Summary

This article discusses how to create an Internet shortcut on the desktop and, when it is double-clicked, it will open up a web browser and take the user to that website as per the project configuration of the project .ism file.

Project Type

• Basic MSI
• Installscript MSI

Steps to Create an Internet Shortcut

Method 1

1. Create an Internet shortcut that launches the InstallShield website.
2. Open the created text file and rename it InstallShield.url with the following contents:
   [InternetShortcut]
URL=http://www.installshield.com
3. Create a new Basic MSI project.
4. Create a feature and a component and add the Installshield.url file to this component.
5. Go to the Shortcut View and create a new shortcut and rename the shortcut.
6. Save and build the project.
7. Install the setup.
8. Check that new shortcut is created on the user's desktop and that when double-clicked the shortcut launches the InstallShield page.

Method 2

1. Create a Basic MSI project.
2. Add a feature and a component and a file.
3. Right-click INI Files and select Add INI File.
4. Rename the INI file to a meaningful name; in this example, we will name it ShortcutIS.URL.
   

   NOTE: Make sure that your file extension is URL in all uppercase. This is very important.

5. Click on ShortcutIS.URL and for the Target property, enter: [DesktopFolder].
6. Right-click ShortcutIS.URL and select Add Section.
7. Rename the section InternetShortcut.
8. Right-click InternetShortcut and select Add Keyword.
9. Rename the keyword to URL.
10. Click on URL and for the Data Value property, enter: https://www.revenera.com/
11. Save and build the project and then install the setup.
12. The Internet shortcut will be created on the user's desktop with the specified name, in this case, ShortcutIS. Double-click on the shortcut, which launches the Revenera page.

Method 3

Using msedge.exe, which is the main executable for the Microsoft Edge browser.

1. Create a Basic MSI project.
2. Add a feature and a component and a file.
3. Go to Property Manager and create a property named TEST.
4. Set the value of TEST property to the path of msedge.exe. For example:
   C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft\Edge\Application\
5. Make sure your Windows machine has the latest Windows updates applied. If not, msedge.exe will not be available at the mentioned path.
6. Go to Shortcut and create a new shortcut and then rename it InternetShortcutEdge and point to msedge.exe path.
7. Change the Target to: [TEST]msedge.exe
8. Set Arguments to: https://www.revenera.com/
9. Save and build the project.
10. Install the setup, verify that the shortcut InternetShortcutEdge is created on the user's desktop.
11. Double-click on InternetShortcutEdge, which launches the Revenera webpage.

Reference

See Creating an Internet Shortcut with InstallShield to access documentation for creating an Internet shortcut with InstallShield.