Transfer of icon from applications to desktop in Windows 8.1

[Joe Busuttil]

I cannot manage to transfer an icon from my list of applications in Windows 8.1 to the desktop of my pc.

I tried right-clicking on desktop > new > shortcut but got confused what to do when I was asked to give the location of the item I wanted to move.

I gave the location in 3 different ways: I mentioned www.google.co.uk; I mentioned the name of the icon now sitting on the list of applications; I
mentioned desktop; I mentioned Firefox----all to no avail.

What do they mean by "location of the item"? Every time I gave the location as stated above, I got a message telling me that no such file exists.

There was one exception: when I gave the location as Google,
I did get the icon on the desktop, but, horror of horrors, when I went to open that icon on the desktop I only got the window for the google homepage!

Can anyone help me please as I am frustrated?

Many thanks.

Joe

[Lord of the Rings]

Program folders might be hidden from standard users. Personally I created a shortcut to the 32-bit apps folder. Open a folder & type this in the address bar:
C:\Program Files (x86)

You will find the Mozilla Firefox folder inside.

You can also use
\Program Files (x86)
to type into the desktop shortcut creator & it will work.

To do it the way you are trying to do it, I also had same issue. But, you can use the Browse button to find the program in question.
Computer -> Local Disk (C:) -> Program FIles (x86) -> Mozilla Firefox -> firefox.exe

I suspect the problem with typing in the address of the file in the above process is the path references. There's two ways of specifying paths in windows, 'relative' path & 'absolute' path.
Paths using \ need to be escaped using \\.
This works:
\Program Files (x86)\\Mozilla Firefox\\firefox.exe

This also works:
\Program Files (x86)/Mozilla Firefox/firefox.exe

Notice I also needed to specify the firefox extension.

I learnt a little about this when reading ArneBab's mini LW wiki about creating portable LimeWires. And his references helped me to create the LW Security package so LW references it properly.

[Joe Busuttil]

Many thanks indeed for your kind and detailed reply.

Have just read it, and have to find a moment when I can try out the method you explain so well, and will let you know the outcome.

Your help is outstanding.

Joe