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I have the following situation: I have to modify a .desktop file that is into the package of an application of which I am working.

I have a strange problem that happens when I try to open the content of the file. If I click on it and then I try to click on "Open" it give me an error message that means in English: "LAUNCHER OF APPLICATIONS UNRELIABLE"

The only way to open the .desktop file is for me is to run the following shell command:

sudo gedit myApplication.desktop

Why is this so? Why does the error message appear when I try to open the .desktop file normally?

The content of the .desktop file is:

[Desktop Entry]
Icon=myApplication
Categories=Utility;
Type=Application
Exec=/usr/share/MyApplication/appl/launcher.sh
Name[en_US]=Connect Data Space
Name=My Application Name
Comment[en_US]=
Comment=
StartupNotify=true
Terminal=false
OnlyShowIn=GNOME;Unity;
StartupWMClass=MyApplication
Actions=CheckUpgrade

[Desktop Action CheckUpgrade]
Name=Verifica Aggiornamenti
Exec=java -jar /usr/share/MyApplication/appl/lib/shellExtBridge.jar -checkupgrade
OnlyShowIn=GNOME;Unity;

And now I have some doubts about it:

1) Icon: reading some documentation it seems to me that if I put an icon called myApplication.png inside the folder /usr/share/pixmaps of my package, it use this icon, is it right?

2) Exec: reading some documentation it seems to me that this field specifies the path to the file that is executed when my icon is clicked, is it right? But in this case what file is executed? /usr/share/MyApplication/appl/launcher.sh or /usr/share/MyApplication/appl/lib/shellExtBridge.jar -checkupgrade.

I think the first file is executed, but then what is the functionality of the file in the second Exec statement?

In general, what is the functionality of the .desktop file? It seems to me that it only adds my application icon to the Unity toolbar to start my application clicking on it. Is that right, or is there additional functionality of the .desktop file?

James Mishra
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AndreaNobili
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1 Answers1

1

The .desktop file is a shortcut that points to the executable and add an icon to that particula shortcut.

have you noticed all the .desktop files in /user/share/applications It's there all the shortcuts are gathered. You may take some inspiration from there.

  1. that depends on which icon you point the .desktop file to. (i'm not sure about this one but the icon could also be stored in /usr/share/icons)

  2. yes it's right. The Exec field specifies which file that should be executed. It's the [desktop entry] you should look at so it's the /usr/share/MyApplication/appl/launcher.shfile that is executed

  3. As I can see it will give your shortcut an icon, a name and it will point the shortcut to the /usr/share/MyApplication/appl/launcher.sh file. The StartupWMClass property will do so that your application dosen't actually create a new open application icon in unity instead it will light up the shortcut you already created. check out this for more info about that.

    the Category property Categories=Utility; is made so that gnome2, gnome-fallback, xfce and MATE desktop environments can place the shortcut at the correct position(because they have menus).

    i can't tell what the last 4 lines in the desktop file does but i think they are executed when you run the app updater. so that your java app updates itself. Or it will create an update entry when you right click on the icon in the unity launcher so that you can update it through the small right-click menu (but i don't know)

I'm not sure about all this, so correct me if i'm wrong. But some info is better than nothing :)

Community
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user69969
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  • Last four lines are to do with quicklists, only applicable for Destop Environments that support them. see: https://wiki.gnome.org/Design/Whiteboards/Jumplists and http://standards.freedesktop.org/desktop-entry-spec/latest/ar01s09.html – airtonix May 29 '14 at 07:59