How to create a desktop shortcut?

Question

I have a .net 9 Maui windows application, and need to create a desktop shortcut for it. The code I would normally use for this is:

 public static void CreateDesktopShortcut()
 {
     string desktopPath = Environment.GetFolderPath(Environment.SpecialFolder.Desktop);
     string shortcutPath = Path.Combine(desktopPath, "thing.lnk");

     var shell = new Shell32.Shell();
     var shortcut = (Shell32.ShellLinkObject)shell.CreateShortcut(shortcutPath);

     shortcut.TargetPath = "path.exe";
     shortcut.Description = "interesting description";

     shortcut.Save();
 }

However Shell32 isn't found though. Is there a new way of creating desktop shortcuts when running a maui application?

Further info: Adding "Microsoft Shell Controls and Automation" as a com reference, Shell32.Shell exists, but does not contain the method "CreateShortcut"

Answer 1

You can refer to this official document about How to create a desktop shortcut with the Windows Script Host.

1. Add the COM reference by adding the following code into the csproj file or you can add it by Project > Add > COM Reference > Windows Script Host Object Model.:

      <ItemGroup Condition="$([MSBuild]::GetTargetPlatformIdentifier('$(TargetFramework)')) == 'windows'">
        <COMReference Include="IWshRuntimeLibrary">
          <WrapperTool>tlbimp</WrapperTool>
          <VersionMinor>0</VersionMinor>
          <VersionMajor>1</VersionMajor>
          <Guid>f935dc20-1cf0-11d0-adb9-00c04fd58a0b</Guid>
          <Lcid>0</Lcid>
          <Isolated>false</Isolated>
          <EmbedInteropTypes>true</EmbedInteropTypes>
        </COMReference>
      </ItemGroup>

2. Declare the Helper class in the /Platforms/Windows:

namespace MauiApp.Platforms.Windows
{
    public class Helper
    {
        [DllImport("kernel32.dll", SetLastError = true, CharSet = CharSet.Auto)]
        static extern bool QueryFullProcessImageName(IntPtr hProcess, uint dwFlags,
                       [Out, MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPTStr)] StringBuilder lpExeName,
                       ref uint lpdwSize);
        public void CreateShortcut()
        {
            // Get a handle to the current process
            IntPtr hProcess = Process.GetCurrentProcess().Handle;
            uint dwFlags = 0;
            StringBuilder lpExeName = new StringBuilder(260);
            uint lpdwSize = (uint)lpExeName.Capacity;
            //Get exe path
            bool result = QueryFullProcessImageName(hProcess, dwFlags, lpExeName, ref lpdwSize);

            object shDesktop = (object)"Desktop";
            WshShell shell = new WshShell();
            string shortcutAddress = (string)shell.SpecialFolders.Item(ref shDesktop) + @"\MauiApp.lnk";
            IWshShortcut shortcut = (IWshShortcut)shell.CreateShortcut(shortcutAddress);
            shortcut.Description = "New shortcut for a MauiApp";
            shortcut.Hotkey = "Ctrl+Shift+N";
            shortcut.TargetPath = lpExeName.ToString();
            shortcut.Save();
        }
    }
}

And then you can new the Helper.cs and call the CreateShortcut() method.