Accessing Website Via Shortcuts

[writeco]

I am using FF as my default browser.

When I click on a shortcut for a website from the Quick Launch toolbar and an instance FF is not already running, I get an error message that URL cannot be found. It then does bring up website but I have click OK on the error message.

However, if first launch FF and then click on the same shortcut, no problems or error messages.

It is as if the URL associated with the shortcut is being treated initially as a filename. Then the computer figures it out that it is really a URL and needs to launch the browser first. Yea I know .... Twilight Zone time.

Any ideas or suggestions?

[PeteF]

Joe,
I tried to duplicate your problem and I'm not able to.
I created a shortcut to a website and placed it in the QuickLaunch
and it worked perfectly. Procedure is as follows:

1.) Open Firefox (v1.5.07) in a small window so you still see the desktop.

2.) Go to Bookmarks and drag the desired bookmark to the desktop
to create a shortcut to the desktop.

3.) Drag the shortcut to the QuickLaunch area.

4.) Now close FireFox.

Done!

Click the shortcut in the QuickLauch and Firefox opens and
goes directly to that bookmarked website.

---pete---

[writeco]

I certainly give this a try but this problem just started to occur. To the best of my recollection, two weeks it was working fine.

At worst, I'll take the shortcuts on the Quick Launch, thereby forcing me to launch FF first.

[writeco]

Pete,

I tried your suggestion but the results were the same. I took the easy way out and added the shortcuts to the FF Bookmark Toolbar Folder. While this will force me to go into FF first, in every Internet session I typically like to get a news update which is my homepage, MSNBC.

I must have screwed up something somewhere but fixing it would be tantamount to finding the needle in the virtual haystack.

[dbarrow]

Is FF set as the default browser?
Undo and reset again as default.
Check Folder options\File Typs\URL
Mine says open with "Shell doc object and control"

[writeco]

Doug,

I did unchecked the default box, left the alway check box checked, closed FF, and then restarted. I expected to be asked if I wanted FF to be my default browser. I was not. This did not have any effect on correcting my problem. I then went into the folder options and the default for URL was IE. I changed it to FF but again this did not resolve my problem.

Any other ideas or if I did not fully understand your instructions, I am open to suggestions.

[mommalina]

This may be off the wall and not relevant, but here goes .. ;)

I notice that if I have no other Firefox windows open, it takes longer to
to activate a quick-launch icon . Maybe it's BitDefender and/or SAS Pro
scanning it first, I don't know.

What happens if you open Firefox first and then click on one of your other
quick-launch icons? (I have Google as my home page, and that's what I open
up in the task bar first).

I seem to have programmed myself (not on purpose) to never close out all
open quick-launch web sites, sometimes leaving only my home page open
all the time. That way, when I click on a quick-launch icon, the web page
immediately opens without hesitation.

For what it's worth. Hope I expressed this clearly .. :)

Lina

[PeteF]

Joe,
Try placing a Firefox shortcut to the desktop, then right-click it and
select Properties. On the shortcut tab in the Target textbox you will
see.. "C\Program Files\Mozilla\firefiox.exe"

Add your bookmarked URL to that line..
Example..
"C\Program Files\Mozilla\firefiox.exe" www.kickenhardware.net

Then move the shortcut to the QuickLaunch area.

---pete---

[writeco]

First, Momalina, if FF is already running there is not problem but perhaps there is delaying the process.

Pete, your suggestion is a clever work around and actually works. Thanks!

[PeteF]

Pete, your suggestion is a clever work around and actually works. Thanks!

Cool. Glad to help!:D