would like to set up a desktop icon to execute a command at the dos prompt:

ping www.yahoo.com

Anybody know?

Fire up notepad, and do this

type...

Save the file as ping_yahoo.bat, or your chosen name.

Double clicking it should ping yahoo.

Right click on desktop, New->Shortcut
In the first window put "ping www.yahoo.com", in the second one put the name you want the shortcut to have.

That's true, and a lot easier.

Try that first. If it doesn't hold the window open, try mine.

Why must I always do things the hard way!?!? lol <it comes from forgetting or not knowing the easyway I think!>

cool, both work

I had sort of already figured out a version of spikes, made a batch file in c:\ and made a short cut to point to it.

But Nodsus method pretty cool, not intuitive, but slick, and lets me assign a icon, because it is still a shortcut.

BTW, I used to know a way to make the little shortcut arrow not appear on the icon, back in 98 days. can that still be done?

thanks guys

yes it can. It's a simple registry tweak I think.

Try the 98 way and see if it works.

drumtucker: Download TweakUI for Windows XP. It is part of the PowerToys for XP suite. The option to remove the arrow from shortcuts as well as a million other useful registry tweaks are available to you there easily.

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/p.../powertoys.asp


* Note: substitute for Windows 2000 if you are using such.

Download Internet Maniac, which combines various (otherwise DOS-started) programs like Ping, Traceroute, Finger, Whois etc.
www.sumitbirla.com/network-spy/maniac.php

Delete HKCR\Lnkfile\IsShortcut value to remove the arrow on Windows shortcuts. I hope you are aware that doing this is a security risk?

Removing the shortcut arrow is a security risk? I didn't know that. How come?

Because I could make a shortcut that is called "My Computer", has the appropriate icon, sits on your desktop and actually points to "format /y c:". Without the arrow you would double click that thing without a second thought.

lol. I didn't think about that!

Talk about forgetting the obvious! lol. I haven't had a good attempt at an amateur hack on my pc for ages. Could be the active response I suppose. If they get caught they get completely sut out from that IP for 10 minutes. Not to say it won't happen though.