# Is there a way to make one desktop icon do more than one thing? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [October 20, 2000, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-one-desktop-icon-do-more-than-one-thing/37689 "2000-10-20T18:31:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![richman2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b9e5f3/32.png) [@richman2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/richman2)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-one-desktop-icon-do-more-than-one-thing/37689/1 "2000-10-20T18:31:36Z")
I have several things I always do together, and I’d like to know how to do it. For example, when I log on to the net, I also always want to open several window. My calendar page, my email page, and the tv listings. Remember batch files? I could call multiple programs with one command with a batch file. I’d do it that way again, but I can’t figure out how to make dos read the longer file names. Also how to just quit when done. Any ideas will be appreciated. ---
**Author:** ![sdimbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sdimbert/32/20204_2.png) [@sdimbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sdimbert)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-one-desktop-icon-do-more-than-one-thing/37689/2 "2000-10-20T19:01:38Z")
**richman2** , what you want to do is easy! All you need to do is select the icon on your desktop, then right-click (or option-click) and choose “Open With Action…” from the pop-up contextual menu. Then… …wait a minute? You’re not using a _Mac?!?_ Sorry. You’re SOL. Shoulda bought a Mac. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Arjuna34](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Arjuna34](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arjuna34)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-one-desktop-icon-do-more-than-one-thing/37689/3 "2000-10-20T19:05:54Z")
You could write a batch file that opens all that stuff, then make a shortcut to it. Double-clicking the shortcut would run the batch file, which would open everything else. Arjuna34 ---
**Author:** ![Opengrave](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/919ad9/32.png) [@Opengrave](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Opengrave)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-one-desktop-icon-do-more-than-one-thing/37689/4 "2000-10-20T19:18:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Arjuna34 \* > \*\*You could write a batch file that opens all that stuff, then make a shortcut to it. Double-clicking the shortcut would run the batch file, which would open everything else. > > Arjuna34 \*\* after that right click on the icon, select ‘Program’ then check the ‘close on exit’ box and the OK. ---
**Author:** ![Kyberneticist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kyberneticist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyberneticist)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-one-desktop-icon-do-more-than-one-thing/37689/5 "2000-10-20T19:33:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sdimbert \* > \*\ ***richman2** , what you want to do is easy! > All you need to do is select the icon on your desktop, then right-click (or option-click) and choose “Open With Action…” from the pop-up contextual menu. Then… > …wait a minute? You’re not using a _Mac?!?_ > Sorry. You’re SOL. Shoulda bought a Mac. > 😛 \*\* What he wants to do is easy! All he has to do is select the icon on his desktop, open properties, and type in the commands seperated by ; . Oh, wait, he’s not using X windows? Well, no problem. Just add Linux for PowerPC to the Mac or Linux for x86 to the Windows or Linux for SPARC to Sun machine he’s using! 😃 Gosh, good thing he’s not stuck using some inflexible OS that only runs on one platform… 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Mockingbird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c68b51/32.png) [@Mockingbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mockingbird)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-one-desktop-icon-do-more-than-one-thing/37689/6 "2000-10-20T19:35:46Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sdimbert \* > \*\* > > Sorry. You’re SOL. Shoulda bought a Mac. > 😛 \*\* Why, so he could have an overpriced ‘computer’ that doesn’t do what he needs? PC Users can BUILD their own computers. I’ve never seen a Mac person say they BUILT their Macinslosh. And what do I run on my PC OS??? Primarily LINUX. _mwah_ ---
**Author:** ![UncleBeer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/977dab/32.png) [@UncleBeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBeer)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-one-desktop-icon-do-more-than-one-thing/37689/7 "2000-10-20T20:43:38Z")
If all the jokers are through now, I can tell you how to do this. 1. Make three icons with the proper internet shortcuts. 2. Select all three with a “window.” You can do this by clicking and holding the left mouse button on a point to the top right of the three icons, then releasing the button at a point to the lower left of the icons. 3. The little titles below the icons should now be highlighted. Now, finally, strike the enter key on your keyboard. Voila, three open windows pointing to the proper URL. 4. Go explain to TubaDiva why you appear to have more than one screen name. Maybe you should do this first. [Edited by UncleBeer on 10-20-2000 at 03:45 PM] ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [October 20, 2000, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-one-desktop-icon-do-more-than-one-thing/37689/8 "2000-10-20T22:37:20Z")
Or you can make a folder on the desktop. Drag the bookmarks from the broswer window of all the web sites you want to the open folder. Hold down CTRL & select those web sites you want to open at once & Viola! They open. ---
**Author:** ![richman2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b9e5f3/32.png) [@richman2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/richman2)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-one-desktop-icon-do-more-than-one-thing/37689/9 "2000-10-21T01:05:51Z")
Thanks. That’s exactly what worked for me. As to the people who suggested batch files, as explained in the question, I don’t know how to reference a long file name in a batch file. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-one-desktop-icon-do-more-than-one-thing/37689/10 "2000-10-21T02:01:55Z")
All the people cracking jokes are showing their ignorance. Batch files are alive and well in WIN9X. The trick for DOS to read long file names or names with spaces is to enclose it in quotes. Like: C:\WINDOWS\MPLAYER.EXE /Play /Close “C:\Music\Feels so good\Chuck Mangione Feels so good.wav” ---
**Author:** ![Arjuna34](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Arjuna34](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arjuna34)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-one-desktop-icon-do-more-than-one-thing/37689/11 "2000-10-21T02:29:39Z")
Although sailor’s way to handle long filenames or filenames with spaces is better, you can also use the 8.3 filename. For example, C:\WINDOWS\MPLAYER.EXE /Play /Close C:\FEELSS~1\CHUCKM~1.WAV You can see the 8.3 filename by going to DOS and using DIR to do a directory listing. Arjuna34 ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [October 21, 2000, 3:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-one-desktop-icon-do-more-than-one-thing/37689/12 "2000-10-21T03:36:20Z")
That too. I use both ways. ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-one-desktop-icon-do-more-than-one-thing/37689/13 "2000-10-22T02:44:17Z")
I didn’t know about this trick to using long file names in batch files. Thanks, sailor, for the info. I was immediately inspired to do a startup batch file that opens a different directory depending on what day of the week it is (tv listings, actually). It works great! To get the day of the week, I used a trick I saw in a book called “Voodoo Windows” or something like that, and it was credited to some other book. Create a batch file with the output of the DATE command, like this: “echo.| date \> curdat.bat”. Now CALL this batch file. It tries to execute the first line of the date output, which looks something like “Current date is Sat 10-21-00”. The trick is that prior to this, you created a batch file called “current.bat”. Therefore, when you execute the first line of the DATE output, “Current.bat” will be executed with the rest of the words in the line as parameters! You can now work with the current date or day of the week. Also, since “Current.bat” is executed, not CALLed, control never returns to curdat.bat, and the second line of the date output (“Enter new date (mm-dd-yy):”) is never executed, avoiding any problems. This can also be used with the TIME command. ---
**Author:** ![Kyberneticist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kyberneticist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyberneticist)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-one-desktop-icon-do-more-than-one-thing/37689/14 "2000-10-22T03:19:14Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sailor \* > \*\*All the people cracking jokes are showing their ignorance. Batch files are alive and well in WIN9X. > \*\* Someone was bound to get around to mentioning quoting or 8.3 syntax. Cracking jokes is more fun. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Arjuna34](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Arjuna34](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arjuna34)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 3:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-one-desktop-icon-do-more-than-one-thing/37689/15 "2000-10-22T03:44:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kyberneticist \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by sailor \* > > \*\*All the people cracking jokes are showing their ignorance. Batch files are alive and well in WIN9X. > > \*\* > > Someone was bound to get around to mentioning quoting or 8.3 syntax. > Cracking jokes is more fun. 😛 \*\* Actually, I consider the DOS command line interface a big joke all by itself 🙂 Arjuna34 ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 4:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-one-desktop-icon-do-more-than-one-thing/37689/16 "2000-10-22T04:00:38Z")
zgystardst, that is quite ingenious. I did a few things like that. Spend an hour or two figuring out a way to save me a few seconds. Lots of fun 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Kyberneticist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kyberneticist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyberneticist)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-one-desktop-icon-do-more-than-one-thing/37689/17 "2000-10-22T18:27:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by zgystardst \* > \*\*-- Insanely convoluted way to get around an OS’ inherent failings here – > \*\* Yay, Windows can almost do a crippled cron. 🙂 My book on Perl devotes a few pages to writing Perl scripts headers that Windows is fooled into think are batch files with peculiar syntax so as to make your Perl executable. Now that Windows has ActiveScript this isn’t really needed all that much, unless you’re one of the few sane people who have turned that off so as to eliminate Windows’ thoughtful automatic virus interpretation functionality. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-one-desktop-icon-do-more-than-one-thing/37689/18 "2000-10-22T20:10:57Z")
I have uninstalled Windows Scripting Host check out [http://www.europe.f-secure.com/virus-info/u-vbs/](http://www.europe.f-secure.com/virus-info/u-vbs/) a good source of virus protection stuff ---
**Author:** ![Kyberneticist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kyberneticist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyberneticist)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2000, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-there-a-way-to-make-one-desktop-icon-do-more-than-one-thing/37689/19 "2000-10-22T20:35:27Z")
oops. Yes, ActiveScript is actually the windows native scripting language which is what is interpreted by Windows Scripting Host which can also pipe output to other apps (like Perl).