@666: OK. I guess, I should give you more detailed instructions. There
may be several traps.
1) An updated version of my script to avoid potential strangenesses (I forgot to close the text file before exiting)
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" standalone="yes" ?>
<package>
<job>
<?job error="true" debug="true" ?>
<runtime>
<unnamed name="URL-file" helpstring="the URL-file to launch" required="true" many="false" />
</runtime>
<script language="JScript">
<![CDATA[
if (!WScript.Arguments.length) {
WScript.Arguments.ShowUsage();
WScript.Quit();
}
var WSS = new ActiveXObject("WScript.Shell");
var FSO = new ActiveXObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject");
var IE = WSS.ExpandEnvironmentStrings("\"%ProgramFiles%\\Internet Explorer\\IExplore.exe\" \"");
var t = WScript.Arguments.Unnamed.Item(0);
if (FSO.FileExists(t)) {
var u = FSO.OpenTextFile(t,1,false), v = "";
while (!u.AtEndOfStream) {
v = u.ReadLine();
if (v.indexOf("URL=")==0) {
v = v.substring(4,v.length-1);
break;
} else v = "";
}
u.Close();
if (v) WSS.Run(IE+v+"\""); else WScript.Arguments.ShowUsage();
} else WScript.Arguments.ShowUsage();
]]>
</script>
</job>
</package>
2) Create a new text file and open it with notepad or any text editor you like. Copy my script above from your browser and paste it into the text file. Have a look at the line beginning with "var IE =". This line should end with " \"");" and there should be a whitespace between "\\Internet" and "Explorer\\", NOT a line break. Save the file and close your editor.
3) Now rename the text file from <somename>.txt to <somename>.wsf. To be able to do this under WinXP, be sure that Windows-Explorer is showing you the file extension ".txt". Otherwise you would rename the file to <somename>.wsf.txt and this won't work of course. There is an appropriate option in control panel's folder options (section "view" or similar). When you have renamed the file, you can test it by dropping an *.url file on it. The target url should then open up in IE.
4) If drag and drop works, move the script file to it's final location. I recommend to move it into your program files folder. Let's assume it's path to be "C:\Program Files\<somename>.wsf" from now on.
5) Now we have to associate the script file with *.url files in control panel's folder options/file types dialog. You know how do do this, as you have told us. In your first attempt you have entered the command line
"C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\IExplore.exe" "%1"
to your newly created entry. This won't work, because IE can't open an *.url file (nor any other browser can). An *.url file is actually an *.ini file, this means it is a text file with a special structure/syntax. You have to parse such a file for the relevant information (the shortcut's target url), and then launch IE (or any other browser you want) with the target url as a command line parameter. This is, what my script actually does.
In your second attempt, I guess, you have entered the command line
"C:\Program Files\<somename>.wsf" "%1"
This didn't work, as you told us. Now, try this command line:
WScript.exe "C:\Program Files\<somename>.wsf" "%1"
This should work now. (There is no doubt, that my script works. It works just fine on my system. But, of course, I can not know how you have tweaked your system