How to create an icon for shortcut file when the icon is next to the shortcut

Question

I want choose an icon for a shortcut file.

The file must be run in each computer, but icon file path, may be different on each.

I tried this code to change the icon properties:

"%windir%\system32\cmd.exe /c echo "%CD%\1.ico""

But it did not work!

Answer 1

So basically, what you want to do is create a shortcut with a custom icon and path without user interaction, correct?

We can use a VBS code to perform this task. I believe that in Windows 8 / 8.1 / 10 it is slightly different, if anything breaks just let me know, but, as I remember VBS in Windows 7:

Set WshShell = CreateObject ("Wscript.Shell")
strDesktop = WshShell.SpecialFolders("Desktop") \\ You can delete the code and just put like 'strDekstop = "X:\User\Desktop"' if you want.
Set Shortcut = WshShell.CreateShortcut(strDesktop + "\ShortcutName.lnk")
Shortcut.WindowStyle = "3" 
Shortcut.IconLocation = "X:\YourIcon.ico"
Shortcut.TargetPath = "X:\YourPath\OrFolder\yourarchive.exe"
ShortCut.Hotkey = "ALT+CTRL+F" // You can just delete this line if you don't want a hotkey.
ShortCut.Save

If you want something more automated, we can turn it into a bat script with no problems!

Shortcut maker.bat

@echo off
@chcp 1252 >nul
:: By Katorn Hypno
:: Never use quotation marks.
:loop
:: Configs and info above.

:: Command section bellow

:: Asking for directions.
:: Don't forget the executable name and the .exe.
set /p targetpath=Target Path+Executable: 
:: Don't forget the .ico at the end with the icon name.
:: You can put lnklocation and the iconlocation on top of ":loop" for a single ask.
set /p iconlocation=Icon Location: 
set /p lnklocation=Shortcut Location: 
set /p lnkname=Shortcut Name: 

:: Writing VBS file and creating Shortcut.
echo Trying to write...
set katorn=%random%
echo >>%katorn%.vbs Set WshShell = CreateObject ("Wscript.Shell")
echo >>%katorn%.vbs strDesktop = "%lnklocation%"
echo >>%katorn%.vbs Set Shortcut = WshShell.CreateShortcut(strDesktop + "\%lnkname%.lnk")
echo >>%katorn%.vbs Shortcut.WindowStyle = "3" 
echo >>%katorn%.vbs Shortcut.IconLocation = "%iconlocation%"
echo >>%katorn%.vbs Shortcut.TargetPath = "%targetpath%"
echo >>%katorn%.vbs ShortCut.Save
:: You can comment the next line if you don't want to execute the VBS files.
cscript %katorn%.vbs
:: You can uncommment the next line if you want to delete after executing.
:: del /q /f %katorn%.vbs
echo Done.
goto loop

Shortcut Reader.bat

@echo off
@chcp 1252 >nul
set /p folder=VBS archives folder:
:: Uncomment the code bellow to try every possibility.
:: set /l %%w in (0,1,99999) do (
:: cscript %%w.vbs
:: )
:: echo All trys got executed. 99999.
for /d %%w in (%folder%\*) do (
cscript %%w.vbs
 )
echo Done.
pause;

Hope this helps,
K.