (left mouse click).

• For those who are still unsure, you can just as easily find the file then "Right" click it, then click "Create shortcut". This will create a shortcut in the same folder as the file. Unless you click "View", then "Refresh", the file will be located in the bottom of the list of files (scroll down). If you have refreshed, it will be in the same order as the other files (either alpha, reverse alph, type, date, or size. 

• Note, also that I could just as easily create a shortcut to any folder by right clicking the folder and dragging it to the desktop as above. (see Paint shop Pro -- Fig. 1) 

• The short cut could also be to a word processing document (see Fig 3.) If you create a shortcut,  then double click on this shortcut, I will automatically open the word processor associated with that file, and the document itself.

FIG 4. A folder containing several types of files.	Figure 4 shows a regular Publisher Newsletter file, a regular program file, a shortcut to a web page and a regular document file. Note that the shortcut is identified by a small arrow.
FIG 5. Document and shortcut in the same folder.	By "Right" clicking the shortcut (the one with the arrow), then "Left" clicking "Cut", I can then go to another folder, or desktop, and then "Right" click a blank area and "Left" click "Paste" to put the shortcut in the new location.
FIG 6. Properties of words of wisdom.doc shortcut.	By looking at the properties (Right Clicking File, then Left clicking Properties), we see that the shortcut, located right beside the actual document (in the same folder above...for clarity), calls out the location where the document can be found. so, when we double click the shortcut, the computer knows to go to C:\documents folder in order to find and open the document words of wisdom.doc.
Odering Files by size, date, name, etc..
Fig 7. View showing file ordering bars. Clicking on bars (arrows) will reorder the files below. Clicking the same bar again will reverse the order.
Fig 8. View Options (Large Icons, small Icons, List, Details)
Fig. 9 -- Viewing File Option using "Tools" Left Click "Tools" then Folder Options to view the Options menu.
Click Tools, Folder Options, (General Tab) Note: Windows 95/98 will see different view of this image. Fig 8. Click to see image full size Click Tools, Folder Options, (General Tab) Note: Windows 95/98 will see different view of this image.
Fig 10. Viewing "View Display Rules" Tab -- Click to see image full size
Important: If you click a document or file that takes you to this screen, you must select the executable file that opens the file with the extension that you clicked on. This can be complicated, so get help unless you know what you are doing. Fig 11. Viewing "File Type" Tab -- Click to see image full size	Click "Tools,File Options, File Types (Tab)"
Fig. 12. Movie -- Changing the File Attributes to cause another program to open the file.	Move Mouse Over Image to start.