Setting up desktop objects

I want an object on my desktop that will start a specific program
running a specific file. That is, a specific browser (not the current
default) running a specific HTML file that resides on my hard drive -
click and go.

I've tried a program object, but there is no place to put the filename
to start.

I've tried a file object, but there is no place to put the the program
to run it.

It seems that the only thing w98 will allow is starting according to
preset associations - or opening a program and going through a procedure
of loading the specific file. Is it really that limited?

Jim L

Many programs will take a command line parameter to run a specific
file at startup. In that case, you can just create a shortcut to the
program on the desktop, then right-click to the shortcut properties
and edit the command line to include the parameter.


wrote:
I want an object on my desktop that will start a specific program
running a specific file. That is, a specific browser (not the current
default) running a specific HTML file that resides on my hard drive -
click and go.

I've tried a program object, but there is no place to put the filename
to start.

I've tried a file object, but there is no place to put the the program
to run it.

It seems that the only thing w98 will allow is starting according to
preset associations - or opening a program and going through a procedure
of loading the specific file. Is it really that limited?

Jim L

On 11/26/2004 at 12:30 PM, WoofWoof said:

then right-click to the shortcut properties
and edit the command line to include the parameter.

Command line? Which line might that be?

I see a "Target:" line which is the program itself. I see a "Start in:"
line which apparently expects a working directory entry and, in any
case, rejects a path to the necessary HTML file, with or without quotes.

My system shows no parameter line. And that includes IE, Netscape and
Mozilla.

Jim L

--
"Unknown error. Please correct and try again." (source - Windows)

wrote:
On 11/26/2004 at 12:30 PM, WoofWoof said:


then right-click to the shortcut properties
and edit the command line to include the parameter.


Command line? Which line might that be?

I see a "Target:" line which is the program itself. I see a "Start in:"
line which apparently expects a working directory entry and, in any
case, rejects a path to the necessary HTML file, with or without quotes.

My system shows no parameter line. And that includes IE, Netscape and
Mozilla.

The "Target:" line that you see contains the command that windows uses
to run your program. It is this line that may accept a parameter
telling the program which file to run when it starts up. Try just
adding the name of the file (including it's directory path and
extension) after the existing command with a space between.

For example, if the existing command is:

"C:\program files\mybrowser\mybrowser.exe"

and the file you want to start automatically is:

"C:\mydirectory\mypage.html"

Then the target line should look like:

"C:\program files\mybrowser\mybrowser.exe" "C:\mydirectory\mypage.html"

(that's all one line with a space after exe" ... it might wrap around
in your reader)

The quotes are necessary if there are embedded spaces in the command
or the parameter.

I'm guessing here that your program will accept a parameter in this
format. Some programs might require a forward slash or other character
before the parameter. Your application documentation or help file
might tell you. If you tell us what actual program you are using,
someone may know the specific parameter format for that case.

On 11/26/2004 at 04:57 PM, WoofWoof said:

If you tell us what actual program you are using,
someone may know the specific parameter format for that case.

I'm doing this with Netscape 7.2. It accepts the parameter as you
suggested it. Thanks. It works.

Jim L