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Creating a Windows shortcut for Scream

The following procedure creates a shortcutA Windows "file shortcut" is an easy way to allow the user to find a file located in a different directory or folder from the place where the shortcut is located. The shortcut itself is a small file with a .lnk extension but, in Windows Explorer, it appears with a curled arrow overlaying its default icon and no filename extension. Shortcuts can also be used to store start-up parameters for programs, which is the usage described here. with stored command-line arguments. This makes it easy for you to start Scream with the same arguments every time or, by placing the shortcut in your Start-up folder, to start Scream automatically every time you log on. It is also the simplest way to regularly start Scream with a different initialisation file, which you must do if you wish to run more than one copy of Scream simultaneously.

  1. Right-click on the desktop and select New → Shortcut from the context menu:

  2. The Create Shortcut dialogue box will appear. Click the 'Browse' button and navigate to the location of scream.exe.

  3. Navigate to C:\Program Files (x86)\Guralp Systems\Scream4.6 (or wherever you installed Scream), select scream.exe and then click the 'ok' buton

    The 'create shortcut' dialogue with the 'item location' selected
  4. Check that the displayed location is correct and then click the 'next' button

  5. You will now be asked if you want to provide a name for your shortcut. If you only want to run a single instance, you can simply enter Scream 4.6 here. If you are creating shortcuts so that you can run more than one instance simultaneously, enter a name which describes the purpose of this instance, as appropriate:

    Naming the shortcut

    and then click the 'Finish' button.

  6. A new shortcut icon will appear on your desktop, with the name that you provided. Right-click on it and select Properties from the context menu:

  7. The shortcut's Properties dialogue will appear:

    The 'properties' dialogue
  8. Click in the Target box (or key alt + t).

    Next, key end followed by space and then any required arguments to Scream. The example below shows the -i argument being used to select an alternative initialisation file.

  9. Click in the Start in box (or key alt + s) and enter the name of the folder in which you want this instance to run.

    The 'properties' dialogue, with the 'folder name' field populated
  10. Optional:If you would like to use a customised icon for this shortcut, create or download a suitable icon, click the 'change icon' button and navigate to your chosen icon.

  11. Click the 'ok' button to close the dialogue. Your new shortcut will be on the desktop.

  12. Optional: If you would like Scream to start when you log into the PC, copy your new shortcut and paste it into your Start-up folder. It is also possible to configure a PC to log in automatically on power-up, in which case Scream will also start automatically. This technique is beyond the scope of this article but instructions are easy to find on-line.

  13. Optional: If you do not want your new Scream shortcut cluttering up the desktop, we recommend that you use Windows Explorer to cut it and then paste it into the same folder as scream.exe itself; normally C:\Program Files (x86)\Guralp Systems\Scream4.6\. This requires administrative authority.