Creating Desktop Windows shortcuts and Mac aliases for IDL and ENVI

It can be convenient to have clickable desktop shortcuts (Windows) or aliases (Mac OS X) to launch IDL and ENVI. This article discusses how to copy or create these desktop icons for both the Windows and Mac OS X platforms.

Windows

On Windows, to create a Desktop shortcut copies of your IDL or ENVI shortcuts:

1. Click on the Windows Start button -> All Programs -> [main IDL or ENVI program group folder]
2. Simply drag and drop the wanted icon onto your desktop, or alternatively right click->copy and then right click on desktop->paste
3. Repeat for each shortcut item that you would like to copy to your Desktop.

Mac OS X

On Mac OS X, to create a Desktop alias for a 32-bit version of IDL or ENVI clickable Applescript icons:

1. Open the Apple Finder window and browse to the main IDL directory of your IDL or ENVI installation. This would be the IDLDE folder in Finder > Applications > ITT or EXELIS > IDLxx or ENVIxx 
2. Here there should be a file named idlde.darwin.i386.
3. Right click on that file and create an alias.
4. Drap the alias icon on your Desktop.
5. Now you should have access to a 32-bit Workbench from this location.

Note: Moving or copying an IDL or ENVI Applescript icon (rather than just creating an alias) outside of the main IDL directory will result in a non-functioning Applescript icon. Only an alias of the original Applescript file will operate outside of the main IDL directory.