Creating shortcuts for webpages

[Blairgowrie]

I was trying to create a shortcut to desktop this morning and I now have this on my desktop and I can't get rid of it.

Two questions. How do I get rid of this and what is the proper way to create a desktop shortcut for a webpage?

[B16Enk]

Right click the desktop->properties

Select 'Desktop' then click @Desktop Properties'

Then select the web tab.

I think you'll find the K9 page listed there, delete it.

To create a shortcut:

Copy the address from Firefox/IE.

Minimise all windows and right click the desktop and select new->shotcut

Paste the address copied above into the location field when prompted, name appropriately when prompted.

If it is a php page, such as the forums, you will be prompted what to open it with when it is double clicked.

Select 'Choose which program' and then choose Mozilla/Firefox/IE and tick the 'Always use' box.

Voila

Ooops missed a couple of bits!

[Blairgowrie]

I must be really thick! (Nobody say a word).

After I get to Desktop, I can't find anythinbg that says web tab

[B16Enk]

VNC?

[Blairgowrie]

Yes Please. This computer stuff is starting to get to me.

[BBloke]

Easy way to get a webpage as a shortcut is to make firefox or IE smaller in size than you desktop then drag the icon at the left of the web address in the address bar onto your desktop.

Voila a nice to open shortcut link... and I thought I was technically Rog. You get the geek award for that one. I had trouble following it and I know what you were talking about

[B16Enk]

That's too easy Chris I had to exorcise my hangover some how!

[Blairgowrie]

Easy way to get a webpage as a shortcut is to make firefox or IE smaller in size than you desktop then drag the icon at the left of the web address in the address bar onto your desktop.

Voila a nice to open shortcut link... and I thought I was technically Rog. You get the geek award for that one. I had trouble following it and I know what you were talking about

That's the way I used to do it but for some strange reason, I couldn't get the web page minimized enough to be able to drag it over to desktop.

Now for the grand prize! Rog, every time I click on the new links, I keep getting the box that asks chose which programme even although I have always marked..

[BBloke]

LMAO.. had a feeling you were drunk.. hangover works too LOL

If you cant minimize your program enough then do it anyway and then try and grab the sides or corners to drag it to another size.

Or:

1. Press ALT then Space and then tap S (for size)

2. Press your right cursor key (to select the right hand side 'wall ' of the program

3. Now press left cursor repeatedly to bring in the size down.

4. To do a different 'wall' press it appropriate cursor to select it and then use its opposite cursor key to reduce it!

[Blairgowrie]

Hi B16, me again.

This bloody thing keeps popping up when I click on one of the link icons. Also could you tell me where I find the Firefox icons please? I know it was Windows but which file are they in?

[B16Enk]

Hi M8, it shouldn't be doing that!

To get the Firefox icons:

Right click the short cut.

Select properties.

Click 'Change Icon'.

Click 'Browse'

Then browse to the location of the program file, in this case it's c:\program files\mozilla firefox\

Select the firefox.exe and click 'Open'

You will now have a choice of icons to associate with the shortcut.

This can be applied to any short cut

If you follow Bblokes instructions on creating shortcuts you won't have to change the icons or find the program to open them with

[BBloke]

LMAO.. you have to watch these 'Un-Employed Computer Bum Geek, and Lovin' it' internet sharks... they'll turn yer life upside down and then disconnect yer!!

[Blairgowrie]

I always do what I am told by those who are smarter than me and of course my wife.

I have used the method suggested by Bbloke but the result is still the same. It creates an shortcut which won't open unless go through the complete ritual of assigning an icon and it won't stay. Never did this before but it is doing it now m8s.

VNC me and see for yourself.

[BBloke]

I believe you BG. I can see what has happened and resolution may just take VNC. File Associations have gone a little haywire

Firefox icons can be found in the main EXE file of firefox.

C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\Firefox.exe

I can see on your desktop the K9 Forums link/webpage so something has worked in the past and maybe its just something to do with the new links. I'll look further.. maybe Rog has a faster avenue soon.

[BBloke]

Ok. I've done a quick HTML link on my desktop and this is what it looks like:

I dont know why but I think the links that you have are shortcut links not shortcut URL links, looking like this:

I could be completely wrong and just a stupid dog barking at the wind.

I've got something else to look at but I'll post that after your reply.[/img]

[BBloke]

As a quick thing you may want to consider a reinstallation of firefox to reset the file associations.

Or possible a slightly different way is:

Start IE and if it checks to see if its the default then select yes

Start Firefox and hopefully that will do the same. Select yes. (this may reset the file types)

[B16Enk]

backing up Firefox profiles.

Viewing 'System Files' has to be enabled in Tools->folder options->View tab.

Tick 'Display the contents of system folders'

Tick 'Show hidden files and folders'

Once done go to:

C:\Documents and Settings\substitute your user name here\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\9uq4q88y.default Note '9uq4q88y' is a random identifier, look for a similiarly obtuse folder name under profiles

Copy the contents listed there and save to a backup area.

When Firefox is re-installed simply copy the backup back into the newly created and randomly named folder, this will restore history, bookmarks and passwords.

And extensions :).

Thunderbird uses the same sort of structure, in C:\Documents and Settings\substitute your user name here\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\0kebn8fa.default

It is the 'mail' folder that needs to be backed up or restored here.

[BBloke]

Hehehe.. see. Knew Rog would be here to save the day!!

Out of curiousity. Would a reinstall over the top leave that side of things alone? It's something I've never done but curious none the less.

[Blairgowrie]

Cleaned out both Firefox 1.05 and the Beta version and deleted all the folders which were left over.

Did a clean install of 1.05. Strangely enough all my bookmarks reappeared plus all the extensions.

It did clean up the password remembering issue I had.

Thanks again for your help B16. You proved once again, you really know your stuff. Was there ever any doubt?

I wonder what new challenge tomorrow will bring.

[B16Enk]

Never tried un-installing Firefox and re-installing without restoring the profile .

With regard to your chkdsk issue Jim, if you know the volume is good:

chkntfs /?
Displays or modifies the checking of disk at boot time.

CHKNTFS volume [...]
CHKNTFS /D
CHKNTFS /T[:time]
CHKNTFS /X volume [...]
CHKNTFS /C volume [...]

 volume         Specifies the drive letter (followed by a colon),
                mount point, or volume name.
 /D             Restores the machine to the default behavior; all drives are
                checked at boot time and chkdsk is run on those that are
                dirty.
 /T:time        Changes the AUTOCHK initiation countdown time to the
                specified amount of time in seconds.  If time is not
                specified, displays the current setting.
 /X             Excludes a drive from the default boot-time check.  Excluded
                drives are not accumulated between command invocations.
 /C             Schedules a drive to be checked at boot time; chkdsk will run
                if the drive is dirty.

If no switches are specified, CHKNTFS will display if the specified drive is
dirty or scheduled to be checked on next reboot.

So if your external drive is on G::

CHKNTFS /X g:

will stop the chkdsk happening.

CHKNTFS /D g:

will re-enable it.

to be used with caution

Another handy utility is fsutil (I think XP Home has it too).

To check if dirty bit is set on 'C' drive:

fsutil dirty query c:

.

Seems appropriate on these boards, a 'dirty query' And yes Dazza, it does sound gay .

Edit: 15 edits later the spelling was right and finally got all the tags right.

Perhaps I should try this when drunk