Create a shortcut to a network connection in Windows 7 - vb.net

Question

I am looking for an automatic method to create a shortcut to a network connection in Windows 7. I do not believe this is the same as a shortcut to a file.
I would prefer it to be in vb.net, but anything (VBS, PowerShell, etc...) would be fine.
I came up with the following script, but it requires you to click yes.
Const CSIDL_CONNECTIONS = &H31
Dim objShell As Object = CreateObject("Shell.Application")
Dim objConnectionsFolder = objShell.NameSpace(CSIDL_CONNECTIONS)
For Each objConnection In objConnectionsFolder.Items
If objConnection.name = "Local Area Connection" Then
Dim colVerbs = objConnection.Verbs
For Each objVerb In colVerbs
If Replace(objVerb.name, "&", "") = "Create Shortcut" Then
objVerb.DoIt()
End If
Next
End If
Next
MsgBox("If the script ends too quickly then it doesn't finish.")
Any Suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Answer 1

Powershell:
$WshShell = New-Object -comObject WScript.Shell
$Shortcut = $WshShell.CreateShortcut("C:\somepath\shortcutName.lnk"));
$Shortcut.TargetPath = "\\server\path";
$Shortcut.Save();

Answer 2

In VB.NET you could try to use my Shortcut Manager Helper Class.
Usage:
Dim Shortcut As New ShortcutManager.ShortcutInfo
With Shortcut
.ShortcutFile = "C:\New shortcut.lnk"
.Target = "\\server\path"
.Description = "Shortcut Description"
.Icon = "Icon.ico"
.IconIndex = 0
End With
ShortcutManager.CreateShortcut(Shortcut)
The Class is partially defined 'cause the character limit of StackOverflow (if you want the full version then go this link):
' ***********************************************************************
' Author : Elektro
' Modified : 02-16-2014
' ***********************************************************************
' <copyright file="ShortcutManager.vb" company="Elektro Studios">
' Copyright (c) Elektro Studios. All rights reserved.
' </copyright>
' ***********************************************************************
#Region " Imports "
Imports System.Runtime.InteropServices
Imports System.Text
Imports System.IO
#End Region
#Region " ShortcutManager "
''' <summary>
''' Performs Shortcut related operations.
''' </summary>
Public Class ShortcutManager
#Region " Variables "
Private Shared lnk As New ShellLink()
Private Shared lnk_data As New WIN32_FIND_DATAW()
Private Shared lnk_arguments As New StringBuilder(260)
Private Shared lnk_description As New StringBuilder(260)
Private Shared lnk_target As New StringBuilder(260)
Private Shared lnk_workingdir As New StringBuilder(260)
Private Shared lnk_iconpath As New StringBuilder(260)
Private Shared lnk_iconindex As Integer = -1
Private Shared lnk_hotkey As Short = -1
Private Shared lnk_windowstate As ShortcutWindowState = ShortcutWindowState.Normal
#End Region
#Region " P/Invoke "
<DllImport("shfolder.dll", CharSet:=CharSet.Auto)>
Private Shared Function SHGetFolderPath(
ByVal hwndOwner As IntPtr,
ByVal nFolder As Integer,
ByVal hToken As IntPtr,
ByVal dwFlags As Integer,
ByVal lpszPath As StringBuilder
) As Integer
End Function
<Flags()>
Private Enum SLGP_FLAGS
''' <summary>
''' Retrieves the standard short (8.3 format) file name.
''' </summary>
SLGP_SHORTPATH = &H1
''' <summary>
''' Retrieves the Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path name of the file.
''' </summary>
SLGP_UNCPRIORITY = &H2
''' <summary>
''' Retrieves the raw path name.
''' A raw path is something that might not exist and may include environment variables that need to be expanded.
''' </summary>
SLGP_RAWPATH = &H4
End Enum
<Flags()>
Private Enum SLR_FLAGS
''' <summary>
''' Do not display a dialog box if the link cannot be resolved. When SLR_NO_UI is set,
''' the high-order word of fFlags can be set to a time-out value that specifies the
''' maximum amount of time to be spent resolving the link. The function returns if the
''' link cannot be resolved within the time-out duration. If the high-order word is set
''' to zero, the time-out duration will be set to the default value of 3,000 milliseconds
''' (3 seconds). To specify a value, set the high word of fFlags to the desired time-out
''' duration, in milliseconds.
''' </summary>
SLR_NO_UI = &H1
''' <summary>
''' If the link object has changed, update its path and list of identifiers.
''' If SLR_UPDATE is set, you do not need to call IPersistFile::IsDirty to determine,
''' whether or not the link object has changed.
''' </summary>
SLR_UPDATE = &H4
''' <summary>
''' Do not update the link information
''' </summary>
SLR_NOUPDATE = &H8
''' <summary>
''' Do not execute the search heuristics
''' </summary>
SLR_NOSEARCH = &H10
''' <summary>
''' Do not use distributed link tracking
''' </summary>
SLR_NOTRACK = &H20
''' <summary>
''' Disable distributed link tracking.
''' By default, distributed link tracking tracks removable media,
''' across multiple devices based on the volume name.
''' It also uses the Universal Naming Convention (UNC) path to track remote file systems,
''' whose drive letter has changed.
''' Setting SLR_NOLINKINFO disables both types of tracking.
''' </summary>
SLR_NOLINKINFO = &H40
''' <summary>
''' Call the Microsoft Windows Installer
''' </summary>
SLR_INVOKE_MSI = &H80
End Enum
''' <summary>
''' Stores information about a shortcut file.
''' </summary>
Public Class ShortcutInfo
''' <summary>
''' Shortcut file full path.
''' </summary>
Public Property ShortcutFile As String
''' <summary>
''' Shortcut Comment/Description.
''' </summary>
Public Property Description As String
''' <summary>
''' Shortcut Target Arguments.
''' </summary>
Public Property Arguments As String
''' <summary>
''' Shortcut Target.
''' </summary>
Public Property Target As String
''' <summary>
''' Shortcut Working Directory.
''' </summary>
Public Property WorkingDir As String
''' <summary>
''' Shortcut Icon Location.
''' </summary>
Public Property Icon As String
''' <summary>
''' Shortcut Icon Index.
''' </summary>
Public Property IconIndex As Integer
''' <summary>
''' Shortcut Hotkey combination.
''' Is represented as Hexadecimal.
''' </summary>
Public Property Hotkey As Short
''' <summary>
''' Shortcut Hotkey modifiers.
''' </summary>
Public Property Hotkey_Modifier As HotkeyModifiers
''' <summary>
''' Shortcut Hotkey Combination.
''' </summary>
Public Property Hotkey_Key As Keys
''' <summary>
''' Shortcut Window State.
''' </summary>
Public Property WindowState As ShortcutWindowState
''' <summary>
''' Indicates if the target is a file.
''' </summary>
Public Property IsFile As Boolean
''' <summary>
''' Indicates if the target is a directory.
''' </summary>
Public Property IsDirectory As Boolean
''' <summary>
''' Shortcut target drive letter.
''' </summary>
Public Property DriveLetter As String
''' <summary>
''' Shortcut target directory name.
''' </summary>
Public Property DirectoryName As String
''' <summary>
''' Shortcut target filename.
''' (File extension is not included in name)
''' </summary>
Public Property FileName As String
''' <summary>
''' Shortcut target file extension.
''' </summary>
Public Property FileExtension As String
End Class
''' <summary>
''' Hotkey modifiers for a shortcut file.
''' </summary>
<Flags()>
Public Enum HotkeyModifiers As Short
''' <summary>
''' The SHIFT key.
''' </summary>
SHIFT = 1
''' <summary>
''' The CTRL key.
''' </summary>
CONTROL = 2
''' <summary>
''' The ALT key.
''' </summary>
ALT = 4
''' <summary>
''' None.
''' Specifies any hotkey modificator.
''' </summary>
NONE = 0
End Enum
''' <summary>
''' The Window States for a shortcut file.
''' </summary>
Public Enum ShortcutWindowState As Integer
''' <summary>
''' Shortcut Window is at normal state.
''' </summary>
Normal = 1
''' <summary>
''' Shortcut Window is Maximized.
''' </summary>
Maximized = 3
''' <summary>
''' Shortcut Window is Minimized.
''' </summary>
Minimized = 7
End Enum
<StructLayout(LayoutKind.Sequential, CharSet:=CharSet.Auto)>
Private Structure WIN32_FIND_DATAW
Public dwFileAttributes As UInteger
Public ftCreationTime As Long
Public ftLastAccessTime As Long
Public ftLastWriteTime As Long
Public nFileSizeHigh As UInteger
Public nFileSizeLow As UInteger
Public dwReserved0 As UInteger
Public dwReserved1 As UInteger
<MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValTStr, SizeConst:=260)>
Public cFileName As String
<MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.ByValTStr, SizeConst:=14)>
Public cAlternateFileName As String
End Structure
''' <summary>
''' The IShellLink interface allows Shell links to be created, modified, and resolved
''' </summary>
<ComImport(),
InterfaceType(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown),
Guid("000214F9-0000-0000-C000-000000000046")>
Private Interface IShellLinkW
''' <summary>
''' Retrieves the path and file name of a Shell link object.
''' </summary>
Sub GetPath(<Out(), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)>
ByVal pszFile As StringBuilder,
ByVal cchMaxPath As Integer,
ByRef pfd As WIN32_FIND_DATAW,
ByVal fFlags As SLGP_FLAGS)
''' <summary>
''' Retrieves the list of item identifiers for a Shell link object.
''' </summary>
Sub GetIDList(ByRef ppidl As IntPtr)
''' <summary>
''' Sets the pointer to an item identifier list (PIDL) for a Shell link object.
''' </summary>
Sub SetIDList(ByVal pidl As IntPtr)
''' <summary>
''' Retrieves the description string for a Shell link object.
''' </summary>
Sub GetDescription(<Out(), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)>
ByVal pszName As StringBuilder,
ByVal cchMaxName As Integer)
''' <summary>
''' Sets the description for a Shell link object.
''' The description can be any application-defined string.
''' </summary>
Sub SetDescription(<MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)>
ByVal pszName As String)
''' <summary>
''' Retrieves the name of the working directory for a Shell link object.
''' </summary>
Sub GetWorkingDirectory(<Out(), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)>
ByVal pszDir As StringBuilder,
ByVal cchMaxPath As Integer)
''' <summary>
''' Sets the name of the working directory for a Shell link object.
''' </summary>
Sub SetWorkingDirectory(<MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)>
ByVal pszDir As String)
''' <summary>
''' Retrieves the command-line arguments associated with a Shell link object.
''' </summary>
Sub GetArguments(<Out(), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)>
ByVal pszArgs As StringBuilder,
ByVal cchMaxPath As Integer)
''' <summary>
''' Sets the command-line arguments for a Shell link object.
''' </summary>
Sub SetArguments(<MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)>
ByVal pszArgs As String)
''' <summary>
''' Retrieves the hot key for a Shell link object.
''' </summary>
Sub GetHotkey(ByRef pwHotkey As Short)
''' <summary>
''' Sets a hot key for a Shell link object.
''' </summary>
Sub SetHotkey(ByVal wHotkey As Short)
''' <summary>
''' Retrieves the show command for a Shell link object.
''' </summary>
Sub GetShowCmd(ByRef piShowCmd As Integer)
''' <summary>
''' Sets the show command for a Shell link object.
''' The show command sets the initial show state of the window.
''' </summary>
Sub SetShowCmd(ByVal iShowCmd As ShortcutWindowState)
''' <summary>
''' Retrieves the location (path and index) of the icon for a Shell link object.
''' </summary>
Sub GetIconLocation(<Out(), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)>
ByVal pszIconPath As StringBuilder,
ByVal cchIconPath As Integer,
ByRef piIcon As Integer)
''' <summary>
''' Sets the location (path and index) of the icon for a Shell link object.
''' </summary>
Sub SetIconLocation(<MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)>
ByVal pszIconPath As String,
ByVal iIcon As Integer)
''' <summary>
''' Sets the relative path to the Shell link object.
''' </summary>
Sub SetRelativePath(<MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)>
ByVal pszPathRel As String,
ByVal dwReserved As Integer)
''' <summary>
''' Attempts to find the target of a Shell link,
''' even if it has been moved or renamed.
''' </summary>
Sub Resolve(ByVal hwnd As IntPtr,
ByVal fFlags As SLR_FLAGS)
''' <summary>
''' Sets the path and file name of a Shell link object
''' </summary>
Sub SetPath(ByVal pszFile As String)
End Interface
<ComImport(), Guid("0000010c-0000-0000-c000-000000000046"),
InterfaceType(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown)>
Private Interface IPersist
<PreserveSig()>
Sub GetClassID(ByRef pClassID As Guid)
End Interface
<ComImport(), Guid("0000010b-0000-0000-C000-000000000046"),
InterfaceType(ComInterfaceType.InterfaceIsIUnknown)>
Private Interface IPersistFile
Inherits IPersist
Shadows Sub GetClassID(ByRef pClassID As Guid)
<PreserveSig()>
Function IsDirty() As Integer
<PreserveSig()>
Sub Load(<[In](), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)>
pszFileName As String,
dwMode As UInteger)
<PreserveSig()>
Sub Save(<[In](), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)>
pszFileName As String,
<[In](), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.Bool)>
fRemember As Boolean)
<PreserveSig()>
Sub SaveCompleted(<[In](), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)>
pszFileName As String)
<PreserveSig()>
Sub GetCurFile(<[In](), MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)>
ppszFileName As String)
End Interface
' "CLSID_ShellLink" from "ShlGuid.h"
<ComImport(),
Guid("00021401-0000-0000-C000-000000000046")>
Private Class ShellLink
End Class
#End Region
#Region " Public Methods "
''' <summary>
''' Creates a shortcut file.
''' </summary>
''' <param name="FilePath">
''' The filepath to create the shortcut.
''' </param>
''' <param name="Target">
''' The target file or directory.
''' </param>
''' <param name="WorkingDirectory">
''' The working directory os the shortcut.
''' </param>
''' <param name="Description">
''' The shortcut description.
''' </param>
''' <param name="Arguments">
''' The target file arguments.
''' This value only should be set when target is an executable file.
''' </param>
''' <param name="Icon">
''' The icon location of the shortcut.
''' </param>
''' <param name="IconIndex">
''' The icon index of the icon file.
''' </param>
''' <param name="HotKey_Modifier">
''' The hotkey modifier(s) which should be used for the hotkey combination.
''' <paramref name="HotkeyModifiers"/> can be one or more modifiers.
''' </param>
''' <param name="HotKey_Key">
''' The key used in combination with the <paramref name="HotkeyModifiers"/> for hotkey combination.
''' </param>
''' <param name="WindowState">
''' The Window state for the target.
''' </param>
Public Shared Sub CreateShortcut(ByVal FilePath As String,
ByVal Target As String,
Optional ByVal WorkingDirectory As String = Nothing,
Optional ByVal Description As String = Nothing,
Optional ByVal Arguments As String = Nothing,
Optional ByVal Icon As String = Nothing,
Optional ByVal IconIndex As Integer = Nothing,
Optional ByVal HotKey_Modifier As HotkeyModifiers = Nothing,
Optional ByVal HotKey_Key As Keys = Nothing,
Optional ByVal WindowState As ShortcutWindowState = ShortcutWindowState.Normal)
' Load Shortcut
LoadShortcut(FilePath)
' Clean objects
Clean()
' Set Shortcut Info
DirectCast(lnk, IShellLinkW).SetPath(Target)
DirectCast(lnk, IShellLinkW).SetWorkingDirectory(If(WorkingDirectory IsNot Nothing,
WorkingDirectory,
Path.GetDirectoryName(Target)))
DirectCast(lnk, IShellLinkW).SetDescription(Description)
DirectCast(lnk, IShellLinkW).SetArguments(Arguments)
DirectCast(lnk, IShellLinkW).SetIconLocation(Icon, IconIndex)
DirectCast(lnk, IShellLinkW).SetHotkey(If(HotKey_Modifier + HotKey_Key <> 0,
Convert.ToInt16(CInt(HotKey_Modifier & Hex(HotKey_Key)), 16),
Nothing))
DirectCast(lnk, IShellLinkW).SetShowCmd(WindowState)
DirectCast(lnk, IPersistFile).Save(FilePath, True)
DirectCast(lnk, IPersistFile).SaveCompleted(FilePath)
End Sub
''' <summary>
''' Creates a shortcut file.
''' </summary>
''' <param name="Shortcut">Indicates a ShortcutInfo object.</param>
Public Shared Sub CreateShortcut(ByVal Shortcut As ShortcutInfo)
CreateShortcut(Shortcut.ShortcutFile,
Shortcut.Target,
Shortcut.WorkingDir,
Shortcut.Description,
Shortcut.Arguments,
Shortcut.Icon,
Shortcut.IconIndex,
Shortcut.Hotkey_Modifier,
Shortcut.Hotkey_Key,
Shortcut.WindowState)
End Sub
#End Region
#Region " Private Methods "
''' <summary>
''' Loads the shortcut object to retrieve information.
''' </summary>
''' <param name="ShortcutFile">
''' The shortcut file to retrieve the info.
''' </param>
Private Shared Sub LoadShortcut(ByVal ShortcutFile As String)
DirectCast(lnk, IPersistFile).Load(ShortcutFile, 0)
End Sub
''' <summary>
''' Clean the shortcut info objects.
''' </summary>
Private Shared Sub Clean()
lnk_description.Clear()
lnk_arguments.Clear()
lnk_target.Clear()
lnk_workingdir.Clear()
lnk_iconpath.Clear()
lnk_hotkey = -1
lnk_iconindex = -1
End Sub
''' <summary>
''' Gets the low order byte of a number.
''' </summary>
Private Shared Function GetLoByte(ByVal Intg As Integer) As Integer
Return Intg And &HFF&
End Function
''' <summary>
''' Gets the high order byte of a number.
''' </summary>
Private Shared Function GetHiByte(ByVal Intg As Integer) As Integer
Return (Intg And &HFF00&) / 256
End Function
#End Region
End Class
#End Region