# How di Put a desktop icon in my systray, and keep it there, please? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [April 25, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-di-put-a-desktop-icon-in-my-systray-and-keep-it-there-please/301053 "2005-04-25T18:23:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 6:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-di-put-a-desktop-icon-in-my-systray-and-keep-it-there-please/301053/1 "2005-04-25T18:23:52Z")
That’s it. I appreciate any help you can offer. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-di-put-a-desktop-icon-in-my-systray-and-keep-it-there-please/301053/2 "2005-04-25T18:27:21Z")
**Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! How DO I put a desktop icon in my systray, and keep it there, please?** ---
**Author:** ![LionelHutz405](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lionelhutz405/32/536_2.png) [@LionelHutz405](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LionelHutz405)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-di-put-a-desktop-icon-in-my-systray-and-keep-it-there-please/301053/3 "2005-04-25T18:40:50Z")
The program has to be written to minimize itself to the systray. You can’t really control it yourself. You can place it on the ‘quicklaunch’ toolbar (left side of the taskbar) by dragging the icon there. ---
**Author:** ![rewindforward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f19dbf/32.png) [@rewindforward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rewindforward)\ **Post date:** [April 25, 2005, 10:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-di-put-a-desktop-icon-in-my-systray-and-keep-it-there-please/301053/4 "2005-04-25T22:22:59Z")
you can’t put the desktop icon in the sys tray but here’s a program that’ll put a shortcut to the file there. I used a program called ‘tray shortcuts’… It was ver 3.2. Found it here: [http://planetjeffrey.novawebhost.com/desktop.html](http://planetjeffrey.novawebhost.com/desktop.html) the file here: [http://www.math.vanderbilt.edu/~schectex/wincd\_files/local\_archive/tscuts.zip](http://www.math.vanderbilt.edu/~schectex/wincd_files/local_archive/tscuts.zip) here’s what they say: Tray Shortcuts allows you to add any shortcut to the system tray. Simply copy the shortcuts that you wish to appear in the tray to the folder that contains Tscuts.exe, the Tray Shortcuts executable, then launch Tray Shortcuts. The shortcut icons will appear in the system tray. Remember that Tray Shortcuts will not display executable or document icons in the tray; it will, however, display any type of shortcut. * * * so unzip it to a folder that you won’t move, somewhere on C. Use an explorer window, to the file you want in the tray, hold right click… drag to create shortcut in the folder that has the tscuts.exe file. I also put a shortcut to the tscuts.exe in the start/programs/startup folder so it’d launch on system start. Then once it’s got a shortcut in the sys tray you can right click on it to change some tscut options. Like taking out the little arrow in the corner showing it’s a shortcut. Or if it’ll launch on a single or double click. Can also have whole folder shortcuts there. > [@E = mc²](#): > > **Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! > How DO I put a desktop icon in my systray, and keep it there, please?** ---
**Author:** ![rewindforward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f19dbf/32.png) [@rewindforward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rewindforward)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-di-put-a-desktop-icon-in-my-systray-and-keep-it-there-please/301053/5 "2005-04-27T15:30:07Z")
so what did you wind up doing? > [@E = mc²](#): > > **Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! Damn! > How DO I put a desktop icon in my systray, and keep it there, please?** ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-di-put-a-desktop-icon-in-my-systray-and-keep-it-there-please/301053/6 "2005-04-27T16:26:59Z")
> [@rewindforward](#): > > so what did you wind up doing? Uh, nothing. But wait! First of all, I just this minute got the notification that there was a response to my systray OP. Until now, I had thought no one cared to take on the question. So, I bought **Windows XP Hacks** , Second Edition from [amazon.com](http://amazon.com), and am waiting for its delivery. If I get up the nerve, I will try the approach you described. Thanks very much for your help, **rewindforward**. I feel guilty for not taking immediate action on your advice, but I’m such a friggin’ chicken when it comes to computers. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-di-put-a-desktop-icon-in-my-systray-and-keep-it-there-please/301053/7 "2005-04-27T20:18:28Z")
> [@E = mc²](#): > > Uh, nothing. But wait! > > First of all, I just this minute got the notification that there was a response to my systray OP. Until now, I had thought no one cared to take on the question. So, I bought **Windows XP Hacks** , Second Edition from [amazon.com](http://amazon.com), and am waiting for its delivery. > > If I get up the nerve, I will try the approach you described. > > Thanks very much for your help, **rewindforward**. I feel guilty for not taking immediate action on your advice, but I’m such a friggin’ chicken when it comes to computers. rewindforward, The book came in, I glanced through a few pages and have decided I will take the plunge on your systray advice - after I read a few chapters. Things don’t look so hard no mo’ Thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![rewindforward](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f19dbf/32.png) [@rewindforward](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rewindforward)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-di-put-a-desktop-icon-in-my-systray-and-keep-it-there-please/301053/8 "2005-04-27T20:35:40Z")
ok well it’s from 97 and the program doesn’t have the regular install thing that puts stuff in the start/programs. To run it you have to click on the tscuts.exe. But if you read the earlier post I explain how to get it going… and put a shortcut in the startup so it goes whenever it boots. But I’m running win ME so I don’t know if xp has that. But yeah read the earlier instructions and post back if there’s a problem. > [@E = mc²](#): > > rewindforward, > > The book came in, I glanced through a few pages and have decided I will take the plunge on your systray advice - after I read a few chapters. > > Things don’t look so hard no mo’ > > Thanks again. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-di-put-a-desktop-icon-in-my-systray-and-keep-it-there-please/301053/9 "2005-04-27T21:07:58Z")
I don’t quite understand your original question. Do you want to put a shortcut to a program in the Quick Launch toolbar in the taskbar? Or do you want to put the Show Desktop shortcut there? ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [April 27, 2005, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-di-put-a-desktop-icon-in-my-systray-and-keep-it-there-please/301053/10 "2005-04-27T23:25:10Z")
> [@Dewey Finn](#): > > I don’t quite understand your original question. Do you want to put a shortcut to a program in the Quick Launch toolbar in the taskbar? Or do you want to put the Show Desktop shortcut there? I don’t know if there’s a distinction between taskbar or systray. But what I want to do is put a shortcut in the systray - where the clock is. Rewind forwartd has told me how, I think, but I don’t have the expertise to try his approach at the moment. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-di-put-a-desktop-icon-in-my-systray-and-keep-it-there-please/301053/11 "2005-04-28T00:04:26Z")
Well, there’s this other thing called the Quick Launch toolbar that’s in the taskbar. In my computer, it’s on the left next to the Start button. It’s quite easy to add any Windows shortcut to it. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-di-put-a-desktop-icon-in-my-systray-and-keep-it-there-please/301053/12 "2005-04-28T00:28:02Z")
Also, to clarify the terms, the systray (also called the system tray) is, as you said, the collection of icons next to the clock in a Windows system. The taskbar is the entire bar at the bottom, with the Start button on the left and the clock on the right. If it’s acceptable to you to get your desktop icon in the Quick Launch toolbar instead of the systray, I can explain how to do that. I’m sure it’s also explained in the book you mentioned. ---
**Author:** ![BarnOwl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e95f7d/32.png) [@BarnOwl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BarnOwl)\ **Post date:** [April 28, 2005, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-di-put-a-desktop-icon-in-my-systray-and-keep-it-there-please/301053/13 "2005-04-28T18:07:17Z")
> [@Dewey Finn](#): > > Also, to clarify the terms, the systray (also called the system tray) is, as you said, the collection of icons next to the clock in a Windows system. The taskbar is the entire bar at the bottom, with the Start button on the left and the clock on the right. > > If it’s acceptable to you to get your desktop icon in the Quick Launch toolbar instead of the systray, I can explain how to do that. I’m sure it’s also explained in the book you mentioned. Thank you for the clarification. I have put the icon in quick launch. Maybe later I’ll go for the gusto and try to put it in the systray. I expected Windows XP Hacks to be a really thick tome. It’s about medium-size - 500+ plages. There are some unexpected topics inside like: Force Windows Explorer into True Usefulness Hack Firefox Build Your Own Firefox Search Engine Punch an Escape Hole through Your Firewall Fire Outlook and Outlook Express Preston Gralla, the author, recommends Eudora as your email software because of some very neat features - among which are file sharing with selected friends, sending voice mail via email, “as well as very powerful filtering and searching capabilities.” Ever wonder where the name for Eudora came from? In a light note, Gralla tells you: “If you want to amaze your friends and acquaintences with little-known technology facts, here’s one for you. Eudora was named after the well-known fiction writer Eudora Welty because of a short story she wrote in 1941, “Why I live at the P.O.,” about a woman who moves into her post office.” If the spoiler doesn’t work, it’s more evidence of my technological idiocy