Feature: Added option to create new shortcuts

src/Files.App/Dialogs/CreateShortcutDialog.xaml

@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+<ContentDialog
+	x:Class="Files.App.Dialogs.CreateShortcutDialog"
+	xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"
+	xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"
+	xmlns:d="http://schemas.microsoft.com/expression/blend/2008"
+	xmlns:helpers="using:Files.App.Helpers"
+	xmlns:mc="http://schemas.openxmlformats.org/markup-compatibility/2006"
+	Title="{helpers:ResourceString Name=NewShortcutDialogTitle}"
+	DefaultButton="Primary"
+	PrimaryButtonCommand="{x:Bind ViewModel.PrimaryButtonCommand}"
+	IsPrimaryButtonEnabled="{x:Bind ViewModel.IsLocationValid, Mode=OneWay}"
+	PrimaryButtonText="{helpers:ResourceString Name=Create}"
+	RequestedTheme="{x:Bind helpers:ThemeHelper.RootTheme}"
+	SecondaryButtonText="{helpers:ResourceString Name=Cancel}"
+	Style="{StaticResource DefaultContentDialogStyle}"
+	mc:Ignorable="d">
+
+	<Border Width="400">
+		<Grid
+			x:Name="DestinationPathGrid"
+			ColumnSpacing="8"
+			RowSpacing="8">
+			<Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
+				<ColumnDefinition />
+				<ColumnDefinition Width="Auto" />
+			</Grid.ColumnDefinitions>
+			<Grid.RowDefinitions>
+				<RowDefinition Height="Auto" />
+				<RowDefinition Height="Auto" />
+				<RowDefinition Height="Auto" />
+			</Grid.RowDefinitions>
+
+			<!--  Header  -->
+			<TextBlock 
+				Grid.ColumnSpan="2"
+				Margin="0, 0, 0, 20"
+				Text="{helpers:ResourceString Name=NewShortcutDialogDescription}"
+				TextWrapping="Wrap" />
+
+			<TextBlock
+				Grid.Row="1"
+				Grid.ColumnSpan="2"
+				Text="{helpers:ResourceString Name=NewShortcutDialogPrompt}" />
+
+			<!--  Path Box  -->
+			<TextBox
+				x:Name="DestinationItemPath"
+				Grid.Row="2"
+				Grid.Column="0"
+				HorizontalAlignment="Stretch"
+				PlaceholderText="C:\Users\"
+				Text="{x:Bind ViewModel.DestinationItemPath, Mode=TwoWay}"
+				TextChanged="DestinationItemPath_TextChanged" />
+			<Button
+				x:Name="SelectDestination"
+				Grid.Row="2"
+				Grid.Column="1"
+				Command="{x:Bind ViewModel.SelectDestinationCommand}"
+				Content="{helpers:ResourceString Name=Browse}" />
+		</Grid>
+	</Border>
+</ContentDialog>

src/Files.App/Dialogs/CreateShortcutDialog.xaml.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
+using Files.App.ViewModels.Dialogs;
+using Files.Backend.ViewModels.Dialogs;
+using Files.Shared.Enums;
+using Microsoft.UI.Xaml.Controls;
+using System;
+using System.IO;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
+
+namespace Files.App.Dialogs
+{
+	public sealed partial class CreateShortcutDialog : ContentDialog, IDialog<CreateShortcutDialogViewModel>
+	{
+		public CreateShortcutDialogViewModel ViewModel
+		{
+			get => (CreateShortcutDialogViewModel)DataContext;
+			set => DataContext = value;
+		}
+
+		public CreateShortcutDialog()
+		{
+			this.InitializeComponent();
+		}	
+
+		public new async Task<DialogResult> ShowAsync() => (DialogResult)await base.ShowAsync();
+
+		private void DestinationItemPath_TextChanged(object sender, TextChangedEventArgs e)
+		{
+			if (string.IsNullOrWhiteSpace(DestinationItemPath.Text))
+			{
+				ViewModel.IsLocationValid = false;
+				return;
+			}
+
+			try
+			{
+				ViewModel.DestinationPathExists = Path.Exists(DestinationItemPath.Text) && DestinationItemPath.Text != Path.GetPathRoot(DestinationItemPath.Text);
+				if (ViewModel.DestinationPathExists)
+				{
+					ViewModel.IsLocationValid = true;
+				}
+				else
+				{
+					var uri = new Uri(DestinationItemPath.Text);
+					ViewModel.IsLocationValid = uri.IsWellFormedOriginalString();
+				}
+			}
+			catch (Exception)
+			{
+				ViewModel.IsLocationValid = false;
+			}
+		}
+	}
+}

src/Files.App/Helpers/ContextFlyoutItemHelper.cs

@@ -1109,6 +1109,13 @@ public static List<ContextMenuFlyoutItemViewModel> GetNewItemItems(BaseLayoutCom
 					ShowInZipPage = true,
 					IsEnabled = canCreateFileInPage
 				},
+				new ContextMenuFlyoutItemViewModel
+				{
+					Text = "Shortcut".GetLocalizedResource(),
+					Glyph = "\uF10A",
+					GlyphFontFamilyName = "CustomGlyph",
+					Command = commandsViewModel.CreateShortcutFromDialogCommand
+				},
 				new ContextMenuFlyoutItemViewModel()
 				{
 					ItemType = ItemType.Separator,

src/Files.App/Helpers/UIFilesystemHelpers.cs

@@ -1,10 +1,13 @@
+using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.DependencyInjection;
 using Files.App.Dialogs;
 using Files.App.Extensions;
 using Files.App.Filesystem;
 using Files.App.Filesystem.StorageItems;
 using Files.App.Interacts;
 using Files.App.ViewModels;
+using Files.App.ViewModels.Dialogs;
 using Files.Backend.Enums;
+using Files.Backend.Services;
 using Files.Shared;
 using Files.Shared.Enums;
 using Files.Shared.Extensions;
@@ -386,5 +389,12 @@ public static void SetHiddenAttributeItem(ListedItem item, bool isHidden, ItemMa
 			item.IsHiddenItem = isHidden;
 			itemManipulationModel.RefreshItemsOpacity();
 		}
+
+		public static async Task CreateShortcutFromDialogAsync(IShellPage associatedInstance)
+		{
+			var viewModel = new CreateShortcutDialogViewModel(associatedInstance.FilesystemViewModel.WorkingDirectory);
+			var dialogService = Ioc.Default.GetRequiredService<IDialogService>();
+			await dialogService.ShowDialogAsync(viewModel);
+		}
 	}
 }

src/Files.App/Interacts/BaseLayoutCommandImplementationModel.cs

@@ -93,6 +93,11 @@ public virtual async void CreateShortcut(RoutedEventArgs e)
 			}
 		}
 
+		public virtual async void CreateShortcutFromDialog(RoutedEventArgs e)
+		{
+			await UIFilesystemHelpers.CreateShortcutFromDialogAsync(associatedInstance);
+		}
+
 		public virtual void SetAsLockscreenBackgroundItem(RoutedEventArgs e)
 		{
 			WallpaperHelpers.SetAsBackground(WallpaperType.LockScreen, SlimContentPage.SelectedItem.ItemPath);

src/Files.App/Interacts/BaseLayoutCommandsViewModel.cs

@@ -28,6 +28,7 @@ private void InitializeCommands()
 		{
 			RenameItemCommand = new RelayCommand<RoutedEventArgs>(CommandsModel.RenameItem);
 			CreateShortcutCommand = new RelayCommand<RoutedEventArgs>(CommandsModel.CreateShortcut);
+			CreateShortcutFromDialogCommand = new RelayCommand<RoutedEventArgs>(CommandsModel.CreateShortcutFromDialog);
 			SetAsLockscreenBackgroundItemCommand = new RelayCommand<RoutedEventArgs>(CommandsModel.SetAsLockscreenBackgroundItem);
 			SetAsDesktopBackgroundItemCommand = new RelayCommand<RoutedEventArgs>(CommandsModel.SetAsDesktopBackgroundItem);
 			SetAsSlideshowItemCommand = new RelayCommand<RoutedEventArgs>(CommandsModel.SetAsSlideshowItem);
@@ -90,6 +91,8 @@ private void InitializeCommands()
 
 		public ICommand CreateShortcutCommand { get; private set; }
 
+		public ICommand CreateShortcutFromDialogCommand { get; private set; }
+
 		public ICommand SetAsLockscreenBackgroundItemCommand { get; private set; }
 
 		public ICommand SetAsDesktopBackgroundItemCommand { get; private set; }

src/Files.App/Interacts/IBaseLayoutCommandImplementationModel.cs

@@ -12,6 +12,8 @@ public interface IBaseLayoutCommandImplementationModel : IDisposable
 
 		void CreateShortcut(RoutedEventArgs e);
 
+		void CreateShortcutFromDialog(RoutedEventArgs e);
+
 		void SetAsLockscreenBackgroundItem(RoutedEventArgs e);
 
 		void SetAsDesktopBackgroundItem(RoutedEventArgs e);

src/Files.App/ServicesImplementation/DialogService.cs

@@ -28,7 +28,8 @@ public DialogService()
 				{ typeof(ElevateConfirmDialogViewModel), () => new ElevateConfirmDialog() },
 				{ typeof(FileSystemDialogViewModel), () => new FilesystemOperationDialog() },
 				{ typeof(DecompressArchiveDialogViewModel), () => new DecompressArchiveDialog() },
-				{ typeof(SettingsDialogViewModel), () => new SettingsDialog() }
+				{ typeof(SettingsDialogViewModel), () => new SettingsDialog() },
+				{ typeof(CreateShortcutDialogViewModel), () => new CreateShortcutDialog() }
 			};
 		}
 

src/Files.App/Strings/en-US/Resources.resw

@@ -2866,6 +2866,18 @@
   <data name="SortBy" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>Sort by</value>
   </data>
+  <data name="NewShortcutDialogTitle" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Create a new shortcut</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="NewShortcutDialogDescription" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Create shortcuts to local or network programs, files, folders, computers or Internet addresses.</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="NewShortcutDialogPrompt" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Enter the location of the item:</value>
+  </data>
+  <data name="AddDialogListShortcutSubHeader" xml:space="preserve">
+    <value>Creates a shortcut</value>
+  </data>
   <data name="RecentFilesDisabledOnWindowsWarning" xml:space="preserve">
     <value>Recently used files is currently disabled in Windows File Explorer.</value>
   </data>

src/Files.App/UserControls/InnerNavigationToolbar.xaml

@@ -85,6 +85,15 @@
 									<FontIcon Glyph="&#xE7C3;" />
 								</MenuFlyoutItem.Icon>
 							</MenuFlyoutItem>
+							<MenuFlyoutItem
+								x:Name="NewShortcut"
+								AutomationProperties.AutomationId="InnerNavigationToolbarNewShortcutButton"
+								Command="{x:Bind ViewModel.CreateNewShortcutCommand, Mode=OneWay}"
+								Text="{helpers:ResourceString Name=Shortcut}">
+								<MenuFlyoutItem.Icon>
+									<FontIcon Glyph="&#xE71B;" />
+								</MenuFlyoutItem.Icon>
+							</MenuFlyoutItem>
 							<MenuFlyoutSeparator x:Name="NewMenuFileFolderSeparator" />
 						</MenuFlyout>
 					</AppBarButton.Flyout>

src/Files.App/ViewModels/Dialogs/CreateShortcutDialogViewModel.cs

@@ -0,0 +1,100 @@
+using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.ComponentModel;
+using CommunityToolkit.Mvvm.Input;
+using Files.App.Helpers;
+using Files.Backend.Extensions;
+using System;
+using System.IO;
+using System.Threading.Tasks;
+using System.Windows.Input;
+using Windows.Storage.Pickers;
+
+namespace Files.App.ViewModels.Dialogs
+{
+	public class CreateShortcutDialogViewModel : ObservableObject
+	{
+		// User's working directory
+		public readonly string WorkingDirectory;
+
+		// Tells whether destination path exists
+		public bool DestinationPathExists { get; set; } = false;
+
+		// Destination of the shortcut chosen by the user (can be a path or a URL)
+		private string _destinationItemPath;
+		public string DestinationItemPath
+		{
+			get => _destinationItemPath;
+			set => SetProperty(ref _destinationItemPath, value);
+		}
+
+		// Tells if the selected destination is valid (Path exists or URL is well-formed). Used to enable primary button
+		private bool _isLocationValid;
+		public bool IsLocationValid
+		{
+			get => _isLocationValid;
+			set => SetProperty(ref _isLocationValid, value);
+		}
+
+		// Command invoked when the user clicks the 'Browse' button
+		public ICommand SelectDestinationCommand { get; private set; }
+
+		// Command invoked when the user clicks primary button
+		public ICommand PrimaryButtonCommand { get; private set; }
+
+		public CreateShortcutDialogViewModel(string workingDirectory)
+		{
+			WorkingDirectory = workingDirectory;
+			_destinationItemPath = string.Empty;
+
+			SelectDestinationCommand = new AsyncRelayCommand(SelectDestination);
+			PrimaryButtonCommand = new AsyncRelayCommand(CreateShortcut);
+		}
+
+		private async Task SelectDestination()
+		{
+			var folderPicker = InitializeWithWindow(new FolderPicker());
+			folderPicker.FileTypeFilter.Add("*");
+
+			var selectedFolder = await folderPicker.PickSingleFolderAsync();
+			if (selectedFolder is not null)
+				DestinationItemPath = selectedFolder.Path;
+		}
+
+		private FolderPicker InitializeWithWindow(FolderPicker obj)
+		{
+			WinRT.Interop.InitializeWithWindow.Initialize(obj, App.WindowHandle);
+			return obj;
+		}
+
+		private async Task CreateShortcut()
+		{
+			string? destinationName;
+			var extension = DestinationPathExists ? ".lnk" : ".url";
+
+			if (DestinationPathExists)
+			{
+				destinationName = Path.GetFileName(DestinationItemPath);
+				destinationName ??= Path.GetDirectoryName(DestinationItemPath);
+			}
+			else
+			{
+				var uri = new Uri(DestinationItemPath);
+				destinationName = uri.Host;
+			}
+
+			var shortcutName = string.Format("ShortcutCreateNewSuffix".ToLocalized(), destinationName);
+			var filePath = Path.Combine(
+				WorkingDirectory,
+				shortcutName + extension);
+
+			int fileNumber = 1;
+			while (Path.Exists(filePath))
+			{
+				filePath = Path.Combine(
+					WorkingDirectory,
+					shortcutName + $" ({++fileNumber})" + extension);
+			}
+
+			await FileOperationsHelpers.CreateOrUpdateLinkAsync(filePath, DestinationItemPath);
+		}
+	}
+}

src/Files.App/ViewModels/ToolbarViewModel.cs

@@ -791,6 +791,8 @@ public void SearchRegion_LostFocus(object sender, RoutedEventArgs e)
 
 		public ICommand? CreateNewFolderCommand { get; set; }
 
+		public ICommand? CreateNewShortcutCommand { get; set; }
+
 		public ICommand? CopyCommand { get; set; }
 
 		public ICommand? DeleteCommand { get; set; }

src/Files.App/Views/ColumnShellPage.xaml.cs

@@ -275,6 +275,7 @@ private void InitToolbarCommands()
 			ToolbarViewModel.ClosePaneCommand = new RelayCommand(() => PaneHolder?.CloseActivePane());
 			ToolbarViewModel.CreateNewFileCommand = new RelayCommand<ShellNewEntry>(x => UIFilesystemHelpers.CreateFileFromDialogResultType(AddItemDialogItemType.File, x, this));
 			ToolbarViewModel.CreateNewFolderCommand = new RelayCommand(() => UIFilesystemHelpers.CreateFileFromDialogResultType(AddItemDialogItemType.Folder, null, this));
+			ToolbarViewModel.CreateNewShortcutCommand = new RelayCommand(() => CreateNewShortcutFromDialog());
 			ToolbarViewModel.CopyCommand = new RelayCommand(async () => await UIFilesystemHelpers.CopyItem(this));
 			ToolbarViewModel.Rename = new RelayCommand(() => SlimContentPage?.CommandsViewModel.RenameItemCommand.Execute(null));
 			ToolbarViewModel.Share = new RelayCommand(() => SlimContentPage?.CommandsViewModel.ShareItemCommand.Execute(null));
@@ -689,13 +690,13 @@ private async void KeyboardAccelerator_Invoked(KeyboardAccelerator sender, Keybo
 					{
 						var addItemDialogViewModel = new AddItemDialogViewModel();
 						await DialogService.ShowDialogAsync(addItemDialogViewModel);
-						if (addItemDialogViewModel.ResultType.ItemType != AddItemDialogItemType.Cancel)
-						{
+						if (addItemDialogViewModel.ResultType.ItemType == AddItemDialogItemType.Shortcut)
+							CreateNewShortcutFromDialog();
+						else if (addItemDialogViewModel.ResultType.ItemType != AddItemDialogItemType.Cancel)
 							UIFilesystemHelpers.CreateFileFromDialogResultType(
 								addItemDialogViewModel.ResultType.ItemType,
 								addItemDialogViewModel.ResultType.ItemInfo,
 								this);
-						}
 					}
 					break;
 
@@ -1045,5 +1046,8 @@ public void SubmitSearch(string query, bool searchUnindexedItems)
 			});
 			//this.FindAscendant<ColumnViewBrowser>().SetSelectedPathOrNavigate(null, typeof(ColumnViewBase), navArgs);
 		}
+
+		private async void CreateNewShortcutFromDialog() 
+			=> await UIFilesystemHelpers.CreateShortcutFromDialogAsync(this);
 	}
 }