>Does anyone know how to go about changing Windows desktop shortcut properties programatically?

Sergey gave you the right answer. However, a shortcut may be on the Desktop and not be on the desktop. I know that sounds like double talk, but there's the Desktop and the AllUsersDesktop. You need to check first if the shortcut exists on both.

You can do so by getting a reference to both and checking whether or not the link already exists.

Check out the series of articles that the late Ed Rauh and I wrote for the VFUG newsletter. They're available on-line at www.vfug.org, and appeared starting in September, 2000.