XPost: comp.os.ms-windows.programmer.win32, alt.windows7.general   
   From: nospam@needed.invalid   
      
   On Wed, 9/3/2025 3:47 AM, R.Wieser wrote:   
   > Paul,   
   >   
   >> A shortcut is designed to be copied or moved anywhere.   
   >   
   > And, as it looks now, their *only* goal.    I can imagine using a full path   
   > as the default, but ignoring relative paths is just a "it works for us"   
   > short-sighteness.   
   >   
   > ... unless you have a good reason why relative paths would not be possible ?   
   >   
   >> If the Original file is moved (somewhere), you are required to create   
   >> a new Shortcut (new absolute path).   
   >   
   > Nope.  It will try to find the target itself, but gives you the option to   
   > browse for it.   
   >   
   > I could easily do without that behaviour (its search method is opaque) and   
   > just get an "target has gone" error.  Have not seen any configuration for   
   > that though.   
   >   
   >> If you want a file to appear in two places (on the same partition),   
   >> then mklink or junction.exe might work.   
   >   
   > Hard links do not work on FAT32 (thumb)drives.   And neither program exists   
   > on my OS (XPsp3).   
   >   
   >> but when the program "works out where it is", as some programs   
   >> do, it is going to find that it is not located in the portable   
   >> folder where all the DLLs are located.   
   >   
   > :-) Pros and cons.  They have to be weighted.   
   >   
   >> Right now, the betting money is on a shortcut with an absolute   
   >> path inside it.   
   >   
   > Not usable on a removable (thumb)drive I'm afraid.   
   >   
   > ... hence my (subject-line) question.   
   >   
   > Regards,   
   > Rudy Wieser   
      
   There is a feature called "AppPath" or so, where executables not   
   in the regular path environment variable, are stored in the Registry.   
      
      https://learn.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/win32/shell/app-registration   
      
   I somehow doubt a USB key would be allowed a reference in there.   
   Only partition letters "in good standing" like C: should be   
   stored there. Any partition which is volatile would be a poor   
   candidate for inclusion, since the drive letter could be reused   
   any time.   
      
   But that's just a demo that at some point, they decided to augment   
   %path% type environment variables, with a few more pointers.   
      
   Just leave your EXE and DLL in the bin\ subdirectory you created   
   and people will find it :-) Or, consult the people who make portable   
   applications, and maybe they have a treatise on the subject.   
      
      Paul   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)