<Preamble>
Using D6 Pro, Win2000pro
Basically I wish to run a shortcut from within a small program.  I am
using D6's InstallShield Express to distribute my app, but I find the
executable files are not really copied to the target harddrive until
the desktop shortcut is clicked.  So I am trying to "click" it with
this:
-------------
function GetDesktopDir: string;
var
  pidl: pItemIDList;
  nameBuf: Array [0..MAX_PATH] of Char;
  csidlValue: Integer;
begin
  csidlValue := CSIDL_DESKTOPDIRECTORY;
  result := '';
  if SUCCEEDED(SHGetSpecialFolderLocation(
    Application.handle, csidlValue, pidl)) then
  Begin
    If pidl <> Nil Then
    begin
      If SHGetPathFromIDList(pidl, namebuf) Then
        Result := StrPas(namebuf);
      FreePidl(pidl);
    end;
  End;
end;

procedure TformMain.btnHailBrokerClick(Sender: TObject);
var
  BatPath: string;
  X: Integer;
begin
  if btnHailBroker.Caption = 'Finish' Then
  Begin
    BatPath := GetDesktopDir;
    BatPath :=  BatPath + '\HailBroker.lnk';
    if FileExists(BatPath) then
    begin
      Shellexecute(0, 'open', PChar(BatPath), Nil, Nil, 0);
      Close;
    end
    else
    begin
      //handle it
    end;
  End
  Else //do other stuff
end;
---------------
</Preamble>

The problem on my machine and another similar machine (win2000pro) is
that nothing appears to happen, no errors, but the shortcut is not
executed.  I *am* logged in as administrator.

I have tried ShellExecute without adding to the BatPath and using the
following "syntax" to no avail:

ShellExecute(0, 'open', 'HailBroker.lnk', PChar(BatPath), Nil, 0);

My program *can* execute "exe" and "bat" files okay, so I've created a
temporary bat file, then I execute that, which does work, but it seems
like a clumsy workaround:

---------
procedure TformMain.btnHailBrokerClick(Sender: TObject);
var
  F: TextFile;
  BatPath, TempPath: string;
  X: Integer;
begin
  if btnHailBroker.Caption = 'Finish' Then
  Begin
    TempPath := GetDesktopDir;
    BatPath :=  TempPath+ '\HailBroker.lnk';
    if FileExists(BatPath) then
    begin
      Try
        AssignFile(F, 'StartBat.Bat');
        Rewrite(F);
        Writeln(F, '"' + BatPath + '"');
      Finally
        CloseFile(F);
      End;
      Sleep(1000); //unnecessary?, but whatever
      Shellexecute(0, 'open', 'StartBat.Bat', Nil, Nil, 0);
      Sleep(1000); //or this?
      DeleteFile('StartBat.Bat');
      Close;
    end
    else
    begin
      //handle it
    end;
  End
  Else //do other stuff
end;
-----
Am I doing something wrong in the first case?  Interestingly
InstallShield gives the option to execute the link upon completion of
the install, which doesn't work either.  Does ShellExecute not work
with links(shortcuts) on Win2K?  I've Googled and found answers, but I
can't get those answers to work.  Any help/suggestions appreciated.

Thanks,

John
Typos are all mine....