Managing desktop shortcuts in Nebula
In Windows, shortcuts are icons used to represent programs, files, and folders by acting as a placeholder, or alias. On the Desktop, they are designated with a small arrow in the lower left corner of the icon. In the Quick Launch Toolbar, they are merely a smaller version of the program's usual picture.
A shortcut is not a copy of the file, folder or program in question. It is merely used as a placeholder to point to the original. If you delete a shortcut, the original remains where it was. For this reason, it is very popular to create shortcut icons on the Windows desktop, to represent placeholders for commonly used files, folders and programs. A shortcut to a program can launch that program. A shortcut to a folder will open that folder, usually within Windows Explorer.
Start Menu shortcuts
Another common use of shortcuts is in the Start-Programs menu. Typically, a software installation program will create shortcuts on the Programs menu to arrange placeholders for programs and documentation. While they look different, the function is the same. By using the shortcut on the Programs menu, you are actually starting a program stored elsewhere on your system.
Nebula terminal shortcuts
In Nebula, we have created a batch of shortcuts under Start-Programs- Terminals which provide connections to hosts on campus that provide services needed by Nebula users. In essence, we've done the dirty work of setting up a shortcut that points to the host, connects securely, and configures terminal behavior the way users like it.
One useful implication of this arrangement is that as long as you are using a Nebula system, you'll always know where to find a terminal for the host you need. Just click Start-Programs-Terminals, click the host you want to use, and a connection will be established for you.
Copying from menu to desktop
Some users prefer to shorten this process so they don't have to hunt through the menus to find a particular host shortcut. To do so, they create a desktop shortcut to do the same thing.
In Windows 98 and Windows XP, it is very easy to copy an existing menu shortcut to the desktop, once you get familiar with using the right mouse button. Here's how it works:
- Click once with the left mouse button on Start, then Programs, then Terminals.
- From the resulting list, click once with the right mouse button on the terminal you want to copy.
- From the resulting popup menu, click once with the left mouse button on 'Send To'.
- From the resulting list, click once with the left mouse button on 'Desktop (create shortcut)'.
- You will be alerted that the new shortcut will be placed on the desktop. Click 'OK' to confirm this.
- You should then see a new shortcut appear on your desktop for the terminal you want to use. (Note that this shortcut does have the small arrow, just like your other desktop shortcuts).
Here is a screenshot of the popup menu which appears after you click with the right mouse button in step 2 above:
This process is a good one to learn and become comfortable with. Since desktop icons are not preserved after a rebuild in Nebula, you should know how to re-create any desktop icons you set up. That way, in the event of a system rebuild, you'll be able to put things back the way they were.
