Questions tagged [.desktop]
A .desktop file describes how a particular program is to be launched, how it appears in menus, etc. It is used by Freedesktop-compliant environments such as Gnome, KDE and Xfce.
156
questions
0
votes
0
answers
22
views
Adding and removing applications in the side panel of pcmanfm
In Arch Linux, when I open pcmanfm, on the sidebar there are tabs called 'Home Folder', 'Trash Can', 'Applications', and 'Devices'.
Under 'Applications', there are shortcuts to a bunch of different ...
- 109
1
vote
0
answers
48
views
Design .desktop File to Launch the Default Terminal Emulator with Arguments
I'd like to be able to open text and source code files in neovim (or any other terminal-based text editor) when an XDG-compatible GUI application asks with which application to open that file. For now,...
- 25.2k
3
votes
1
answer
87
views
Detach running command from terminal window
I run the following .desktop file in Gnome, to start my Remote Session:
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=xfreerdp RDP
Comment=A sample application
Exec=/usr/bin/xfreerdp +clipboard ...
- 68
0
votes
0
answers
180
views
Is it possible to force set class name for wayland window in KDE?
I have two Chromium windows. Both are working with ozone wayland. I want both to have different class names. This is for the reason, that I want to apply different window rules for them, and I want to ...
- 819
0
votes
2
answers
173
views
Where do I need to set the $PATH variable so that .desktop file can see when i am using zsh as my default shell
I am using Debian 12. Gnome 43. zsh is my default shell (sudo chsh --shell /usr/bin/zsh ismail).
In my .zshrc, I have set the path variable like:
export PATH="$HOME/.dotfiles/.cargo/bin:$PATH&...
- 2,560
1
vote
1
answer
93
views
Script the addition of pre-run hooks to Flatpaks
I'd like to modify how installed Flatpaks run, so that podman containers used by a Flatpak are ran before the Flatpak is run (and ideally shut down after the Flatpak finishes running, but that's ...
- 1,250
0
votes
0
answers
45
views
Find the command being used to launch a GUI application
I'm running Fedora Linux with the Gnome desktop environment and I'm looking to create .desktop entries for applications that don't have them. In this case, I'd like to add two entries: one for the ...
- 139
0
votes
1
answer
58
views
.desktop file stopped working after changing default shell from bash to zsh
i have been using this desktop file pluto.desktop:
[Desktop Entry]
Exec=/home/user/Software/Installed/Pluto/pluto_startup.sh
Icon=/home/user/Software/Installed/Pluto/Pluto.svg
Type=Application
...
- 1
0
votes
1
answer
375
views
Installing Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) for Google Chrome creates .desktop files on my desktop, can I delete these?
Context: I've asked this question on Ask Ubuntu, but haven't gotten an answer, so I'm attempting it here.
Ubuntu Version: 20.04.1
I've installed several Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) using Google Chrome....
- 166
0
votes
1
answer
52
views
Running chromium with --app and --class results in chromium using the favicon instead of specified icon
I've made the following desktop entry:
[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Name=appname
Exec=chromium --user-data-dir=profiledir --app=someurl --class appname
Icon=...
- 29
1
vote
1
answer
96
views
Permanently delete some categories in a .desktop file
I use to edit a .desktop file to remove some categories so that a program appears in only one menu item. But if I reinstall the package (apt install --reinstall ...) the editing ("Categories=&...
- 270
2
votes
1
answer
101
views
How to start spyder from desktop on LMDE5?
I would like to start spyder from a .desktop shortcut.
I am unfortunately unable to start it directly from AnacondaNav, as it stops with a Exit code: 134 message.
As an alternative, I installed spyder ...
- 21
3
votes
0
answers
136
views
a question on `exec` parameter in .desktop file
I have installed Zotero with .tarball as suggested here, and the following is what I encountered:
I can launch zotero in terminal with /opt/zotero/zotero
I cannot launch zotero by clicking on the ...
- 31
0
votes
0
answers
325
views
.desktop files for packages installed using Nix are broken
I've recently installed Filezilla and Keepass using Nix on Kubuntu 22.10 and symlinked my ~/.nix-profile/share/applications to /usr/share/applications, so that the apps appear in the application menu.
...
0
votes
0
answers
71
views
How do I make it so I don't need to log out and log back in for the apps I've installed with nix package manager to show up?
When I install a new app with the nix package manager on fedora (silverblue) I need to log out and log back in for the app icons to appear for the new apps I installed with nix. I made them show up by ...
0
votes
0
answers
883
views
.desktop files do not get registered
I've been repeatedly running into issues with .desktop files not being registered on my Ubuntu machine. I'm at my wits end to be honest, the exact same situation works on my desktop but not on my ...
- 1
0
votes
0
answers
74
views
How to stop snap from opening new instances of Chromium app?
TL;DR
.desktop that runs a snap installed Chromium with --app flag keeps opening new windows instead of focusing the window if it's already open.
Full story
I'm trying to replace the Electron-based ...
- 1,015
0
votes
0
answers
53
views
Running SDRTrunk (A Java application) in a gnome session .desktop env can't move application or resize
I am using a Raspberry Pi 4 8GB to try to run SDRTrunk.
I have it running in a gnome .desktop with
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Path=/home/pi/sdr-trunk-0.5.0-beta7/
Exec=/home/pi/sdr-trunk-0.5.0-...
- 1
1
vote
0
answers
91
views
How can I stop Chrome (re)creating this file on my desktop on every boot
Since installing Chrome on my system (POP!_OS 22.04), every time I log in I am greeted by this annoying file which has placed itself on my desktop. If I delete it, it simply recreates itself again.
I'...
- 111
1
vote
1
answer
101
views
How to pass URL string in .desktop file in quotes
I installed WhatsApp Desktop via Wine and I am trying to associate whatsapp:// links with it.
Executing the following via command line works and starts a chat with the phone number +1234567890:
env ...
- 459
0
votes
0
answers
57
views
Install wine application launchers in /usr/share/applications instead than /root/.local/share/applications
Ubuntu 22.04 LTS using Xorg.
When I first run a Windows application installer using wine without the sudo command, the application launchers of the installed program go to ~/.local/share/applications ...
- 203
0
votes
1
answer
90
views
How to properly install latest Umlet java (globally)
This is probably an easy question if someone has experience with this but I don't know what's the good practice.
I've installed java with sudo apt install default-jre
I have downloaded the latest ...
- 101
1
vote
1
answer
510
views
XDG autostart order - how to control it?
When logging into my XFCE session, there are several "things" started via the XDG autostart mechanism. Is it possible to control the order in which applications start, or having some sort of ...
- 11
0
votes
0
answers
66
views
How to pass in arguments in .desktop file [duplicate]
I'm trying to run an .appimage in Pop OS 22.04 that requires the command --disable-gpu-sandbox.
It works fine when launching from terminal, but when I create a .desktop file with the below:
Encoding=...
0
votes
2
answers
110
views
Are there any commands that automatically create .desktop files from .jar files?
I play a lot of Java-based games. I find the UX of typing java -jar name-of-game.jar to be cumbersome, and creating .desktop files by hand hacky. Are there any automatic .desktop generators?
- 357
0
votes
0
answers
2k
views
Make a .desktop file that runs a command line
Okay so maybe I'm being stupid, but I can't figure out what I'm doing wrong, so I'm asking here for help.
I made a .desktop file in /usr/share/applications to create a shortcut for a specific command ...
- 11
0
votes
2
answers
1k
views
Cannot launch a desktop file using wine
I am not entirely sure this is the right place to post but I have Pop!_OS 22.04 LTS on my computer, and I tried playing the nostalgic game "Transformers: Fall of Cybertron". I found a ...
- 1
0
votes
1
answer
197
views
When Click an Application Icon On Taskbar, Jump To the Workspace It was First Created
I am using Zorin which uses Gnome.
I am attaching an screenshot first:
You can see that, I have open nemo and firefox in workspace 1.
Then I went to workspace 2.
Now when I click nemo icon on taskbar,...
- 2,560
0
votes
0
answers
29
views
How to `source` a desktop file after creation [duplicate]
In Bash I can do after editing my .bashrc file:
source .bashrc
and then the changes have taken affect.
But I created a .desktop file in /usr/share/applications, how can I make the changes take effect?...
- 5,771
0
votes
1
answer
1k
views
.desktop File not Working Properly
I'm trying to create a .desktop file for a python script (for the Electrum Bitcoin wallet). If I navigate to the folder where the file is saved and run it (python3 /home/username/.local/bin/electrum), ...
- 101
0
votes
1
answer
2k
views
Always run Firefox ESR in Wayland instead of X.org on Debian
When using the latest stable desktop environment, to enable features like screen share inside of video conference programs, and for stability, Wayland seems to work better than the ancient X.org.
I ...
- 249
1
vote
1
answer
3k
views
Ways to launch a desktop application with environment variable
I have actually one environment variable that is needed by some GUI applications : QT_QPA_PLATFORMTHEME=qt5ct. For now I export it in ~/.bashrc.
When I run qt5ct from a terminal, the app sees the ...
- 125
3
votes
1
answer
912
views
Application showing in Menu, but .desktop file not present in /usr/share/applications
I have somehow the opposite problem of the proponent of this question:
why-are-my-application-desktop-files-not-showing-up-in-linux-application-menu
in my case I have an application showing in the ...
- 407
1
vote
2
answers
506
views
Launching application in favorites creates 2nd icon on taskbar
I have Element-Nightly installed using the official installation instructions.
This creates a desktop file in /usr/share/applications, which I've added to my GNOME taskbar:
seth@seth-pc-tux:/usr/share/...
- 127
0
votes
1
answer
656
views
What is the canonical way to run a .sh from file manager?
Hope, this belongs here and not e.g. on SU. I would like to make my life a bit easier and therefore want to be able to run a script.sh from file manager. This is possible in other distributions (or ...
- 276
1
vote
1
answer
2k
views
xdg-open from .desktop file (in script)
I am trying to get a shell script to launch a browser. When run standalone, this script successfully opens a browser with
xdg-open http://localhost:8080
However, I am trying to make it convenient ...
- 125
2
votes
1
answer
10k
views
How to create a desktop icon for an application on RHEL 8?
I copied an existing and working .desktop file for an application that can be launched from Applications → Favorites into ~/Desktop but the file is displayed on and opened from the desktop as text ...
- 265
2
votes
0
answers
431
views
Launch same application with different .desktop (and icons) task manager
Suppose I have a program myapp. It has two sub tasks, A and B. Launcjhing myapp --task A launches A and similar for B. Launching myapp only opens another intro window. I have three .desktop files in /...
- 21
0
votes
0
answers
235
views
.desktop file KDE Service menu - how to copy many files
I have a servicemenuitem for KDE which copies the selected file to the desktop.
It works when one file is selected on the desktop, but when multiple files are selected, they are not copied.
The -exec ...
- 1
1
vote
1
answer
883
views
How to debug a .desktop file?
I've installed Gnome Boxes, Gnome Builder and Peek through flatpak, and when I click the app in the aplication menu, they don't start.
And I don't know why, so I just looked at the .desktop in /var/...
- 111
0
votes
1
answer
126
views
My desktop entry seem to have cached some old entries for some fields
I am writing a desktop entry for an application that doesn't come with one (let's say application A). As usual, I just copy a desktop entry that exists already (let's say the desktop entry of ...
- 101
0
votes
0
answers
111
views
If I execute this program via terminal it opens, but if I open it via .desktop file it doesn't
I've installed Matlab inside /home/user/Desktop/matlabFolder/bin/ .
I can run Matlab running /home/user/Desktop/matlabFolder/bin/matlab inside a terminal, and it works.
I created a .desktop file here: ...
- 257
0
votes
1
answer
217
views
Manipulate linux workspaces with scripts
I want to write a script(s) that lets me manipulate Linux workspaces on my computers. I'm looking for compatibility with EWMH/NetWM compatible X Window Managers. I currently use wmctrl to move ...
1
vote
2
answers
5k
views
.desktop file with Exec and Terminal=True: temporarily prevent terminal shutdown on application exit?
I have a Python terminal application, that I call from a .desktop file, something like this:
[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Name=My App
Exec=python3 /home/pi/my_app.py
Terminal=true
Type=Application
...
- 480
1
vote
1
answer
162
views
.local/share/applications isn't detected by xdg-mime
I'm trying to change the default program to open PDF files with xdg-open using the command xdg-mime default pdf.desktop application/pdf.
The file pdf.desktop is already in ~/.local/share/applications.
...
- 11
2
votes
1
answer
1k
views
How to associate markdown files with a web browser?
Out of GUI-based software like ReText or Formiko, and using just a command-line tool like pandoc, is it possible to open markdown files (MIME type association) as an HTML file in a web browser, ...
- 161
2
votes
1
answer
1k
views
Two Commands in a Launcher
I researched this for a while, and couldn't find a solution.
What I'm trying to do is to create a launcher in the XFCE desktop environment which runs several commands:
cd Documents
./run_program....
- 21
5
votes
2
answers
2k
views
Is it possible to tell linux to look for .desktop files in a directory?
I started using rofi as an application launcher using its drun function. It works fine, .desktop files in /usr/share/applications and $HOME/.local/share/applications both show on it with no problems. ...
0
votes
1
answer
418
views
How to access custom PATH programs from .desktop file
I have a scripts directory that I have added to path (specifically in the ~/.bashrc).
I can run the scripts as expected from the terminal, but it says that the command is not found when I run it from ...
3
votes
4
answers
10k
views
How to launch `.desktop` files from the terminal (or dmenu)
I want to run .desktop files from the terminal and dmenu. From the terminal, it should ideally be run with ./app.desktop or /path/to/app.desktop, and app.desktop would be put in a $PATH directory. I'd ...
