Arrow on Desktop Icons

[Guest]

Hi,

This is by no means an emergency; Just a question.

I notice that most of the icons on my desktop (but not all) have what look
like little arrows on them. They appear in the lower-left corner of the icon
and they appear to point "northeast". Does anyone know why this is? What do
they mean?

Just curious. Thanks in advance.

--- Gary

 

[Alan Edwards]

It indicates a shortcut.

....Alan

 

[Guest]

Hi Gary, those arrows simply mean that the icon is a shortcut. Nothing to
worry about. ~Kitten

 

[Guest]

Why don't all the icons have them? For instance, My Documents, My Computer,
Recycle bin, My Network Places, Microsoft Outlook, and Internet Explorer
don't have them. Aren't they shortcuts as well?

 

[Mike Hall \(MS-MVP\)]

Only shortcuts created by the operator will have the little arrows.. it is
one way for a 'newbie' to know what they have installed over and above what
was present initially..

Downloading Tweakui for XP and running it will take you to an option to
remove the little arrows from all icons..

 

[Guest]

Thank you, Mike. And where can I download this from?

--- Gary

 

[Ramesh, MS-MVP]

My Documents, My Computer, Recycle bin, My Network Places, Microsoft
They are namespace objects.

The Shell Namespace:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...l/programmersguide/shell_basics/namespace.asp

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Why don't all the icons have them? For instance, My Documents, My Computer,
Recycle bin, My Network Places, Microsoft Outlook, and Internet Explorer
don't have them. Aren't they shortcuts as well?

 

[Alan Edwards]

No, they are NameSpace objects.
See the reply by Ramesh.

....Alan

 

[John Waller]

Enter "tweakui" into Google and you'll find various URLs including:

http://www.annoyances.org/exec/show/tweakui

 

[Guest]

Thank you.

 

[Guest]

Thank you.

They are namespace objects.

The Shell Namespace:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/d...l/programmersguide/shell_basics/namespace.asp

--
Regards,

Ramesh Srinivasan, Microsoft MVP [Windows XP Shell/User]
Windows® XP Troubleshooting http://www.winhelponline.com


Why don't all the icons have them? For instance, My Documents, My Computer,
Recycle bin, My Network Places, Microsoft Outlook, and Internet Explorer
don't have them. Aren't they shortcuts as well?

It indicates a shortcut.

....Alan

 

[Guest]

Thank you.

Only shortcuts created by the operator will have the little arrows.. it is
one way for a 'newbie' to know what they have installed over and above what
was present initially..

Downloading Tweakui for XP and running it will take you to an option to
remove the little arrows from all icons..

 

[Guest]

Thank you. I wasn't worried...just curious.

Regards,

--- Gary

 

[Guest]

Thank you.

No, they are NameSpace objects.
See the reply by Ramesh.

....Alan

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

GTifeld wrote:\

Thank you, Mike. And where can I download this from?

However, although my *can* get rid of the shortcut arrows, my recommendation
is that you do *not* do this. The arrows serve an important
function--providing quick visual identification of a shortcut. If you remove
the arrows, you run the substantial risk that sooner or later you will
delete something you wanted to keep, thinking that you were just deleting a
shortcut to it. I would either leave the arrows as they are, or
alternatively use the TweakUI option of light arrows, which are somewhat
less visible that the regular ones.

 

[Guest]

Thank you for your input. I was more interested in having the information
than actually doing it. But all good to know.

--- Gary

 

[Ken Blake, MVP]

Thank you for your input. I was more interested in having the
information than actually doing it. But all good to know.

You're welcome. Glad to help.