Shortcuts to external files (Specifically VM's)
Hi Guys, been several years since I've been on here!
I've finally convinced the company to let me spend some time on a proper package / deployment scheme but I'm coming across a little hurdle.
At the moment I'm packaging a pre-setup 'XP Mode' virtual machine to run our technician software. Everything is great and the package works fine but what I need to do is add some shortcuts for the advertised programs inside the VM. When I try to add these to the package, because the target is actually the rundll.exe file, this gets included in the MSI.
Is there a was to create a shortcut for this without a target?
For instance the shortcut I'm trying to create on the desktop is :
Is this even possible?
Thanks in advance!
I've finally convinced the company to let me spend some time on a proper package / deployment scheme but I'm coming across a little hurdle.
At the moment I'm packaging a pre-setup 'XP Mode' virtual machine to run our technician software. Everything is great and the package works fine but what I need to do is add some shortcuts for the advertised programs inside the VM. When I try to add these to the package, because the target is actually the rundll.exe file, this gets included in the MSI.
Is there a was to create a shortcut for this without a target?
For instance the shortcut I'm trying to create on the desktop is :
%SystemRoot%\system32\rundll32.exe %SystemRoot%\system32\VMCPropertyHandler.dll,LaunchVMSal "POS-VM" "||e51c2bf9" "WinDloadv104.exe"
Is this even possible?
Thanks in advance!
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Posted by:
pjgeutjens
12 years ago
Matthew,
I'm pretty sure you can do this, as long as you make it a non-advertised shortcut. When this is the case the Target field of the shortcut's entry in the Shortcuts table will be interpreted as a formatted string, so something along the lines of [SystemFolder]rundll32.exe for the Target, and [SystemFolder]VMCPropertyHandler etc etc... for the Arguments should do the trick.
The reason why you cannot use an advertised shortcut, is that these imply an internal link to one of your MSI's features (as an entry point for possible self-healing operations), so in effect your target has to be included in the package.
Keep me posted on your progress :)
PJ
I'm pretty sure you can do this, as long as you make it a non-advertised shortcut. When this is the case the Target field of the shortcut's entry in the Shortcuts table will be interpreted as a formatted string, so something along the lines of [SystemFolder]rundll32.exe for the Target, and [SystemFolder]VMCPropertyHandler etc etc... for the Arguments should do the trick.
The reason why you cannot use an advertised shortcut, is that these imply an internal link to one of your MSI's features (as an entry point for possible self-healing operations), so in effect your target has to be included in the package.
Keep me posted on your progress :)
PJ
Posted by:
mhouston100
12 years ago
Your a genius, that is exactly the push in the right direction I needed.
It actually was a simple matter once I was on the right track. For those who are looking for the same solution I just set the target to:
and the arguments to :
Works like a charm! Though looking back on it, should I use the internal MSI varaibles for [systemfolder]? Probably not an issue as its being deployed as part of an SOE.
Man its good to be dusting off the old skills :)
It actually was a simple matter once I was on the right track. For those who are looking for the same solution I just set the target to:
%SystemRoot%\system32\rundll32.exeand the arguments to :
%SystemRoot%\system32\VMCPropertyHandler.dll,LaunchVMSal "POS-VM" "||e51c2bf9" "WinDloadv104.exe"Works like a charm! Though looking back on it, should I use the internal MSI varaibles for [systemfolder]? Probably not an issue as its being deployed as part of an SOE.
Man its good to be dusting off the old skills :)
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