How Can I Run an Shell Script With .desktop Config File?

Question

I am trying to run a shell script with a .desktop file but it doesn't seem to work, producing an error of There was an error launching the application at each attempt. I have the sh and .desktop files set the executable.

.desktop file:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Craftbukkit Server
Comment=run server
Exec="/home/ubuntu-gnome/Documents/Craftbukkit/run.sh"
Icon=/home/ubuntu-gnome/Documents/Craftbukkit/craftbukkit.png
Terminal=true
Type=Application

The script:

#!/bin/bash
/usr/bin/java -Xmx1024M -Xms1024M -jar /home/ubuntu-gnome/Documents/Craftbukkit/craftbukkit.jar -o false

All paths are correct.

Methods I Have Tried:

• Exec="/home/ubuntu-gnome/Documents/Craftbukkit/run.sh"
• Exec='/home/ubuntu-gnome/Documents/Craftbukkit/run.sh'
• Exec=/home/ubuntu-gnome/Documents/Craftbukkit/run
• Exec="/home/ubuntu-gnome/Documents/Craftbukkit/run.sh"
• Exec=gnome-terminal -e "/home/ubuntu-gnome/Documents/Craftbukkit/run.sh"
• Exec=bash -c 'cd /home/ubuntu-gnome/Documents/Craftbukkit/ && ./run.sh'

Conspicuously, I have tried many methods. Can anyone assist me with a resolution to this?

Answer 1

Few potential issues:

1. Your script needs a shebang on its first line... it should look like:

   #!/bin/bash
   /usr/bin/java ...
   

2. Your script needs to be marked as executable:

   chmod +x /path/to/script.sh
   

3. Your .desktop file also needs to be executable (security policy stuff apparently):

   chmod +x /path/to/desktop-file.desktop
   

Answer 2

This is what I would use for creating the ".desktop" file:

#!/usr/bin/env xdg-open    
[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Type=Application
Name=MY APPLICATION NAME
Comment=THINGS I HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THE APPLICATION
Exec=sh -c "cd /PATH_TO_SH_FILE_FOLDER; FILENAME.sh"
Categories=ENGINERRING;GRAPHICS;ETC
Icon=/PATH_TO_ICON_IMAGE_FILE

For above, change the all-capital portions of the code to fit your context (which doesn't have to be all-capital). You can add Terminal = true if you want to see the terminal window.

Modified from an answer I gave to a related question here: Link to .exe doesn't launch Wine

Answer 3

Try to use always abolute paths in those scripts. Find out what path the java executable has with:

which java

Then use that as the path in yout script:

/path/to/java -Xmx1024M -Xms1024M -jar /path/to/craftbukkit.jar -o false

Note that you also should give the complete path to craftbukkit.jar.

Answer 4

Thank's Everyone for the help. I realized that I had something wrong with my .desktop file. I noticed that the properties of the .desktop file were different to that of the other .desktop files in /usr/share/applications, in it that there were no Description, Command or Comment text areas in mine.

I saved the .desktop file of Color Picker to the desktop and I substituted my information in, which made it work.

This is what the properties->Basic of the .desktop file is.

The Script

[Desktop Entry] 
Name=Minecraft-Server Comment=Run the Minecraft
Craftbukkit Server
Icon=/home/ubuntu-gnome/Documents/Craftbukkit/craftbukkit.png
Exec='/home/ubuntu-gnome/Documents/Craftbukkit/run.sh' 
Terminal=true
Type=Application 
Categories=Minecraft;Server;CraftBukkit;