God Windows is crud - Can't even create a shortcut...

NeilF

NeilF

NeilF

Soldato
Joined
15 Nov 2003
Posts
14,473
Location
Marlow
(Vista 64)

So, just trying to create a shortcut to, "D:\Steam\SteamApps\common\left 4 dead 2\left4dead2\"

Cannot do it. Every attempt to enter that address (in the target), Windows instead thinks it knows better and changes, when you save/create the shortcut, to:-

"D:\Steam\SteamApps\common\left 4 dead 2\left4dead2.exe"

ridiculous!


EDIT: Only way I can do it, is to drag and drop the folder location into another folder to create a shortcut. Madness that actually typing in "D:\Steam\SteamApps\common\left 4 dead 2\left4dead2\" shouldn't work because Windows changes it!
 
Last edited:
Go to the folder above the one you want

Drag the folder to the desktop but hold Left ALT when doing so

Holding left ALT will create a shortcut to it
 
Why not right-mouse-click the directory and send to > desktop :confused: Just tested it on a left 4 dead directory here (Vista64 & 7), works a treat...
 
visibleman said:
Why not right-mouse-click the directory and send to > desktop :confused: Just tested it on a left 4 dead directory here (Vista64 & 7), works a treat...
Click to expand...

That's basically what I had to do... (As I mentioned)

The point is though, if I copied the directory path "D:\Steam\SteamApps\common\left 4 dead 2\left4dead2\" and created a shortcut manually and typed/pasted in that path. On finishing, Windows decides it knows better than me and changes the target of the shortcut to "D:\Steam\SteamApps\common\left 4 dead 2\left4dead2.exe", which of course is not what I want a shortcut to.

Bizarre!
 
Don't think I've ever used the 'create shortcut' link in explorer, looks too fiddly :p, as if it's a solution for a problem that doesn't exist..
 
Rroff said:
You can just edit the shortcut through properties after you've made it to point just to the folder.
Click to expand...

No you can't... Any attempt to change the properties/target to the folder "D:\Steam\SteamApps\common\left 4 dead 2\left4dead2\" will fail. Windows will decide it knows better and change it to the application "D:\Steam\SteamApps\common\left 4 dead 2\left4dead2.exe".
 
Last edited:
Kesz said:
You can right click the game in your steam games list and select create desktop shortcut.
Click to expand...

Re-read the OP. I'm creating a shortcut to a folder, not an executable. Windows decides I don't know what I'm doing and changes the target I type in...
 
Yes... the whole operating system is "crud" because you found an obscure bug. All software has bugs, especially something as complex as an operating system, in this case it is easily reproducible so report it to Microsoft and they'll probably fix it.

In the mean time, go to the folder "D:\Steam\SteamApps\common\left 4 dead 2\" right click the folder "leftfordead2" and click "create shortcut".
 
PaulM said:
Yes... the whole operating system is "crud" because you found an obscure bug. All software has bugs, especially something as complex as an operating system, in this case it is easily reproducible so report it to Microsoft and they'll probably fix it.

In the mean time, go to the folder "D:\Steam\SteamApps\common\left 4 dead 2\" right click the folder "leftfordead2" and click "create shortcut".
Click to expand...
Of course the whole OS isn't crud, I was frustrated and annoyed - I'd tried over and over,cutting and pasting, checking double checking, typing and re-typing, trying different combinations, thinking I was making a typo :eek:

In the meantime read the OP and you'll see this is what I did...
 
Its probably done like that for a reason! There are more people who want to create a link to a program than a folder. So they automatically fill in the blanks. Like everything, its the poweruser that suffers for the masses.
 
Burnsy2023 said:
Have you tried it without the trailing backward slash?
Click to expand...

PhillyDee said:
Its probably done like that for a reason! There are more people who want to create a link to a program than a folder. So they automatically fill in the blanks. Like everything, its the poweruser that suffers for the masses.
Click to expand...

Yeh, I can sort of understand that, but I was even trying to put the final "\" on the end of the line to help it :)

ie: The absolutely specific location "D:\Steam\SteamApps\common\left 4 dead 2\left4dead2\" :)

So it was removing things I'd typed and replacing it with other things...

"D:\Steam\SteamApps\common\left 4 dead 2\left4dead2\" goes to "D:\Steam\SteamApps\common\left 4 dead 2\left4dead2.exe"
 
In the meantime read the OP and you'll see this is what I did...
Click to expand...
Ah, my bad, I thought you meant you were actually moving the folder, creating the shortcut, and then moving it back. :p

--

If you type in "D:\Steam\SteamApps\common\left 4 dead 2\left4dead2." (with the dot on the end, but no extension) does it link to the folder?
 
Last edited:
I had the same problem before and it wasnt anything to do with Windows but it was Steam. I solved the problem uninstalling Steam,deleting everything apart from my games from the Steam folder, reinstalled and the shortcut problem was gone.
 
yeah its a no go trying to change major directory's in vista or 7. you have to change secruity policys and allsorts. PAIN IN THE ARSE. XP was so much easier for major directory changes I used to change my documents folder to my spare drive so when windows broke i could just wipe the drive and still have all my stuff. you just right clicked on my documents properites and change location and all the policys went with it. piece of cake. surppose you cant live in the past and so I have windows 7 now but I still miss XP for ease of modding. I did manage to do some document changes in 7 so it stopped adding folders back to the original location etc but it ment trawling through policys and it was so painful
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom