Desktop Search Help

Find files and e-mail messages

Use Deskbar shortcuts

With the Windows Desktop Search, you can use shortcuts that let you quickly start programs or go directly to a website, just by typing a keyword or the shortcut namein the Deskbar search box. You can also create your own shortcuts: For example, you can create a shortcut that automatically opens the Hotmail home page when you type hotmailinto the Deskbar search box.

Use Deskbar shortcuts to get Help
Use Deskbar shortcuts to start programs
Use Deskbar shortcuts quickly browse the Web
Create your own shortcuts
Quickly create a shortcut to a file you've found before
Clear and delete shortcuts

Use Deskbar shortcuts to get Help (back to top)

To:	Type this in the Deskbar search box:

Get help with MSN Search Toolbar

?Help

Get help with Desktop Search syntax

?syntax

Use shortcuts to start programs (back to top)

To start:	Type this in the Deskbar search box:

Microsoft Word

!word

The Windows calculator

!calc

Outlook

!outlook

Use Deskbar shortcuts quickly browse the Web (back to top)

To:	Type this in the Deskbar search box:

Go to Money Central stock quotes

!quote

Get a specific stock quote

!quote tickersymbol

Go to MSN Movies

!movies

Search MSN Movies for a particular movie

!movies moviename

Go to Expedia.com

!travel

Create your own shortcuts (back to top)

Refer to these guidelines when creating shortcuts:

	Enter this in the Deskbar search box	Example

Open a document

@shortcutname,c:\(document path)\(document name)

@resume,C:\resume.doc
To use the shortcut, type resume

Open a program

@shortcutname,=[program command]

@note,=notepad.exe
To use the shortcut, type note

Open a website

@shortcutname,webaddress

@hotmail,www.hotmail.com
To use the shortcut, type hotmail

Perform a web query

@shortcutname,webaddress$w

@quote,http://moneycentral.msn.com/scripts/webquote.dll?iPage=qd&Symbol=$w
To find a stock quote, type quote msft

@encarta,http://encarta.msn.com/encnet/refpages/search.aspx?q=$w
To find encyclopedia articles about Einstein from Encarta, type encarta einstein

Tip: Try performing a search on a website such as http://encarta.msn.com. When you see your search results page, your search terms should be included at the end of the web address in the Internet Explorer address bar. Copy the web address but replace your search terms with $w. Use this new web address to create your shortcut.

Quickly create a shortcut to a file you've found before (back to top)

Click in the Deskbar search box.

Type the first few letters of the filename you want.

Using the arrow keys, select the name of the file to which you want to create a shortcut.

Press CTRL+S.

A shortcut appears in the Deskbar search box in the format @<type a name>,^filename.ext.

Type a name for your shortcut, and press ENTER.

The shortcut is created.

To clear and delete shortcuts (back to top)

The following examples indicate how the shortcut notecan be created, used, and deleted. The @clearentry is used to clear all shortcuts currently defined.

To do this	Enter this in the Deskbar search box	Example

Create a shortcut

@shortcutname,=[program command]

@note,=notepad.exe

Use the shortcut

shortcutname

note

Delete a shortcut

@shortcutname

@note

Delete all shortcuts

@clear

Notes

If you want to search for a keyword that is the same as the name of a shortcut, you should enclose that keyword in quotes. For example, if you have created a shortcut called MyShortcut, and you want to search your computer for MyShortcut, type MyShortcutin the search box.
Your deskbar shortcuts are stored in the MsnDeskbarShortcuts.inifile, which you can find here: C:\Documents and Settings\username\application data\MSN Search Toolbar. If you used the beta version of MSN Search Toolbar, save this file to a new location before upgrading to the latest version of MSN Search Toolbar. After you have installed the latest version, copy the file back into its original location. You can also copy this file to the same folder on a different computer.