Brief information
Label is a link to an object, a secondary (additional) image of this object, indicating its location. The shortcut is used to speed up the launch of programs or documents. An object and its label are usually in different places. Using a shortcut is especially effective when objects are at the lower levels of the hierarchical structure of folder subordination, and shortcuts are at the top.
The shortcut is stored in a file of about 1 KB. It can be easily created or destroyed without affecting the object associated with it.
Actions that can be performed with a shortcut are similar to actions with files. Opening a shortcut means opening the object associated with this shortcut. In the window Properties You can always find out which object this shortcut is associated with, where this object is located, go to this object, change the shortcut icon.
Having a shortcut on the Desktop or in a folder makes it easier to launch an application or open a document. When creating a shortcut, you can also specify command line parameters that specify the program's operating mode.
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Creating an application (document) shortcut
To create a shortcut to a program or document:
Right-click on an empty space in a folder window or on the Desktop and select the item from the context menu Create Label. The wizard program will start Create a shortcut(Fig. 2.1);
in field Specify the location of the object enter the path to the launching file or document;
You can also find the file or document to be launched using the button Review. This will open a window Papo review k, in which the required application or document is searched (for the specified task in step 1, the path to the launch file Excel next: C:\ ProgramFiles\ MicrosoftOffice\ Office 11\ Excel. exe);
if necessary in the field Specify the location of the object you can specify additional parameters;
click on the button Further and in the field Enter a shortcut name In the next Wizard window, specify the signature that the shortcut will have (in the task, agree with the name given by the system by default). After that, click on the button Ready. The shortcut will appear on the Desktop or in the selected window.
If the shortcut is needed only for ease of access and you do not need to specify command line parameters, you can use the special drag-and-drop method:
Creating a folder
A folder can be created on any medium and in any folder (folder hierarchy). For this:
Icon (shortcut) properties
To view the properties of an icon or shortcut:
Deleting objects to the Recycle Bin and restoring them
For removal There are several ways to add objects (icons, shortcuts, files and folders) to the Trash:
hover the mouse pointer over the object to be deleted, press the left mouse button and, without releasing it, drag the object to the Trash icon;
if dragging is carried out while the right mouse button is pressed, then when you release the button, a context menu appears in which you should select a command Move;
right-click on the object to be deleted and select the command in the context menu Delete.
It should be remembered that when you delete a shortcut, the object (folder or file) to which it refers is not deleted.
D 
la recovery objects deleted to the Recycle Bin.
Every user can change desktop shortcuts. The first thing you can do is rename them. To do this, just right-click on the shortcut and select “Rename” in the window that appears. Then enter the desired name and press Enter.
- right-click on the object of interest;
- from the menu presented, select “Properties”;
- in the window that opens, find the “Shortcut” or “Settings” tab;
- click the “Change icon” button;
- select the desired image from the list provided, or use “Browse” to find your folder with downloaded icons and select the one you like among them.
Also, many people don’t like the arrows on the shortcut icon; they can be removed quite simply. This operation is performed by editing the registry. The sequence of actions should be as follows: “Start” -> “Run” -> type “regedit” -> OK. In the expanded document, you need to open the following path:
- HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE -> SOFTWARE -> Microsoft -> Windows -> CurrentVersion -> Explorer -> Shell Icons
If “Shell Icons” is not in the “Explorer” section, then you need to create it: right-click on “Explorer” -> select “Create” - “Section” -> type Shell Icons -> Enter. Next, in the right window, click on an empty space, select “Create” -> “String parameter” from the context menu, enter the name 29.
Then right-click on parameter 29 and select “Change” in the context menu, then enter the value %windir%\System32\shell32.dll,-50 or replace the existing one with it. The changes you make will take effect after you restart your computer.
How to change the size of a shortcut
Of course, not everyone understands why it is necessary to change the size of labels, so many people don’t even think about how to do it. However, often when changing the operating system, shortcuts are displayed in unusually large sizes. In addition, over time, the desktop becomes cluttered, and there is not enough space to place new objects.
In such situations, you involuntarily begin to think about how to change the size of the labels. Although in the second case it is better to find some time and put things in order on your desktop. However, there are 2 ways that allow you to quickly change the size of objects:
- On the keyboard, hold down the Ctrl key and scroll the mouse wheel forward to increase the size of the shortcuts, and backward to decrease them;
- call the context menu by right-clicking on an empty area of the workbench. In the list that opens, hover your mouse over the “View” item, then click on the desired option: “Large icons”, “Regular icons” or “Small icons”.
How to change shortcut properties
Each shortcut is assigned a specific set of standard settings. However, any user can change them through the properties window. To do this, right-click on the desired shortcut and select “Properties” in the context menu that appears. The shortcut settings window will open.
Depending on the version of the operating system, the number of tabs in this window can be either three or seven. In most cases, change the settings of the “Shortcut” tab:
- “Object” - in this field you can see the path to the file in the system;
- “Window” - in the drop-down list you can change the appearance of the program on the screen at the moment of opening;
- “File location” - when you click this button, a window opens where the file associated with the shortcut is stored;
- “Change icon” - this button is intended to change the image of an object;
- “Advanced” - in this window you can change the name of the user on whose behalf the file is opened.
In addition, in the “Security” tab you can differentiate the access rights of different users, “Previous Versions” - return the previous version of the file, “General” - edit the attributes of the folder: hide an object or limit the ability to edit.
Graphical objects that are used in the Windows operating system to quickly call up files are called " Shortcuts" Each shortcut corresponds to a set of settings that determine both the appearance of the object itself and the launch parameters of the file “linked” to it. The user has the opportunity to change these settings through the shortcut properties window.
Instructions
1. The shortcut can be located on the desktop, in the main menu of the operating system, or in one of the folders on one of the computer drives. In order to open the settings window, you need to gain access to it. Everything is easy with the desktop, with the main menu too, and to access folders on disks you will have to use a standard file administrator - “Explorer”. You can call it by double-clicking on the “Computer” icon on the desktop and single-clicking on the item with the same name in the main OS menu.
2. Go to the required shortcut in Explorer and right-click on it to bring up the context menu. If this object is located in the main menu or on the desktop, the method for calling the menu will be the same. Select " Properties" - this is the lowest line in the list - and the shortcut settings window will appear on the screen.
3. Depending on the version of the operating system used, the number of tabs in the properties window may vary - from 3 to seven. More often than not, it is necessary to change the settings located on the “Shortcut” tab. In the “Object” field you can add additional application launch keys. In the “Window” drop-down list, you can choose how the program window should appear on the screen - expanded to each screen, minimized to tray or medium size.
4. On the same tab there is a “Change Icon” button - if you want to change the image of this object, open the search dialog for a new icon by clicking on this button. The “Location” button opens the “Explorer” window in the folder where the file linked to the shortcut is located, and the “Additional” button opens a window in which you can change the user on whose behalf the file will be opened.
5. If you need to change the characteristics of a shortcut, then go to the “General” tab - there are several checkboxes and a button that opens additional settings. And on the “Compatibility” tab, you can adjust the settings for launching files older than earlier versions if they are abnormally processed by the installed operating system.
6. In addition to these 3, in the shortcut properties window there may be four more tabs with settings that help set the differentiation of access rights for different users (“Security”), “roll back” the version to the previous one (“Previous versions”), compare checksums from 2 shortcuts ( File Hashes).
Basic Configuration Options systems, displayed in the window " Properties systems» can be changed using standard operating procedures systems Windows XP. The OS graphical interface allows even a less experienced user to perform similar operations without the risk of introducing fatal errors.
You will need
- – Windows XP
Instructions
1. Click the "Start" button to open the main menu systems and go to the “Control Panel” item to initiate the metamorphosis of OS WIndows configuration parameters.
2. Select Productivity and Maintenance and expand the System link.
3. Go to the Computer Name tab and enter the desired computer name or description in the Description field to display the selected name on the network.
4. Click the Authentication button to launch the Network Authentication Wizard tool to connect to the local network.
5. Click the "Change" button to select options for displaying the computer name in the domain and workgroup.
6. Go to the Hardware tab and click the Device Manager button to launch the utility.
7. Use the “Driver Signing” button in the “Drivers” section to set the required level of security using digital driver signatures and click the “Hardware Profiles” button to determine the actions of the OS to select installed hardware during boot systems .
8. Go to the Advanced tab and click the Options button in the Performance section to specify whether visual results are applied when displaying interface elements.
9. Use the Options button in the User Profiles section to edit, delete, and copy selected profiles, and click the Options button in the Boot and Patch section to determine the OS that boots by default.
10. Go to the Mechanical Upgrade tab and check the Mechanical (Recommended) checkbox to confirm that a mechanical operating room upgrade is performed systems .
11. Go to the "Correction" tab systems" and uncheck the box "Disable correction systems» to allow the creation of regular correction points.
12. Click OK to execute the command and confirm that the selected changes are used by clicking Apply.
Helpful advice
The “General” tab opens by default and contains information about the version of the installed OS, computer user registration data, and technical specifications of the computer itself.
Organization of the desktop, in which launch Frequently used programs and files can be accessed with one click of the mouse, which is especially convenient. This possibility is provided by the Windows Quick Start panel. All that is required is to display it on the taskbar and add shortcuts necessary programs, folders and files.
You will need
- – a computer with Windows OS installed.
Instructions
1. If your Windows XP does not display the Quick Launch bar, install it. To do this, right-click on the taskbar and select the “Properties” option from the context menu. In the window that opens, go to the “Taskbar” menu and check the box opposite the line “Display Quick Launch Panel”. Click the "Apply" and "OK" buttons.
2. If the shortcut for the component you need is on the desktop, drag it to the Quick Launch panel by pressing and holding the left mouse button. Using the same method, you can move a shortcut to any program, folder or file from their original location to the panel.
3. In Vista, displaying the Quick Access bar and placing shortcuts on it is done in much the same way as in XP. To install the panel, right-click on the taskbar, in the window that appears, select the “Toolbar” menu and check the box opposite the “Quick startup” option. Dragging shortcuts with the mouse works exactly the same as in XP. From the “Start” menu, you can export shortcuts to the panel through the context menu by right-clicking on the desired component and selecting the “Add to Quick Launch” option.
4. Before adding a shortcut to the Windows 7 Quick Launch bar, you need to install it. To do this, right-click on the taskbar and uncheck the “Pin the taskbar” checkbox. After that, immediately select the “Panels” item and the “Create toolbar” option. In the window that opens, enter the folder name “%UserProfile%AppDataRoamingMicrosoftInternet ExplorerQuick Launch”. After this, click on the “Select Folder” button and make sure that the Quick Launch panel appears on the taskbar.
5. Right-click on it in the place of the dotted separators and uncheck the “Show captions” and “Show title” items in the context menu. This action will leave only the icons themselves on the panel, without showing their names. Click on the “View” item and check the opposite box “Small icons” so that the panel can accommodate a larger number of icons.
6. Left-click on the Quick Launch panel and drag the dotted line to the desired distance, pinning a specific area of the taskbar to the Quick Launch bar. Right-click on the taskbar and check the box next to “Pin the taskbar.” If you have not stopped SP1 for Windows 7, the quick access panel you created may disappear after a reboot. To prevent this from happening, install SP1.
7. Add shortcuts to the programs, files, and folders you need to the Quick Launch bar by dragging them with your mouse. You should release the mouse button when the text “Copy to Quick Launch” appears next to the cursor.
Helpful advice
If you use a widescreen monitor, it is convenient to place the taskbar on the side, increasing its width to such a size (about 80 pixels) that 3-4 rows of shortcuts fit in the quick access panel. This will allow you to place 20-30 icons on it, and at the same time leave enough space on the taskbar to place icons of running programs and files.
Standard Windows tools allow you to change only some file properties, for example, allow editing and deletion. In order to change the creation date, you have to use third-party programs or unconventional Windows techniques.
How to hide a file
Using standard Windows tools, you can hide the file you made from viewing and prevent it from being edited. To do this, right-click on its icon, select the “Properties” command and in the “General” tab of the properties window, check the “Read Only” and “Hidden” checkboxes. After that, go to the “Tools” menu and select the “Folder Options” item. In the “View” tab, find the “Hidden folders and files” item in the list of additional parameters and set it to “Do not show”. Click OK to confirm. To restore the visibility of the file, uncheck the “Hidden” checkbox.
How to change file properties
You can only change some data in the file properties. If you have Windows XP installed, in the properties window, go to the “Summary” tab and click “Advanced”. Click in the “Value” section opposite the property you want to change. If editing is allowed, an empty field will appear surrounded by a frame. To metamorphose the file properties in Windows 7, in the properties window, go to the “Details” tab and proceed as described above.
How to change the creation date of a file
To find out the creation date of a file, right-click on its icon and select the “Properties” command. The “General” tab displays basic information about the file, including the creation date. You cannot change this parameter using standard Windows tools, but you can use unconventional methods. Double-click on the clock in the tray (lower right corner of the screen) and set the date and time to which you want to change the actual file data. Open the file with a suitable editor (Word is suitable for text files, Paint or Photoshop is suitable for graphic files) and save it under your name. Now the file properties will reflect the creation date you need. It is allowed to use third-party programs to metamorphose the characteristics of a file, for example, the file administrator Total Commander. Launch TC and find in Explorer the file whose data you want to change. In the “Files” menu, click “Change Features” and in the new window, check the box next to “Date/Time Metamorphosis”. After that, check the “Apply plugins” checkbox. The Plugin field should contain the value tc. In the “Quality” field, expand the drop-down list and select “Creation Date”. In the “Value” field, enter the required date and click OK. For the plausibility of the adjustment, click “Add attribute” and select “Modification date” in the list of properties. Enter a date later than the creation date. In the same window you can prohibit editing the file and make it hidden. To do this, check the “Read Only” and “Hidden” checkboxes.
As you know, in a store, labels are attached to clothes so that you can quickly determine the size, price, manufacturer, recommendations for washing and ironing, etc. for any model of clothing. If such a label is removed, the clothing does not lose its properties and can be worn.
You can handle shortcuts in Windows 7 in the same way: use them to quickly access files, folders, and programs on your computer.
What is a shortcut
You shouldn’t worry or get upset if there is some problem with the shortcuts, for example, they disappeared or when you click on them you can’t open a file or program. If there are problems with shortcuts, files, folders and programs for which Win 7 shortcuts were created, as a rule, remain safe and sound.
How to distinguish a shortcut from a regular icon?
A shortcut has the same name as the object it points to. The object can be a program, folder, or file. It turns out that by name it is usually impossible to distinguish a program shortcut from the program itself.
How can we understand when we have a label in front of us and when the object itself? Moreover, the shortcut can be safely deleted. But you should delete the object itself only after thinking carefully.
Rice. 1 The shortcut icon differs from the object icon by the presence of a navigation arrow.
You can distinguish a shortcut from an object by its icons.
The shortcut icon typically has a navigation arrow in the lower left corner (Figure 1). But the object icon does not have such an arrow. In Fig. 1 shows examples of three icons:
- A shortcut icon for the Yandex.Disk program (there is a navigation arrow, which means this is a shortcut for the Yandex.Disk program),
- A shortcut icon for the Skype program (there is a navigation arrow, so it is a shortcut for the Skype program),
- Trash icon (no navigation arrow, this is not a shortcut).
Windows 7 shortcut properties: shortcut type, size and location
If you right-click on any shortcut (right-click), the “Properties” window will open. Click on the “General” tab (number 01 in Fig. 2) and look at the general properties of the shortcut.
Rice. 2 File type, location and file size of the Skype shortcut
The shortcut file has (or type, format) .lnk (number 1 in Fig. 2).
Labels take up little space. In Fig. 2 shows that the shortcut file size is 2-4 KB.
Also in Fig. 2 you can see the location of the shortcut. It can be seen that the shortcut for the Skype program is located on the Desktop, or rather, here - C:\Users\Public\Desktop (number 2 in Fig. 2).
How to create a shortcut: the first method
Shortcuts are useful because they can be placed in a convenient place, for example, on the Desktop. By clicking on a shortcut on the Desktop, you can quickly open the desired program, file or folder. Below we will look at two ways to create a shortcut for a program, file or folder.
1) You need to find an object (program, file or folder) on your computer for which you need to create a shortcut - number 1 in Fig. 3.
Rice. 3 How to create a shortcut in a folder and drag it to the Desktop
2) Now you need to right-click (Right Mouse Button) on the object (program, file or folder) that needs a shortcut.
3) A menu will appear in which you should select the “Create shortcut” command - number 2 in Fig. 3. That's all, the new shortcut will appear in the same place, in the same folder where our object is located.
4) There is no point in storing the shortcut along with the object in the same folder. Therefore, you should drag the shortcut to the desired location, for example, on the Desktop.
To do this, using one of the three buttons in the upper right corner of the window (number 3 in Fig. 3), you should reduce the window so that the Desktop is visible.
Then you need to move the mouse cursor to the shortcut, click on the LMB (Left Mouse Button) and, without releasing it, drag the shortcut to the Desktop (number 4 in Fig. 3). After dragging the shortcut to the desired location, you can release the mouse button.
How to create a shortcut: second method
Create a Windows 7 shortcut directly from the Desktop. For some it will be easier than the first method, but for others it will be more difficult.
1) Click on an empty space on the Desktop with RMB (right mouse button) (number 1 in Fig. 4).
Rice. 4 Create a shortcut on the desktop
2) Select the “Create” command in the menu that appears (number 2 in Fig. 4), and then “Shortcut” (number 3 in Fig. 4).
The “Create Shortcut” window will appear (Fig. 5):
Rice. 5 We look for the folder where the object for which the shortcut is created is located
3) You need to fill in the “Specify the location of the object” field. To do this, you need to find the object (program or file, folder) for which the shortcut is created. To do this, you can click on the “Browse” button (Fig. 5). The “Browse files and folders” window will appear, where you need to find the required program or document and click on it. The “Specify the location of the object” field will be filled in, then click “OK”.
4) A new window will appear where you can enter a name for the shortcut or agree with the proposed name, after which you should click on the “Done” button.
5) Now you can look for a new shortcut with an arrow in the left corner on the Desktop of your computer.
How to create a Mail.ru shortcut on your desktop?
Shortcuts can be created not only for files or programs that are located on your computer's hard drive. A shortcut can also be created for a website located on the Internet.
Let's look again at the above creation of a shortcut on the Desktop using a specific example - the Mail.ru shortcut (icon) on the Desktop.
1) Right-click (right mouse button) on an empty space on the Desktop.
2) In the context menu that appears, select “Shortcut” – “Create” (Fig. 4).
3) The “Create shortcut” window pops up (Fig. 5).
4) In this window, enter http://mail.ru/ (Fig. 5.1).
Rice. 5.1. How to create a MailRu shortcut?
6) The “Create Shortcut” window will appear, in which you need to enter the name of the shortcut. In Fig. 5.2 I entered the name “Mail.ru”, but you can enter any other name, including in Russian, in Cyrillic.
Rice. 5.2. Enter a name for the shortcut on the Desktop
7) Click on “Done”, go to the Desktop to look at the new shortcut with the name that we just set.
How to give a shortcut a different name (rename)?
You can rename a shortcut an unlimited number of times. To rename a shortcut, you need to right-click on it (Right Mouse Button). A menu will appear in which we click on the “Rename” command (number 1 in Fig. 6).
Rice. 6 How to rename or delete a shortcut
After this, the field containing the shortcut name will become available for editing. Using the keyboard, enter a new shortcut name or edit the old name.
How to remove a shortcut?
1st method. Select the shortcut and press the Delete key.
2nd method. Click on the shortcut RMB (Right Mouse Button). A menu will appear in which you click on the “Delete” command (number 2 in Fig. 6).
In the 1st and 2nd methods, in order to avoid misunderstandings when deleting a shortcut, the Windows operating system will ask you to confirm your decision regarding deleting the shortcut: “Do you want to move this shortcut to the trash?” (Fig. 7)
Rice. 7 Confirm deleting the shortcut to the Trash
If you click on the “Yes” button, the shortcut will be deleted to the Trash.
If the Trash has not been emptied by the user, then the shortcut can be returned from the Trash back to its original place. To do this, you will need to go to the Trash, right-click on the previously deleted shortcut. A menu will appear in which you need to click on the “Restore” command. The shortcut will be restored in the folder and location from which it was deleted.
Windows 7 shortcut icons
Shortcut icons can be changed to others. How to do it?
Rice. 8 How to change the shortcut icon
- To change the shortcut icon, right-click on it.
- In the menu that appears, click the Properties command,
- open the Shortcut tab (number 1 in Fig. 8),
- Click the “Change icon” button (number 2 in Fig. 8).
The Change Icon window appears, allowing you to select an icon from the provided set of icons. Select an icon, select it with a mouse click and click OK. The icon will be changed to the selected, new icon.
Windows 7 shortcuts won't open
The appearance of the shortcut (color, size, presence or absence of an arrow in the left corner of the shortcut icon) does not affect its operation in any way. Moreover, the appearance of the labels can be customized to your liking.
What affects the performance of shortcuts? Viruses, unsuccessful Windows updates, careless user actions.
Rash user actions include, for example, moving a program to another folder. As an option: the user was putting things in order on the computer, moved the program and forgot. Then the shortcut to the program transferred to another folder will immediately stop working. The reason is simple - the old file location does not work, it is worth replacing it with a new one.
What can you do if the shortcut stops working?
- Scan your computer for viruses.
- You can roll back the operating system to a working version if points have been made.
- Without thinking twice, you can try to remove the shortcut. First, you should make sure that it is really the shortcut that is being deleted, and not the program itself for which the shortcut was created. Then create a new shortcut. This is easier than checking the properties of the shortcut, looking for the cause there and eliminating it.
- Check the shortcut properties. Let's look at this reason in more detail.
If the Shortcut Properties indicates the location of the program is different from its actual location on the computer, then, of course, the shortcut will not work.
Where can I find it? RMB on the shortcut – Properties – “Shortcut” tab – “File location” button (number 5 in Fig. 8). If, after clicking on this button, the file is not found, then you should look at it in the “Object” window (number 6 in Fig. 8). Compare this path with the actual location of the file on the computer and, if necessary, correct it, especially since the field marked 6 in Fig. 8, available for editing.
Computer literacy exercises:
- Find a photo (or program) on your computer and create a shortcut for the photo on your desktop. Click on the shortcut on the Desktop and make sure it works.
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You can create a shortcut for programs, folders, and documents that you access regularly. Label is a link to an object, a means of quick access to an object located in a folder on the computer’s disk or on the network to which the computer is connected. Usually the shortcut is placed on the desktop, but it can also be placed in a folder. Double-clicking a shortcut icon allows you to open a document or run a program regardless of where it is located - on the user's computer's hard drive, on a network drive, or on a Web site.
By default, a shortcut has the same name as the object it points to. The shortcut icon, as a rule, differs from the icon of the object for which it was created only by the transition arrow located in the lower left corner of the picture (Fig. 4.31). The shortcut file has the extension .lnk and takes up little disk space (about 1 KB). It is a special communication file. When you double-click a shortcut, Windows uses the information stored in the link file to find and open the object associated with that shortcut (Figure 4.32).
Rice. 4.31. A shortcut to open a Word document
Rice. 4.32. General Shortcut Properties
To make it easier to access any object: a program or document, you can create one or more shortcuts and place them in different places: on the desktop and in frequently used folders. For example, if a Word document contains help information that the user constantly views, then by placing a shortcut to it on the desktop, he can open the file without accessing the menu.
You can place a shortcut inside a document or email message. By dragging the file icon onto the floppy disk shortcut, you can copy the file to the floppy disk. Placing a printer shortcut on your desktop allows you to speed up the printing process and make it easier to control. When you delete a shortcut, the file it is associated with is not deleted. If you rename a folder/file, the name of the shortcut will not change, but the connection between them will remain.
You can create a shortcut to a disk, program, folder or document using one of the methods below.
1. Select the object for which a shortcut is being created in the window My computer or explorer and select from the menu File team Create a shortcut.The new shortcut will appear in the lower corner of the window of the folder in which the item is located. Then you need to drag the shortcut with the mouse to the desired location, for example on the desktop.
2. Select the object for which a shortcut is created in the window My computer or Explorer, then activate the command Copy on the menu Edit. After going to the window of the folder in which the shortcut is supposed to be placed, select the command Insert shortcut on the menu Edit.
To delete a shortcut, select it, press the Delete key, or right-click the shortcut and select the command from the context menu Delete. In both cases, to avoid accidentally deleting an object, Windows will require confirmation of the specified action.
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