Creating Windows
Desktop and Start Menu
Shortcuts

Different versions of Windows may differ slightly, but the general approach is as follows (these instructions are for Windows 98). Instead of using a '.bat' file to start the program, one can create a Windows shortcut.

Creating a Desktop Shortcut

Click on the desktop, away from any icons, with the right mouse button.

From the popup menu, select 'New' and then 'Shortcut'.

Windows will then ask for the 'command line'. Enter something like :
c:\jdk1.4.1\bin\java.exe -cp ide_343.jar Ide
(Use the actual path to java.exe on your system, and the correct jar file name)

Windows will then ask for the shortcut 'name'. Enter :
The Java IDE

The desktop shortcut is now in place.
Next, download The Java IDE icon ('ide.ico' - see above).

Right click on the desktop shortcut and select 'properties' from the popup menu. A dialog will appear. Press the 'Change Icon' button. 'Browse' to the location where you saved 'ide.ico' and choose it as your new shortcut icon.

The Desktop shortcut is now complete.

Creating a Start Menu Shortcut

The simplest method is as follows

Right click on the desktop shortcut and select 'copy' from the popup menu.

Open the 'Start' menu and select 'Settings' then 'Taskbar & Start Menu'.

A dialog will appear. Select the 'Start Menu Programs' tab and then the 'Advanced' button.

A 'Windows Explorer' frame will open showing the folder 'Windows\Start Menu'.
Right click in the righthand (files) half, and select 'paste' from the popup menu.

The Start Menu shortcut is now complete.