Use Deskbar shortcuts

Microsoft Windows Desktop Search

With Microsoft Windows Desktop Search, you can use shortcuts that let you quickly start programs or go directly to a website just by typing a keyword or a shortcut name in the Deskbar search box. You can also create your own shortcuts. For example, you can create a shortcut that automatically opens the Windows Live Mail Beta home page when you type mail in the Deskbar search box.

Getting help with Deskbar shortcuts

To:	Type this in the Deskbar search box:
Get help with Windows Desktop Search	?Help
Get help with Windows Desktop Search syntax	?syntax

Start programs with Deskbar shortcuts

To start:	Type this in the Deskbar search box:
Microsoft Office Word	!word
The Microsoft Windows calculator	!calc
Microsoft Outlook	!outlook

Create your own shortcuts

Refer to these guidelines when you create shortcuts:

To create a shortcut to	Enter this in the Deskbar search box	Example
Open a document	@shortcutname,c:\(document path)\(document name)	@resume,C:\resume.docTo use the shortcut, type resume
Open a program	@shortcutname,=[program command]	@note,=notepad.exe To use the shortcut, type note
Open a website	@shortcutname,webaddress	@hotmail,www.hotmail.com To use the shortcut, type hotmail
Perform a web query	@shortcutname,webaddress$w	@quote,http://moneycentral.msn.com/scripts/webquote.dll?iPage=qd&Symbol=$w To find a stock quote, type quote msft

Tip

Try performing a search on a website such as http://encarta.msn.com. When your search results page opens, your search terms should be included at the end of the web address in the Windows Internet Explorer address bar. Copy the web address, but replace your search terms with $w. Use this new web address to create your shortcut.

Clear and delete shortcuts

The following examples show how to create, use, and delete the note shortcut. The @clear entry clears all currently defined shortcuts.

To do this	Type this in the Deskbar search box	Example
Create a shortcut	@shortcutname,=[program command]	@note,=notepad.exe
Use the shortcut	shortcutname	note
Delete a shortcut	@shortcutname	@note
Delete all shortcuts	@clear	@clear

Notes

If you want to search for a keyword that is the same as the name of a shortcut, enclose that keyword in quotation marks. For example, if you have created a shortcut called shortcutname, and you want to search your computer for the shortcut name , type "shortcutname" in the search box.
Your Deskbar shortcuts are stored in the WindowsDesktopShortcuts.ini file. This file is located in the C:\Documents and Settings\username\application data\Windows Desktop Search folder. If you have used the beta version of Windows Desktop Search, save this file to a new location before you upgrade to the latest version of Windows Desktop Search. After you have installed the latest version of Windows Desktop Search, copy the file back into its original location. You can also copy this file to the same folder on a different computer.