Solved Document shortcuts on Desktop

Marianne

New Member
Messages
4
Location
Villa Park, IL
I just started using Windows 8, so I don't know where everything is. However, I would like to use the Desktop for short cuts to documents I use frequently. I can put them there all right, but when I try to use them again, I get message something like: "the document to which this shortcut points has been moved or deleted", and then asks me if I should delete the shortcut, which I do since obviously it no longer works. Is there a way I can put documents on the desktop, and retrieve them whenever?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
​What kind of documents ?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1.1 Pro with Media Center
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway
    CPU
    AMD K140 Cores 2 Threads 2 Name AMD K140 Package Socket FT1 BGA Technology 40nm
    Motherboard
    Manufacturer Gateway Model SX2110G (P0)
    Memory
    Type DDR3 Size 8192 MBytes DRAM Frequency 532.3 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI AMD Radeon HD 7310 Graphics
    Sound Card
    AMD High Definition Audio Device Realtek High Definition Audio USB Audio Device
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Name 1950W on AMD Radeon HD 7310 Graphics Current Resolution 1366x768 pixels Work Resolution 1366x76
    Screen Resolution
    Current Resolution 1366x768 pixels Work Resolution 1366x768 pixels
    Hard Drives
    AMD K140
    Cores 2
    Threads 2
    Name AMD K140
    Package Socket FT1 BGA
    Technology 40nm
    Specification AMD E1-1200 APU with Radeon HD Graphics
    Family F
    Extended Family 14
    Model 2
    Extended Model 2
    Stepping 0
    Revision ON-C0
    Instruction
    Browser
    Opera 24.0
    Antivirus
    Avast Internet Security
word processing documents - the first ones I tried were WordPerfect documents, but there is also a .pdf I'd like to put there.

Try putting the actual documents on the desktop or in a new folder.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1.1 Pro with Media Center
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Gateway
    CPU
    AMD K140 Cores 2 Threads 2 Name AMD K140 Package Socket FT1 BGA Technology 40nm
    Motherboard
    Manufacturer Gateway Model SX2110G (P0)
    Memory
    Type DDR3 Size 8192 MBytes DRAM Frequency 532.3 MHz
    Graphics Card(s)
    ATI AMD Radeon HD 7310 Graphics
    Sound Card
    AMD High Definition Audio Device Realtek High Definition Audio USB Audio Device
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Name 1950W on AMD Radeon HD 7310 Graphics Current Resolution 1366x768 pixels Work Resolution 1366x76
    Screen Resolution
    Current Resolution 1366x768 pixels Work Resolution 1366x768 pixels
    Hard Drives
    AMD K140
    Cores 2
    Threads 2
    Name AMD K140
    Package Socket FT1 BGA
    Technology 40nm
    Specification AMD E1-1200 APU with Radeon HD Graphics
    Family F
    Extended Family 14
    Model 2
    Extended Model 2
    Stepping 0
    Revision ON-C0
    Instruction
    Browser
    Opera 24.0
    Antivirus
    Avast Internet Security
However, I would like to use the Desktop for short cuts to documents I use frequently.

I would suggest the Quick Launch Bar which allows you to place anything you want there. Right now, I have shortcuts to my computer, storage drive, Browsers, Thunderbird, a folder containing files I use daily, a word document (sans folder), bla bla bla, etc.

Quick Launch is the best of both worlds and I haven't been able to do without it since XP? when it was introduced. I can set it up with my eyes closed, since I've put it on a number of computers; however, rather than tell you how here, just go to eightforums.com/tutorials and click on Q, which will show you two sets of instructions. If, however, you want more information, look down beneath the sticky threads to "Windows 8 - Tutorial Index. Click on that, then click on Q and you'll find more info on Quick Launch.

As I said, I can't live without it . . . and I think it will solve your dilemma, because you'll be able to do what you described.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion 500-056
    CPU
    AMD Elite Quad-Core A8-6500
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD Radeon HD 8570D
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Acer 23"
    Screen Resolution
    1920 X 1080
    Hard Drives
    1 TB
    Keyboard
    Logitech Wave K350
    Mouse
    Logitech M510
    Internet Speed
    Fast
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
Hi Marianne,

and welcome to Eightforums!!!


There are a lot of good messages here about alternatives. But it seems to me like you want to use the shortcuts on your desktop.

It sounds strange to me that a shortcut of a file that exists on your pc won't work after a while. Ofcourse, when you move or rename the existing file the shortcut won't work, but I'm sure you knew that already.

Since Windows 8 is more cloudbased I wonder... are the files you link to saved on you pc or 'in the cloud'? And your Windows profile...do you use the OFFLINE version, or the cloudbased profile?

I think the origin to your problem might have something to do with this.

Hope this will help you!
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro x64 Media Center Edition
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Custom Made
    CPU
    Intel Core i5 750
    Memory
    6 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    AMD HD 7750
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Iiyama ProLite B2481HS-B1
    Screen Resolution
    1920x1080
    Hard Drives
    1x 120 GB SSD Samsung 830;
    1x 1.5 TB HDD Seagate;
    1x 2 TB HDD Western Digital;
    1x 3 TB HDD Seagate
    1x 80 GB SSD Vertex 2
    PSU
    Corsair CX 600
    Case
    Corsair Carbide 300R with Side Window
    Cooling
    Intel RTS2011 LC
    Keyboard
    DasKeyboard (blue switches)
    Mouse
    Wacom Baboo Tablet Pen & Touch
    Internet Speed
    50 Mbit FullDuplex Fiberglass
    Browser
    IE11
    Antivirus
    Windows Defender
    Other Info
    I also own the following Microsoft devices:
    * Surface Pro 2 128 GB
    * Windows Phone HTC 8X
Here's what I do and it seems to work well for any app. Whenyou're on the Start page, right-click the app/tile. Down on the bottom will bean option to Open File Location. Click on that which will take you to the filewhere you can right-click and choose Sent to Desktop as Short cut.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro
    System Manufacturer/Model
    HP Pavilion g7-120us Notebook
    Memory
    8 GIG
I haven't been here for a while, but thanks to those who suggested I use Quick Launch; I eventually found out how to use it, and really it. Thank you to everyone who responded and tried to help me.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Back
Top