[Tutor] Verifying My Troublesome ...+Properties

[Dave Angel]

Wayne Watson wrote:
> (I sent the msg below to Steven and the list a moment ago, since msgs 
> going to the list with attachments either don't post or take lots of 
> time to post, I'm sending both of you this copy.)
>
> Steven, attached are three jpg files showing the properties of the two 
> py files. The two files are identical in name, ReportingToolA.py,  and 
> content, but are in folders .../Events2008_NovWW and .../events. Two 
> of the jpg files are for the General Tab and Shortcut Tab of the py 
> file in ../events. The other jpg is for the file in 
> .../Events2008_NovWW, which has no shortcut tab. In previous 
> descriptions, this is like:
>
> Folder1 is Events2008_NovWW
> Folder2 is events
>
> I developed RT.py (ReportingToolA.py) in the .../Events2008_NovWW 
> folder and copied it to ../events. The shortcut shows the events 
> folder RT.py file is really in Events20008_WW
>
> I have no idea why the RT.py file shows a shortcut. I just took a file 
> called junk.jpg, and right-clicked on it. I selected Shortcut from the 
> list, and it produced a file junk.jpg-shortcut. It is quite obvious 
> the file name is different. If I select Copy instead, and paste the 
> file into a folder called  Junk, there is no shortcut created. A drag 
> and drop results in a move,and not a copy, so that's out of the picture.
>
> I have no idea how the RT.py file ever got to be a shortcut.
As I said many messages ago, if your Properties dialog has a tab called 
Shortcut, then this is a shortcut file, not a python file.  I still 
don't know how you created it, but that's your "anomaly," not Windows 7, 
and certainly not Python.  Further, the name isn't  RT.py, since 
shortcuts have other extensions (such as .lnk) that Explorer hides from 
you, in its infinite "helpfulness."  It does give you several clues, 
however, such as the little arrow in the icon.  You can see that without 
even opening the properties window, but it's repeated in that window as 
well.

And Explorer is just a tool.  The command prompt should be your home 
base as a programmer.  When something goes wrong running a program from 
the either other ways, always check it at the command prompt, because 
every other tool has quirks it introduces into the equation.

My best guess on how you created that shortcut was by using Alt-Drag.  
As you point out, drag does a move by default, if it's on the same 
drive.  Ctrl-Drag will force a copy, even on the same drive.  And 
Shift-Drag will force a move, even if it's on a different drive.

These rules didn't change between XP and Windows 7, as far as I know, 
although in some places Explorer calls it "Link" instead of 
"Shortcut".   But that's just a self inconsistency.

DaveA