This is a little hard to search as it takes a while to explain. I have shortcuts that come from our server and appear when you log in on the domain. How ever these short cuts point to the local pc to various different applications (most of them in program files). The problem here is that we have too many 32 bit and 64 bit machines and both use different paths for applications, Mainly the 'program files (x86)' and the other machines that only say 'program files'. I need to know if there are any ways for me to make shortcut paths broader or let the machine know if its 32 bit or 64 bit and apply the correct shortcut. An example would be.. C:\Program Files\"Application folder"\"Application" C:\Program Files (x86)\"Application folder"\"Application" The networked shortcuts point to the 64 bit target and don't work on 32 bit machines. Things that I cannot do are, replace all 32 bit machines, manually change every 32 bit shortcut(way too many) Thank you for your time

We used to use logon scripts to differentiate between Windows XP and Windows NT machines by looking for something that was common on the XP ones, but not on the NT ones. What I figured out was that XP had a C:\Wutemp folder, and NT didn't. So our script went something like If exist C:\Wutemp then [XP] else [NT] Then whatever mappings, shortcuts, etc., were pushed out correctly. Maybe you could use some similar, like If exist "C:\Program Files(x86)" then [64Bit] else [32bit] Then all of your shortcuts would be under the appropriate group heading to be pushed out to the appropriate machine. (It's been probably 10 years or better since I've done anything like that, so my wording on it may not be totally accurate, but you get the gist of the idea, I hope :-) ) SC Tom

I will give this a look at but I would have liked a way to use one shortcut that can cover both without using a script. I'll let you know how efficient this is or isn't.

I realized something .. and that is that all the 64 bit machines have both the 64 and 32 bit program files folder because a lot of the programs are still 32 bit. Therefore the above work around won't work. Need something else..

<lifebroker> wrote in message news:08dc0cc5-fc74-48b5-b130-abe879808dc0@communitybridge.codeplex.com... I realized something .. and that is that all the 64 bit machines have both the 64 and 32 bit program files folder because a lot of the programs are still 32 bit. Therefore the above work around won't work. Need something else.. 32-bit Windows doesn't have \program files(x86)\, just \program files\. So assuming that the program shortcuts are pointing to 32- and 64-bit programs on the 64-bit machines, then it would be like: --------------------------------------- If exist "C:\Program Files(x86)\" then [64Bit] else [32bit] [64bit] "C:\Program Files(x86)\AppFolder\App.exe" ;rem: 32-bit program on 64-bit machine "C:\Program Files\AppFolder\App2.exe" ;rem: 64-bit program on 64-bit machine goto [end] [32bit] "C:\Program Files\AppFolder\App.exe" "C:\Program Files\AppFolder\App2.exe" goto [end] [end] end ------------------------------------------ SC Tom

Apparently we are against using a script for this issue. We are looking for an environmental variable or some way to create a shortcut that can look in two folders at once for applications (program files AND program files (x86).

Hi, If you do not use a script to determine what kind of system the client are running, you purpose cannot be achieved. But for a workaround, you may put the 32bit clients and 64 clients into different OU, and then respectively use different shortcuts. Juke Chou TechNet Community Support

Is it not possible to use an environmental value or anything like it in the shortcut that can at least list installed programs on a machine and link to them that way, skipping all folder directories? Maybe it checks the registry or something.. If you think about add/remove programs it is able to list all installed software.

using the CMD if check like tom indicated is the best way around the problem if i require x86 compatibility i use that on x64 machines too some products require x64 so no options Windows MVP 2011-12, XP, Vista, 7. Expanding into Windows Server 2008 R2, SQL Server, SharePoint, Cloud, Virtualization etc. etc. Hardcore Games, Legendary is the only Way to Play Developer | Windows IT | Chess | Economics | Vegan Advocate | PC Reviews