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Q238553: SAMPLE: VFPSCUT.EXE Creates Desktop Shortcut to a VFP App

Article: Q238553
Product(s): Microsoft FoxPro
Version(s): 6.0
Operating System(s): 
Keyword(s): kbfile kbSample kbAppSetup kbvfp300 kbvfp300b kbvfp500 kbvfp500a kbvfp600
Last Modified: 01-FEB-2002

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The information in this article applies to:

- Microsoft Visual FoxPro for Windows, version 6.0 
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY
=======

The Visual FoxPro Setup Wizard contains no inherent way to create a desktop
shortcut to a custom Visual FoxPro application. However, it can be done by using
the functions in a Visual Basic DLL named Vb6stkit.dll. The Vfpscut.exe sample
demonstrates how to do this.

MORE INFORMATION
================

Vfpscut.exe is a file that contains the Vb6stkit.dll file and sample FoxPro
files that can be used to create a desktop shortcut. The included program is
designed to be built into a Visual FoxPro .exe file and called as the POST SETUP
EXECUTABLE when using the Visual FoxPro Setup Wizard.

NOTE: This sample code was written for Visual FoxPro 6.0. It uses a function that
was introduced in that version called JUSTPATH() as follows:

  strLinkPath = JUSTPATH(SYS(16,0)) + "\" + lcExeName + CHR(0)

You can modify this sample code to work with Visual FoxPro 3.0 and Visual FoxPro
5.0 by replacing the JUSTPATH() call with the following:

  strLinkPath = SUBSTR(SYS(16),1,ATC("\",SYS(16),OCCURS("\",SYS(16)))) + CHR(0)

The Visual FoxPro Setup Wizard allows for a post-setup executable. Building the
following code into an .exe file and calling it as the post-setup executable in
a setup routine creates a desktop shortcut.

The process involves distributing and making calls to Vb6stkit.dll. This file is
part of the Microsoft Visual Basic setup kit and you may redistribute it freely.
It is listed under the "REDISTRIBUTABLE CODE - Standard" section of the file
REDIST.TXT. This file comes with Microsoft Visual Studio 98. The following file
is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

  VFPSCUT.exe
  (http://download.microsoft.com/download/vfox60/shortcut/2/Win98/En-US/VFPSCUT.exe)

Release Date: August 15, 2000

For additional information about how to download Microsoft Support files, click
the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q119591 How to Obtain Microsoft Support Files from Online Services

Microsoft used the most current virus detection software available on the date of
posting to scan this file for viruses. Once posted, the file is housed on secure
servers that prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

The file contains the following:

+-------------------------------------+
| FileName                   | Size   | 
+-------------------------------------+
| MAKE_SHORTCUT.PRG          | 2.85KB | 
+-------------------------------------+
| VB6STKIT.DLL               | 99.5KB | 
+-------------------------------------+
| README.TXT (this document) |        | 
+-------------------------------------+

To test this code, download and unzip the sample to an empty directory. Follow
the steps outlined below. If the machine you are testing this on already has a
copy of Vb6stkit.dll, start at step 2:

1. Copy the Vb6stkit.dll to the Windows\System directory (SYSTEM32 on Windows NT
  machines).

2. Open Visual FoxPro and SET DEFAULT to the directory containing the unzipped
  files.

3. From the Command window, issue the following command:

  DO MAKE_SHORTCUT

You are asked if you would like a shortcut to "THE README DOCUMENT" on your
desktop. Click Yes on the dialog and minimize all windows so that your desktop
is visible. You now have a shortcut to the text document named README.TXT.

To use this sample code in a Visual FoxPro setup routine, do the following:

1. Create a new Visual FoxPro project (named POST for instance) and add the
  MAKE_SHORTCUT.PRG file to it.

2. Modify the MAKE_SHORTCUT program and adjust the lcExeName and lcAppName
  variables for the application you are about to install. lcExeName is the
  actual file name of the executable you would like a shortcut to (like
  "Vfp.exe"). lcAppName is the "friendly" name of the application (like "Visual
  FoxPro").

3. Build the project into an executable named Post.exe.

4. Copy Post.exe and Vb6stkit.dll into the directory with your main .exe file.

5. Run the setup wizard on your .exe file. In step 4 of the wizard, use the
  ellipse (...) button next to the Post-setup executable textbox to locate
  Post.exe you created earlier.

6. In step 6 of the setup wizard, ensure that Vb6stkit.dll is installed in the
  WinSysDir (this should be the default).

7. Complete the wizard and test install your application.

Here is the sample code contained in MAKE_SHORTCUT.PRG:

  *********************************************************
  * CREATE DESKTOP SHORTCUT
  *********************************************************
  *
  * Demonstrates using shell api fCreateShellLink
  * to create a shortcut to a file on the Windows desktop.
  *
  *********************************************************
  *~ Main program variables. These are the only ones that need to be changed:
  *~ lcExeName: This is the actual file name (without any path) of the .exe to create a shortcut to.
  *~ lcAppName: This is the name of the application (like "Microsoft Visual FoxPro").

  lcExeName = "README.TXT"
  lcAppName = "THE README DOCUMENT"

  *~ #DEFINEs from FOXPRO.h (HOME() + 'foxpro.h')
  #DEFINE MB_YESNO                4       && Yes and No buttons
  #DEFINE MB_ICONQUESTION         32      && Warning query

  #DEFINE CR						CHR(13) && Carriage Return

  #DEFINE ERROR_SUCCESS           0		&& Success error code from WINERROR.H
  #DEFINE FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_SYSTEM     0x00001000 && Value for use with FormatMessage API. From WINBASE.H

  *~ Declare the function in the VB DLL
  DECLARE INTEGER fCreateShellLink IN vb6stkit.DLL ;
  	STRING lpstrFolderName, ;
  	STRING lpstrLinkName, ;
  	STRING lpstrLinkPath, ;
  	STRING lpstrLinkArguments, ;
  	INTEGER fPrivate, ;
  	STRING sParent

  *~ Declare function to return system error code if the call fails.
  DECLARE INTEGER GetLastError IN win32api

  *~ Declare function to return text message from system error code.
  DECLARE INTEGER FormatMessage IN kernel32.DLL ;
  	INTEGER dwFlags, ;
  	STRING @lpSource, ;
  	INTEGER dwMessageId, ;
  	INTEGER dwLanguageId, ;
  	STRING @lpBuffer, ;
  	INTEGER nSize, ;
  	INTEGER Arguments

  *~ Set up variables. These variables remain unchanged.
  strLinkPath = JUSTPATH(SYS(16,0)) + "\" + lcExeName + CHR(0)
  strLinkName = "Shortcut to " + ALLT(lcAppName)
  strLinkArguments = "" + CHR(0)
  fPrivate  = -1
  strGroupName = "..\..\Desktop"
  sParent  = "$(Programs)"

  *~ Ask users if they would like the shortcut created.
  lnAns = MESSAGEBOX("Would you like a shortcut to " + lcAppName + " on your Desktop?", ;
  	MB_YESNO+MB_ICONQUESTION,"Setup")

  IF lnAns = 6	&& User answered YES.
  	lnSuccess = fCreateShellLink(strGroupName, ;
  		strLinkName, ;
  		strLinkPath, ;
  		strLinkArguments, ;
  		fPrivate, ;
  		sParent)
  	IF !(lnSuccess > ERROR_SUCCESS)
  *~      If the process failed for some reason, put up a messagebox saying so
  *~      and display the system error code from WINERROR.H. You also extend this
  *~      by using FormatMessage API to display a character error message.
  		lpBuffer  = SPACE(128)
  		lnError = GetLastError()
  		=FormatMessage(FORMAT_MESSAGE_FROM_SYSTEM, ;
  			'WINERROR.H', lnError, 0, @lpBuffer, 128 , 0)
  		
  		=MESSAGEBOX("Unable to create desktop shortcut." + CR + ;
  			"System Error code: " + ALLTRIM(STR(lnError)) + CR + ;
  			"System Error message: "+ALLT(lpBuffer),64,"ERROR")
  	ENDIF
  ENDIF

(c) Microsoft Corporation 1999, All Rights Reserved.
Contributions by Trevor Hancock, Microsoft Corporation

(c) Microsoft Corporation 1999, All Rights Reserved.
Contributions by Mike Stewart, Microsoft Corporation


REFERENCES
==========

For additional information, click the article number about working with the
Visual FoxPro setup wizard below to view the article about working with the
Visual FoxPro setup wizard in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

  Q130664 HOWTO: Use the Setup Wizard in Professional Visual FoxPro

Additional query words:

======================================================================
Keywords          : kbfile kbSample kbAppSetup kbvfp300 kbvfp300b kbvfp500 kbvfp500a kbvfp600 
Technology        : kbVFPsearch kbAudDeveloper kbVFP600
Version           : :6.0
Issue type        : kbhowto

=============================================================================
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