Edit/Paste Shortcut

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Edit/Paste Shortcut

This menu item pastes Windows shortcuts to the files and folders currently on the clipboard, in the current folder as shown in the files pane.  The files and folders would have been placed on the clipboard by Copy or Cut.  If Cut was used, then pasting shortcuts does not delete the original file, as with Paste.

 

About Shortcuts

Shortcuts are small files (typically < 1000 bytes) - always with the extension .LNK - which contain, among other things, the path to a file or folder.  A shortcut file behaves, for the most part, the same as the file it references.  That is,

  • double-clicking a shortcut (or .LNK file) opens the target file
  • using a context (or right-click) menu to Edit a shortcut, opens the target file for editing
  • etc.

Creating shortcuts using this function always creates a .LNK file with the fully qualified path (eg. C:\folder\file.ext) used, rather than a relative path (eg. ..\..\folder2\file2.ext), and may, therefore, be moved anywhere on the local computer and will still function correctly.

Since shortcuts are true files and only link to the target through a (text) path, deletion or modification of a shortcut has no effect on the target file.

A good use for shortcuts is to place in one location (ie. one folder) a collection of shortcuts to files which are related in content or purpose, but which are scattered over the whole computer.

Shortcuts may be edited by using the Properties function.  Typically, the user may change

  • the shortcut's name.  When created, it has the same name as the target file, but this is not necessary.
  • the application used to open the target file
  • the shortcut's (not the target file's) attributes
  • the target file, working folder (if any) and hotkey (if any)
  • the shortcut's icon (default is the icon of the target file)
  • security settings (ownership, permissions, etc.), if implemented (NTFS drives only)

Shortcuts may be created (by other means, such as <right-click>Create Shortcut) to Windows special folders, such as Control Panel, which are not true physical folders.  The target for these types of shortcuts is usually not editable.  Also, installation of some applications may create shortcuts to those applications which are not editable.