Windows 7 script to pin items to the taskbar. Can be placed in the default user's startup folder. Self-terminating.

PinDistrictApps.cmd

@echo off

cscript PinItem.vbs /taskbar /item:"%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Mozilla Firefox\Mozilla Firefox.lnk"

cscript PinItem.vbs /taskbar /item:"%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Microsoft Office\Microsoft Office Word 2007.lnk"

cscript PinItem.vbs /taskbar /item:"%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Microsoft Office\Microsoft Office Excel 2007.lnk"

cscript PinItem.vbs /taskbar /item:"%ProgramData%\Microsoft\Windows\Start Menu\Programs\Microsoft Office\Microsoft Office PowerPoint 2007.lnk"

echo.
echo ----------
echo Deleting Self...
del %0

pause

PinItem.vbs

' Windows Script Host Sample Script
'
' ------------------------------------------------------------------------
'               Copyright (C) 2009 Microsoft Corporation
'
' You have a royalty-free right to use, modify, reproduce and distribute
' the Sample Application Files (and/or any modified version) in any way
' you find useful, provided that you agree that Microsoft and the author
' have no warranty, obligations or liability for any Sample Application Files.
' ------------------------------------------------------------------------

'********************************************************************
'*
'* File:           PinItem.vbs
'* Date:           03/04/2009
'* Version:        1.0.2
'*
'* Main Function:  VBScipt to pin an item to the Start Menu or Taskbar
'*
'* Usage:  cscript PinItem.vbs /item:<path to exe>
'*                 [/taskbar] [/?]
'*
'* Copyright (C) 2009 Microsoft Corporation
'*
'* Revisions:
'*
'* 1.0.0 - 04/03/2008 - Created.
'* 1.0.1 - 03/02/2009 - Used Replace in PinItem function to remove "&" 
'*                      from verb.
'* 1.0.2 - 03/04/2009 - Script name was PinToStartMenu.vbs.  Added 
'*                      /taskbar switch to pin items to taskbar on
'*                      Win7.
'*
'********************************************************************


'*****************************************************************************
'* Declare Variables
'*****************************************************************************

Option Explicit
'On Error Resume Next

Dim blnPinned
Dim blnTaskbar

Dim i
Dim intOpMode

Dim objWshShell
Dim objFSO
Dim objShell

Dim strPath
Dim strArguments
Dim strOptionsMessage

' Define constants
Const CONST_ERROR               = 0
Const CONST_WSCRIPT             = 1
Const CONST_CSCRIPT             = 2
Const CONST_SHOW_USAGE          = 3
Const CONST_PROCEED             = 4
Const CONST_STRING_NOT_FOUND    = -1
Const CONST_FOR_READING         = 1
Const CONST_FOR_WRITING         = 2
Const CONST_FOR_APPENDING       = 8
Const CONST_Success             = 0
Const CONST_Failure             = 1

Const TRISTATE_USE_DEFAULT      = -2
Const TRISTATE_TRUE             = -1  'Open the file as Unicode. 
Const TRISTATE_FALSE            = 0   'Open the file as ASCII. 

blnTaskbar = False

'*****************************************************************************
'* Create Objects
'*****************************************************************************

Set objWshShell = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")
Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set objShell = CreateObject("Shell.Application")


'********************************************************************
'* Check script host exe and parse command line
'********************************************************************

'Get the command line arguments
For i = 0 to Wscript.arguments.count - 1
    ReDim Preserve arrArguments(i)
    arrArguments(i) = Wscript.arguments.item(i)
Next

'Check whether the script is run using CScript
Select Case intChkProgram()
    Case CONST_CSCRIPT
        'Do Nothing
    Case CONST_WSCRIPT
        WScript.Echo "Please run this script using CScript." & vbCRLF & _
            "This can be achieved by" & vbCRLF & _
            "1. Using ""CScript MODIFYUSERS.vbs arguments"" for Windows 95/98 or" & VbCrLf & _
            "2. Changing the default Windows Scripting Host setting to CScript" & vbCRLF & _
            "    using ""CScript //H:CScript //S"" and running the script using" & vbCRLF & _
            "    ""MODIFYUSERS.vbs arguments"" for Windows NT."
        WScript.Quit
    Case Else
        WScript.Quit
End Select

'Parse the command line
Err.Clear()
intOpMode = intParseCmdLine(arrArguments, strPath, blnTaskbar, strOptionsMessage)

If Err.Number Then
    Wscript.Echo "Error 0X" & CStr(Hex(Err.Number)) & " occurred in parsing the command line."
    If Err.Description <> "" Then
        Wscript.Echo "Error description: " & Err.Description & "."
    End If
    'WScript.quit
End If

Select Case intOpMode
    Case CONST_SHOW_USAGE
        Call ShowUsage()
        WScript.quit
    Case CONST_PROCEED
        'Do nothing.
    Case CONST_ERROR
        WScript.quit
    Case Else
        Wscript.Echo "Error occurred in passing parameters."
End Select


'********************************************************************
'* Main Script
'********************************************************************

WScript.Echo strOptionsMessage

blnPinned = PinItem(strPath, blnTaskbar)
WScript.Echo "Item pinned: " & CStr(blnPinned)

If blnPinned Then
    WScript.Quit(0)
Else
    WScript.Quit(1)
End If


'********************************************************************
'*
'* Function intChkProgram()
'*
'* Purpose:  Determines which program is used to run this script.
'*
'* Input:    None
'*
'* Returns:  intChkProgram is set to one of CONST_ERROR, CONST_WSCRIPT,
'*           and CONST_CSCRIPT.
'*
'********************************************************************
Private Function intChkProgram()

    ON ERROR RESUME NEXT

    Dim i
    Dim j
    Dim strFullName
    Dim strCommand

    'strFullName should be something like C:\WINDOWS\COMMAND\CSCRIPT.EXE
    strFullName = WScript.FullName
    If Err.Number then
        Wscript.Echo "Error 0x" & CStr(Hex(Err.Number)) & " occurred."
        If Err.Description <> "" Then
            Wscript.Echo "Error description: " & Err.Description & "."
        End If
        intChkProgram =  CONST_ERROR
        Exit Function
    End If

    i = InStr(1, strFullName, ".exe", 1)
    If i = 0 Then
        intChkProgram =  CONST_ERROR
        Exit Function
    Else
        j = InStrRev(strFullName, "\", i, 1)
        If j = 0 Then
            intChkProgram =  CONST_ERROR
            Exit Function
        Else
            strCommand = Mid(strFullName, j+1, i-j-1)
            Select Case LCase(strCommand)
                Case "cscript"
                    intChkProgram = CONST_CSCRIPT
                Case "wscript"
                    intChkProgram = CONST_WSCRIPT
                Case Else       'should never happen
                    Wscript.Echo "An unexpected program is used to run this script."
                    Wscript.Echo "Only CScript.Exe or WScript.Exe can be used to run this script."
                    intChkProgram = CONST_ERROR
            End Select
        End If
    End If

End Function


'********************************************************************
'*
'* Function intParseCmdLine()
'*
'* Purpose:  Parses the command line.
'*
'* Input:    arrArguments              An array containing input from the command line
'*
'* Input:    strPath                   Path of exe to pin
'*           strOptionsMessage         String containing options selected
'*
'* Returns:  intParseCmdLine is set to one of CONST_ERROR, CONST_SHOW_USAGE,
'*           and CONST_PROCEED.
'*
'********************************************************************
Private Function intParseCmdLine(arrArguments, strPath, blnTaskbar, strOptionsMessage)

    ON ERROR RESUME NEXT

    Dim i
    Dim strFlag
    Dim strSwitchValue
    
    strFlag = arrArguments(0)
    Err.Clear()

    'Help is needed
    If (strFlag = "") OR (strFlag="help") OR (strFlag="/h") OR (strFlag="\h") OR (strFlag="-h") _
        OR (strFlag = "\?") OR (strFlag = "/?") OR (strFlag = "?") OR (strFlag="h") Then
        intParseCmdLine = CONST_SHOW_USAGE
        Exit Function
    End If

    strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & ""  & VbCrLf
    strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & WScript.ScriptName  & VbCrLf
    strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & ""  & VbCrLf
    strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & "Command Line Options:"  & vbCrLf
    strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & "======================================="  & VbCrLf

    For i = 0 to UBound(arrArguments)
        strFlag = Left(arrArguments(i), InStr(1, arrArguments(i), ":")-1)
        If Err.Number Then            'An error occurs if there is no : in the string
            Err.Clear
            Select Case LCase(arrArguments(i))
                Case "/q"
                    blnQuiet = True
                    strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & "Supress Console Output: " & blnQuiet & VbCrLf
                Case "/taskbar"
                    blnTaskbar = True
                    strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & "Pin to Taskbar instead of Start Menu: " & blnTaskbar & VbCrLf
                Case Else
                    Wscript.Echo arrArguments(i) & " is not recognized as a valid input."
                    intParseCmdLine = CONST_ERROR
                    Exit Function
            End Select
        Else
            strSwitchValue = Right(arrArguments(i), Len(arrArguments(i))-(Len(strFlag)+1))
            Select Case LCase(strFlag)
                Case "/item"
                    strPath = strSwitchValue
                    strOptionsMessage = strOptionsMessage & "Item to pin to Start Menu or Taskbar: " & strPath & VbCrLf
                Case else
                    Wscript.Echo "Invalid flag " & strFlag & "."
                    Wscript.Echo "Please check the input and try again."
                    intParseCmdLine = CONST_ERROR
                    Exit Function
            End Select
        End If
    Next

    If (strPath = "") Then
        Wscript.Echo "The /item switch is required"
        Wscript.Echo "Please check the input and try again."
        intParseCmdLine = CONST_ERROR
        Exit Function
    End If

    intParseCmdLine = CONST_PROCEED

End Function


'********************************************************************
'*
'* Function PinItem()
'*
'* Purpose:  Pin item to the Start Menu.
'*
'* Input:          strlPath          Path of exe to pin
'*                 blnTaskbar        Pin item to Taskbar instead of Start Menu if true
'*
'* Dependencies:   objShell          Shell.Application object
'*                 objFSO            File System object
'*
'* Returns:        True if the shortcut is created, else false
'*
'********************************************************************
Function PinItem(strlPath, blnTaskbar)
    On Error Resume Next

    Dim colVerbs
    Dim itemverb
    
    Dim objFolder
    Dim objFolderItem

    Dim strFolder
    Dim strFile

    If objFSO.FileExists(strlPath) Then
        '***** Do nothing, folder exists
    Else
        '***** Folder does not exist
        PinItem = False
        WScript.Echo "File to pin does not exist."
        WScript.Echo "Please check the input and try again."
        Exit Function
    End If

    strFolder = objFSO.GetParentFolderName(strlPath)
    strFile = objFSO.GetFileName(strlPath)

    WScript.Echo "Folder: " & strFolder
    WScript.Echo "File: " & strFile

    Err.Clear
    Set objFolder = objShell.Namespace(strFolder)
    Set objFolderItem = objFolder.ParseName(strFile)

    ' ***** InvokeVerb for this does not work on Vista/WS2008
    'objFolderItem.InvokeVerb("P&in to Start Menu")

    ' ***** This code works on Vista/WS2008
    Set colVerbs = objFolderItem.Verbs

    If blnTaskbar Then
        For each itemverb in objFolderItem.verbs
            If Replace(itemverb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Taskbar" Then itemverb.DoIt
        Next 
    Else
        For each itemverb in objFolderItem.verbs
            If Replace(itemverb.name, "&", "") = "Pin to Start Menu" Then itemverb.DoIt
        Next 
    End If

    If Err.Number = 0 Then
        PinItem = True
    Else
        PinItem = False
    End If
End Function


'********************************************************************
'*
'* Sub ShowUsage()
'*
'* Purpose:   Shows the correct usage to the user.
'*
'* Input:     None
'*
'* Output:    Help messages are displayed on screen.
'*
'********************************************************************
Sub ShowUsage()
    WScript.Echo "This script is used to Pin items to the Start Menu or Taskbar."
    WScript.Echo ""
    WScript.Echo "Usage: cscript " & WScript.ScriptName & " [options]"
    WScript.Echo ""
    WScript.Echo "Options:"
    WScript.Echo ""
    WScript.Echo " /item:<PathName>       Path of item to pin."
    WScript.Echo ""
    WScript.Echo " /taskbar               (Optional) Pin to Taskbar instead of Start Menu."
    WScript.Echo ""
    WScript.Echo " /?                     (Optional) Displays this help text."
    WScript.Echo ""
    WScript.Echo ""
    WScript.Echo ""
End Sub

I have a some what similar issue to the previous comment. I have a item with an ® in it that the script doesn't like. Ex. ("Name® Pro.lnk") and the script doesn't like it. If I rename the item and takeout the ® then it works. So how do get the script to allow this character.?
Thanks

Found my answer. It needed to be wrote like ("Name" & Chr(174) & " Pro.lnk")

so I tried it... the command log said it did it but it did not appear on my taskbar even after I restarted windows explorer

C:\Users\Mulverine\AppData\Roaming\Mulvpack>cscript shortcut.vbs /taskbar /item:"C:\Users\Mulverine\AppData\Roaming\Mulvpack\MulvPack.lnk"
Microsoft (R) Windows Script Host Version 5.812
Copyright (C) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

shortcut.vbs

Command Line Options:

Pin to Taskbar instead of Start Menu: True
Item to pin to Start Menu or Taskbar: C:\Users\Mulverine\AppData\Roaming\Mulvpack\MulvPack.lnk

Folder: C:\Users\Mulverine\AppData\Roaming\Mulvpack
File: MulvPack.lnk
Item pinned: True

I seriously don't know how Windows System Admins don't go postal and storm Redmond with pitchforks, reading a post like this. I'm trying to find a way to automate an installation of Windows Management workstations using Powershell in AWS, to install the main AD Tools icons on the taskbar. As someone coming from the linux world, I'd expect that to be as simple as:

sudo ln -s /usr/bin/program /home/default/bin/program

Seriously, one line. Maybe two if you need to set permissions on the result. Sudo is needed to write to a location normally writable only by root.

Instead, I've spent 2 hours, going through hundreds of posts, finally hit my limit on this one - some HUUUUUUGGGGGEEE script to do such a simple task, and - does this work in Windows 10, or 2008 or ... WTF? This is insane. This is a SIMPLE thing. It should have a SIMPLE way of doing it. The fact that people are not up in arms about the needless and useless complexity which is Windows just astounds me. I really don't know why anyone would build a new system on this OS without a gun to their head.

Ditto PowerShell, 10x the useless syntax complexity needed in any other scripting language. Who writes this stuff? Better yet, who chooses to use this, when it's so much simpler, not to mention far cheaper, to use bash/python on free linux.

Sorry, just had to vent. After all this, I'm not even going to try to automate installing icons in the task bar. It's just astoundingly complex, which means it's likely to be brittle and break often.

PinItem.vbs does not seem to work on server 2016. What has to be changed for it to work?