XP saves file as shortcut instead of following shortcut

  • Thread starter Thread starter zorro
  • Start date Start date
Z

zorro

Hi,

When i try to save for example a Notepad file, the Notepad dialog box
asks where i want to save it. So in the dialog's left pane i click My
Documents because i have there a bunch of shortcuts to different
folders. But once in My Documents when I click one of my shortcuts,
instead of opening the folder XP tries to save the file as a .lnk file.
The message is :

"C:\Documents and Settings\My Documents\myshortcut1.lnk" already
exists. Do you want to replace it?

And this happens with all programs not just Notepad. I've had this
computer for only a month but I'm sure the one I had before which also
had XP didn't have this behavior.

Any ideas how to fix it?
 
zorro said:
Hi,

When i try to save for example a Notepad file, the Notepad dialog box
asks where i want to save it. So in the dialog's left pane i click My
Documents because i have there a bunch of shortcuts to different
folders. But once in My Documents when I click one of my shortcuts,
instead of opening the folder XP tries to save the file as a .lnk file.
The message is :

"C:\Documents and Settings\My Documents\myshortcut1.lnk" already
exists. Do you want to replace it?

And this happens with all programs not just Notepad. I've had this
computer for only a month but I'm sure the one I had before which also
had XP didn't have this behavior.

Any ideas how to fix it?
Click to expand...

By selecting a shortcut (e.g., double-clicking on the icon), you replace
the name of the file in the File Name area with the name of the shortcut.

To avoid this, first copy the name from the File Name area (mark, then
Ctrl-c). Then select the shortcut to navigate to the correct directory.
Finally, paste the name back into the File Name area (mark, then
Ctrl-v) before selecting the Save button.

--

David E. Ross
<http://www.rossde.com/>

Concerned about someone (e.g., Pres. Bush) snooping
into your E-mail? Use PGP.
See my <http://www.rossde.com/PGP/>
 
David said:
By selecting a shortcut (e.g., double-clicking on the icon), you replace
the name of the file in the File Name area with the name of the shortcut.

To avoid this, first copy the name from the File Name area (mark, then
Ctrl-c). Then select the shortcut to navigate to the correct directory.
Finally, paste the name back into the File Name area (mark, then
Ctrl-v) before selecting the Save button.
Click to expand...

That doesn't work. XP does not navigate the shortcut, no matter what is
in the File Name area. The moment I click the shortcut, XP puts the
link name in the File Name area and asks if I want to replace it.
 
zorro said:
That doesn't work. XP does not navigate the shortcut, no matter what is
in the File Name area. The moment I click the shortcut, XP puts the
link name in the File Name area and asks if I want to replace it.
Click to expand...

Oops! I just tested this. My prior answer was based on experience with
Windows 95 and 98.

But now with Windows XP, when I select a shortcut in the file list of a
Save or Save As window, I do indeed navigate to that location WITHOUT
the name in the File Name area changing. When I select the Save button,
the file is saved where I indicated when I selected the shortcut. This
is actually an improvement since some malware had been taking advantage
of the prior way this worked.

On the other hand, what I saw during my test is different from what you
are reporting. What you describe is how Windows 95 and 98 worked. Are
you current with Windows XP patches and updates?

--

David E. Ross
<http://www.rossde.com/>

Concerned about someone (e.g., Pres. Bush) snooping
into your E-mail? Use PGP.
See my <http://www.rossde.com/PGP/>
 
Did you try to remove the arrow from the shortcut icon by deleting the "IsShortcut" value from the
registry?

----- partial reg export, subkeys not shown ------

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile]
@="Shortcut"
"EditFlags"=dword:00000001
"IsShortcut"=""
"NeverShowExt"=""

--------------------------------------------------------

The behavior you're describing is one of the unwanted side-effects of doing so.

Try recreating the value, then use TweakUI to modify or eliminate the arrow overlay.
 
Keith said:
Did you try to remove the arrow from the shortcut icon by deleting the "IsShortcut" value from the
registry?

----- partial reg export, subkeys not shown ------

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile]
@="Shortcut"
"EditFlags"=dword:00000001
"IsShortcut"=""
"NeverShowExt"=""

--------------------------------------------------------

The behavior you're describing is one of the unwanted side-effects of doing so.

Try recreating the value, then use TweakUI to modify or eliminate the arrow overlay.
Click to expand...

Hey it worked, thanks a lot! The registry didn't have "IsShortcut" so i
created it and the problem disapeared right away. Didn't even need
tweakui.
 
You're welcome.

--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]


zorro said:
Keith said:
Did you try to remove the arrow from the shortcut icon by deleting the "IsShortcut" value from
the
registry?

----- partial reg export, subkeys not shown ------

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile]
@="Shortcut"
"EditFlags"=dword:00000001
"IsShortcut"=""
"NeverShowExt"=""

--------------------------------------------------------

The behavior you're describing is one of the unwanted side-effects of doing so.

Try recreating the value, then use TweakUI to modify or eliminate the arrow overlay.
Click to expand...

Hey it worked, thanks a lot! The registry didn't have "IsShortcut" so i
created it and the problem disapeared right away. Didn't even need
tweakui.
Click to expand...
 
Hate to dredge up an old thread but I'm having the same problem - Windows
wants to save something as the shortcut instead of following it.

Outlook Express is where I'm finding this most annoying.

I haven't done any tweaking to the registry to remove the arrow - and all my
registry values are the same as below.
(Assuming @ means (Default). If not, let me know, I'll try making it.)

Any other fixes out there for this? This is driving me BATTY!

~r


Keith Miller MVP said:
Did you try to remove the arrow from the shortcut icon by deleting the
"IsShortcut" value from the registry?

----- partial reg export, subkeys not shown ------

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile]
@="Shortcut"
"EditFlags"=dword:00000001
"IsShortcut"=""
"NeverShowExt"=""

--------------------------------------------------------

The behavior you're describing is one of the unwanted side-effects of
doing so.

Try recreating the value, then use TweakUI to modify or eliminate the
arrow overlay.


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]


zorro said:
Hi,

When i try to save for example a Notepad file, the Notepad dialog box
asks where i want to save it. So in the dialog's left pane i click My
Documents because i have there a bunch of shortcuts to different
folders. But once in My Documents when I click one of my shortcuts,
instead of opening the folder XP tries to save the file as a .lnk file.
The message is :

"C:\Documents and Settings\My Documents\myshortcut1.lnk" already
exists. Do you want to replace it?

And this happens with all programs not just Notepad. I've had this
computer for only a month but I'm sure the one I had before which also
had XP didn't have this behavior.

Any ideas how to fix it?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
@ does indeed mean (Default)

What I posted was only a partial export. Have you tried going here:

http://www.dougknox.com/

Select 'WinXP Fixes' from the left pane, then select 'File Association Fixes' from the right pane,
then download the LNK file fix.


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]


Rebecca Hubbard said:
Hate to dredge up an old thread but I'm having the same problem - Windows wants to save something
as the shortcut instead of following it.

Outlook Express is where I'm finding this most annoying.

I haven't done any tweaking to the registry to remove the arrow - and all my registry values are
the same as below.
(Assuming @ means (Default). If not, let me know, I'll try making it.)

Any other fixes out there for this? This is driving me BATTY!

~r


Keith Miller MVP said:
Did you try to remove the arrow from the shortcut icon by deleting the "IsShortcut" value from
the registry?

----- partial reg export, subkeys not shown ------

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\lnkfile]
@="Shortcut"
"EditFlags"=dword:00000001
"IsShortcut"=""
"NeverShowExt"=""

--------------------------------------------------------

The behavior you're describing is one of the unwanted side-effects of doing so.

Try recreating the value, then use TweakUI to modify or eliminate the arrow overlay.


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]


zorro said:
Hi,

When i try to save for example a Notepad file, the Notepad dialog box
asks where i want to save it. So in the dialog's left pane i click My
Documents because i have there a bunch of shortcuts to different
folders. But once in My Documents when I click one of my shortcuts,
instead of opening the folder XP tries to save the file as a .lnk file.
The message is :

"C:\Documents and Settings\My Documents\myshortcut1.lnk" already
exists. Do you want to replace it?

And this happens with all programs not just Notepad. I've had this
computer for only a month but I'm sure the one I had before which also
had XP didn't have this behavior.

Any ideas how to fix it?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Thanks, Keith. That solved the "Save As..." problem, but my OE problem still
persists.(Basically the same thing - when click Attach File, and I double
click on a shortcut, it just attaches the shortcut, doesn't follow it.)

Any other recommendations?
The "Save As" functionality was not nearly as important as the OE thing.

(And I posted in the OE group, but I haven't gotten any suggestions aside
from "drag and drop..." remarks, for those of you who are wondering, TYVM.)
~r


Keith Miller MVP said:
@ does indeed mean (Default)

What I posted was only a partial export. Have you tried going here:

http://www.dougknox.com/

Select 'WinXP Fixes' from the left pane, then select 'File Association
Fixes' from the right pane, then download the LNK file fix.


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]


Rebecca Hubbard said:
Hate to dredge up an old thread but I'm having the same problem - Windows
wants to save something as the shortcut instead of following it.

Outlook Express is where I'm finding this most annoying.

I haven't done any tweaking to the registry to remove the arrow - and all
my registry values are the same as below.
(Assuming @ means (Default). If not, let me know, I'll try making it.)

Any other fixes out there for this? This is driving me BATTY!

~r
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Wow, it does that on my machine, too. I never knew about that.

I found this thread which seems to confirm it as a bug:

http://groups.google.com/group/micr...62a52?lnk=st&q=&rnum=2&hl=en#54c7eed945a62a52

If you don't mind recreating your shortcuts, you can create a 'folder shortcut' ( as opposed to a
..lnk shortcut to a folder). These behave more like true folders: sorting, cascading, etc. They
also behave properly with the OE 'Insert Attachment' dialog.

Open one explorer window to your Start Menu folder, and another to select your target folders.

Right-click & drag a target folder to the Start Menu folder and then select 'Create Shortcut' upon
release of the mouse button. You can then move the shortcut to wherever you want.




--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]


Rebecca Hubbard said:
Thanks, Keith. That solved the "Save As..." problem, but my OE problem still persists.(Basically
the same thing - when click Attach File, and I double click on a shortcut, it just attaches the
shortcut, doesn't follow it.)

Any other recommendations?
The "Save As" functionality was not nearly as important as the OE thing.

(And I posted in the OE group, but I haven't gotten any suggestions aside from "drag and drop..."
remarks, for those of you who are wondering, TYVM.)
~r


Keith Miller MVP said:
@ does indeed mean (Default)

What I posted was only a partial export. Have you tried going here:

http://www.dougknox.com/

Select 'WinXP Fixes' from the left pane, then select 'File Association Fixes' from the right
pane, then download the LNK file fix.


--
Good Luck,

Keith
Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]


Rebecca Hubbard said:
Hate to dredge up an old thread but I'm having the same problem - Windows wants to save
something as the shortcut instead of following it.

Outlook Express is where I'm finding this most annoying.

I haven't done any tweaking to the registry to remove the arrow - and all my registry values are
the same as below.
(Assuming @ means (Default). If not, let me know, I'll try making it.)

Any other fixes out there for this? This is driving me BATTY!

~r


When i try to save for example a Notepad file, the Notepad dialog box
asks where i want to save it. So in the dialog's left pane i click My
Documents because i have there a bunch of shortcuts to different
folders. But once in My Documents when I click one of my shortcuts,
instead of opening the folder XP tries to save the file as a .lnk file.
The message is :

"C:\Documents and Settings\My Documents\myshortcut1.lnk" already
exists. Do you want to replace it?
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
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