Unable to launch windows shortcut

Question

I'm trying to launch a windows with python. I've tried NUMEROUS approaches with os.system, subprocess.call, os.startfile etc. but I'm always getting an error saying that the path does not exist.

I know that the path is correct because I've tried running the following command in CMD.EXE:

start D:\johan\programmering\Scripts\shortcuts\HWMonitor.lnk

Here is some of the stuff I've tried without success:

os.startfile(r"D:\johan\programmering\Scripts\shortcuts\HWMonitor.lnk")
os.startfile("D:\\johan\\programmering\\Scripts\\shortcuts\\HWMonitor.lnk")
subprocess.call("D:\\johan\\programmering\\Scripts\\shortcuts\\HWMonitor.lnk")
subprocess.call(r"D:\johan\programmering\Scripts\shortcuts\HWMonitor.lnk")
subprocess.Popen(r"D:\johan\programmering\Scripts\shortcuts\HWMonitor.lnk")
subprocess.Popen(r"D:\johan\programmering\Scripts\shortcuts\HWMonitor.lnk", shell=True)
os.system(r"start D:\johan\programmering\Scripts\shortcuts\HWMonitor.lnk")

p= subprocess.Popen(r"start D:\johan\programmering\Scripts\shortcuts\HWMonitor.lnk", shell=True)
p.wait()

import win32com.client
shell = win32com.client.Dispatch("WScript.Shell")
shortcut = shell.CreateShortCut(r"D:\johan\programmering\Scripts\shortcuts\HWMonitor.lnk")
subprocess.call(shortcut.Targetpath)

DISCLAIMER I know that there are similar questions asked on SO, but none of them have helped me. So before you start crying "duplicate!" please know that I've tried the solutions with no success.

Possible duplicate of [Run a shortcut under windows](http://stackoverflow.com/questions/349653/run-a-shortcut-under-windows) — Aaron, Jan 31 '17 at 09:24
@Aaron I've added my attempt to the question now. What am I doing wrong? — Johan Hjalmarsson, Jan 31 '17 at 09:28
`os.startfile` should work, as well as `subprocess.Popen` and friends with `shell=True` -- because in both cases you eventually call `ShellExecute[Ex]`, the shell API that understands how to open .lnk files. `CreateProcess` (as called by `Popen`) doesn't know anything about .lnk shortcuts, so if you need to use one with `Popen` without `shell=True` (and only in that case), then you have to extract the target and working directory from the shortcut using the shell COM interface. — Eryk Sun, Jan 31 '17 at 10:00
Is "HW‌Monitor.lnk" in the list that's returned by `os.listdir(r'D:\johan\programmering\Scripts\shortcuts')`? — Eryk Sun, Jan 31 '17 at 10:11
@eryksun new error: `FileNotFoundError: [WinError 2] The system cannot find the file specified: 'D:\\johan\\programmering\\Scripts\\shortcuts\\HW\u200c\u200bMonit\u200c\u200bor.lnk'` — Johan Hjalmarsson, Jan 31 '17 at 10:17
I don't know what's injecting the invisible characters. Try `p = r'D:\johan\programmering\Scripts\shortcuts';` `os.stat(os.path.join(p, 'HWMonitor.lnk'))`. — Eryk Sun, Jan 31 '17 at 10:44
It doesn't do anything. Should I print the result of os.stat? or what should I do with it? — Johan Hjalmarsson, Jan 31 '17 at 11:01
If there's no error, then accessing the .lnk file itself isn't the problem. What are the target and working directory set as in the shortcut properties? — Eryk Sun, Jan 31 '17 at 11:09
target: "D:\Program Files\CPUID\HWMonitor\HWMonitor.exe", start in: "D:\Program Files\CPUID\HWMonitor" — Johan Hjalmarsson, Jan 31 '17 at 11:16
"D:\Program Files"? That's unusual. Does that directory exist? And the HWMonitor.exe target? — Eryk Sun, Jan 31 '17 at 11:24
In the comments below you say the target is "C:\Program Files (x86)\CPUID\HWMonitor\HWMonitor.exe", but here you say it's "D:\Program Files" instead of "C:\Program Files (x86)". — Eryk Sun, Jan 31 '17 at 11:48
Find HWMonitor.exe in Explorer; create a new shortcut on your desktop; and try running that shortcut instead. — Eryk Sun, Jan 31 '17 at 12:13
Try running the executable directly via `subprocess.call`, via both the C: and D: drive paths, with and without `shell=True`. For example, `subprocess.call([r'C:\Program Files (x86)\CPUID\HWMonitor\HWMonitor.exe'])`. — Eryk Sun, Jan 31 '17 at 12:42
FINALLY! subprocess.call with the D:\ path works! Still a bit annoyed that I can't open the shortcut, but I'll manage. Thanks alot for your help @eryksun. If you post it as an answer I'll mark you as correct =) — Johan Hjalmarsson, Jan 31 '17 at 21:35

score 1 · Answer 1 · edited May 23 '17 at 12:16

1

According to this answer, you could resolve your link path, then call the resolved path

import sys
import win32com.client,win32api

shell = win32com.client.Dispatch("WScript.Shell")
shortcut = shell.CreateShortCut(r"D:\johan\programmering\Scripts\shortcuts\HWMonitor.lnk")
long_path = shortcut.Targetpath

but long_path may be a strange Windows path with a lot of junk in it, so if

subprocess.call([long_path])

doesn't work, you can resolve the long path in a short path (8.3 names):

short_path=win32api.GetShortPathName(long_path)

now do:

subprocess.call([short_path])

edited May 23 '17 at 12:16

Community

1
1

answered Jan 31 '17 at 09:28

Jean-François Fabre

137,073
23
153
219

Having some troubles installing the module, I'll come back to this answer once I've managed to get the module working. – Johan Hjalmarsson Jan 31 '17 at 09:37
Ok! so I've managed to get the win32com.client to work and I'm using your exact answer, but I'm still getting `FileNotFoundError: [WinError 2] The system cannot find the file specified` – Johan Hjalmarsson Jan 31 '17 at 09:47
1

ok, can you print `shortcut.Targetpath` ? are you sure your link points to a valid file?, also check my edit – Jean-François Fabre Jan 31 '17 at 09:48
I can't print shortcut.Targetpath (same error), I've tried with your updated answer (same error) and as I said in the question, it works if I just run `start D:\johan\programmering\Scripts\shortcuts\HWMonitor.lnk` in CMD.EXE, so yes. The path should be correct – Johan Hjalmarsson Jan 31 '17 at 09:51
1

same error when you print?? which error? `print` should work OK – Jean-François Fabre Jan 31 '17 at 09:53
oups, my bad! Yes, the print works. It prints `C:\Program Files (x86)\CPUID\HWMonitor\HWMonitor.exe` which is where the shortcut points. – Johan Hjalmarsson Jan 31 '17 at 09:56
then with my edit it'll work: `subprocess.call([shortcut.Targetpath])` (note the square brackets). and if it doesn't I have another idea. – Jean-François Fabre Jan 31 '17 at 10:01
It doesn't. I've tried with the square brackets and I'm still getting the "fileNotFound" error. – Johan Hjalmarsson Jan 31 '17 at 10:02

Unable to launch windows shortcut

1 Answers1

Linked