Questions tagged [.desktop]
A .desktop file is a launcher. When run, it executes a command, which usually launches an application. Use this tag if you are asking a question about using a .desktop file or about the .desktop file format in general.
197
questions
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How can I create launchers on my desktop?
In older versions it was easy to create a launcher on my desktop. All I had to do is right click on my desktop and select the "create launcher" option.
How can I create such launchers now?
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votes
16
answers
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How can I edit/create new launcher items in Unity by hand?
Will Unity allow making custom launcher icons from .desktop files or via menu editing system? (Right now the launcher doesn't give the option to "keep in launcher" on all programs.
For some programs ...
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105
votes
2
answers
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Creating a .desktop file for a new application
I just installed the lastest version of UGENE. I works fine but in order to use it, I have to enter the following in the terminal: cd ugene-1.11.5/ then execute ./ugene -ui to launch UGENE GUI.
This ...
- 1,155
242
votes
20
answers
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Running a .desktop file in the terminal
From what I can gather, .desktop files are shortcuts that allow application's settings to be customized. For instance, I have lots of them in my /usr/share/applications/ folder.
If I open that ...
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61
votes
3
answers
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How can I add custom '.desktop' application launchers to Ubuntu Dock?
I have made .desktop files for Ubuntu 16.04 to access my Google Chrome profiles, but once I upgraded to Ubuntu 17.10 (it worked up to Ubuntu 17.04) they got removed from the dock and I can't pin them ...
- 791
59
votes
5
answers
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Create a .desktop file that opens and execute a command in a terminal
I would like to know how to write the Exec command of a .desktop file to open a new terminal and execute a shell script in it. The shell script is working and accessible by all users. When launching ...
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45
votes
5
answers
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Cannot add custom launcher to Ubuntu Dock ('Add to Favorites' option does not show up)
I have a custom .desktop file:
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Terminal=false
Icon[en_US]=/home/alex/bin/idea-IC-173.4127.27/bin/idea.png
Name[en_US]=IntelliJ
Exec=/home/alex/bin/idea-IC-173.4127.27/...
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122
votes
3
answers
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What does the StartupWMClass field of a .desktop file represent?
I am working on this pre-existent .desktop file and I have a doubt:
The file content is:
[Desktop Entry]
#Icon=connect-data-space
Icon=XCloud
Categories=Utility;
Type=Application
#Exec=/usr/share/...
- 4,539
12
votes
1
answer
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views
How to remove duplicate entries in dash?
After upgrading to Ubuntu 14.04 from 12.04 I have duplicate entries in dash.
How can I get rid of them?
- 123
8
votes
1
answer
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Ubuntu boots to black screen with cursor after upgrade (from 18.04 to 20.04)
it says firmware load failed then boots to a black screen, if you do Ctrl alt F4 it opens a non gui terminal.
- 307
30
votes
3
answers
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.desktop files: how to specify the icon path [duplicate]
I had a look at the .desktop files on my 12.04 Ubuntu system, and many of them do not have a full path specification for their icon file. It is rather something like:
Icon=anjuta
or
Icon=vlc
or
...
- 401
8
votes
1
answer
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views
How do I remove extra Skype icon or ghost icons for removed apps from GNOME shell?
When searching for "Skype" I always see these 2 entries. There is this duplicate blank Skype icon. Both of them seem to run Skype in the same way.
But I've checked both /usr/share/applications, and ~...
- 243
155
votes
9
answers
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views
How can I find *.desktop files?
To the best of my knowledge, all shortcuts in the Unity Launcher have a corresponding *.desktop file. I have one shortcut (for skrooge) that doesn't have an icon. How can I find the *.desktop file ...
- 2,093
80
votes
5
answers
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Adding custom applications to GNOME 3 launcher
Looking for a utility that allows me insert an item into the list of applications that GNOME knows about.
For example:
I have downloaded Eclipse EE (I have some very special plugins that I need to ...
- 903
10
votes
3
answers
40k
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Permission of a .desktop file
Need some clarification about the permissions of .desktop files. I can see all the .desktop files in /usr/share/applications/ owned by root have permission,
-rw-r--r--
also examples.desktop at $HOME ...
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7
votes
1
answer
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How do you add/remove applications to/from the Unity Launcher from command line?
I am customizing an Ubuntu 14.04 Live CD with UCK (Ubuntu Customization Kit). The program gives you a chroot environment in a terminal to make changes.
I want to add and remove what programs appear ...
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4
votes
1
answer
524
views
How to execute a command with "=" sign in a desktop shortcut?
I'm trying to modify my Firefox shortcut in Unity so that it started with a specific parameter. From a terminal, I would start like this:
VDPAU_DRIVER=va_gl firefox
I tried modifying the firefox....
- 195
20
votes
1
answer
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gnome-desktop-item-edit: command not found on Ubuntu 19.10 and later even with the 'gnome-panel' package installed
I installed Ubuntu 19.10 and have issues trying to create a desktop icon with gnome-desktop-item-edit.
$ sudo gnome-desktop-item-edit ~/Desktop/ --create-new
sudo: gnome-desktop-item-edit: command ...
- 311
15
votes
2
answers
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views
Icon path in .desktop file
On my desktop I have a .desktop file. If I type:
Icon=/home/ianbell/Pictures/myLogo.png
the icon of the .desktop file changes (the expected result).
But, if I type:
Icon=~/Pictures/myLogo.png
it ...
user492815
69
votes
4
answers
23k
views
Duplicate icons for manually created GNOME launcher items
I have downloaded Aptana Studio 3 and created the following launcher item for using Alacarte:
file: alacarte-made.desktop
[Desktop Entry]
Comment=
Terminal=false
Name=Aptana Studio 3
Exec=...
- 1,422
14
votes
2
answers
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Running a .sh to execute multiple commands
I was curious how I would go about running multiple commands via shell script.
For example, just to try it out, I'd like to be able to connect a .desktop to a .sh that will run all the update codes ...
- 155
13
votes
3
answers
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Desktop launcher documentation? [duplicate]
Possible Duplicate:
What is the syntax for .desktop files?
How do I add a custom launcher?
I prefer to create new desktop launchers (.desktop files) using just a text editor, for example to ...
- 5,141
6
votes
1
answer
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views
How to extend a .desktop file for adding new Actions?
I want to add some extra Actions to the shortcut that starts LibreOffice Writer, for quickly opening some of my documents by right clicking on the Favorite icon of Writer.
To do this, I copied the ...
- 10.5k
1
vote
2
answers
3k
views
Unable to start XAMPP using sudo in Desktop Entry
I am using Ubuntu 18.04. I have installed XAMPP and created a .desktop file to run it.
[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=XAMPP Control Panel
Version=7.3.0.0
Exec=sudo -i python /opt/lampp/share/...
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84
votes
6
answers
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views
How do you create a custom application launcher in Gnome Shell?
How do you create a custom application launcher in Gnome Shell?
I have a local Eclipse installation that I'd like to be to quickly launch. So I created a symlink to the eclipse binary and placed it ...
- 6,485
22
votes
5
answers
43k
views
How do I make a Matlab launcher for Unity?
I'm trying to install a Matlab R2011a launcher for Unity in Ubuntu 12.04. I've tried this guide (although I know it's for 11.10 and mentions that even 11.10 is an unsupported OS for Matlab R2011a) but ...
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votes
2
answers
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How to make a shell file execute by double click [duplicate]
I have tried right clicking on the file selecting properties and then the permissions tab and setting it to execute. However, when I double click the file it opens in gedit. What do I do?
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votes
4
answers
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pkexec command in a .desktop file
I made a .desktop file for Androxyde's Flashtool (utility for Sony Xperia devices that I have to open with an executable file in its folder) that requires root privileges to use fastboot utilities.
I ...
- 544
7
votes
4
answers
4k
views
How can I give a script its own icon in the Unity launcher?
With Ubuntu 16.04, if you create a launcher (desktop file in ~/.local/share/applications) with a custom icon for a terminal application (so with Terminal=true) then when you start it, it will spawn a ...
- 901
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votes
7
answers
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Can't create anaconda shortcut to launch from desktop on ubuntu 17.10?
I have used the guide from similar question (How can I create launchers on my desktop?)
but nothing works when it comes to Ananconda3 shortcut.
Here is my desktop file for anaconda:
[Desktop Entry]
...
- 371
16
votes
3
answers
44k
views
How can I keep the gnome-terminal open after a program closes?
I have the following shortcut which opens an SSH instance. How can I modify it so that when SSH closes, the terminal stays open?
[Desktop Entry]
Terminal=true
Type=Application
Name[en_US]=ssh
Icon=/...
14
votes
4
answers
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Execute sh script from *.desktop file?
What I want to do at all, is that:
Create script that has icon on it. So I know only one way - file.desktop file with icon. Settings icon on it was successful, but I have no luck setting EXEC value :/
...
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11
votes
1
answer
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views
Why so many files in /usr/share/app-install/desktop?
For 14.04, I'm trying out Lubuntu LTS.
If I run ls -l /usr/share/app-install/desktop, I get a list of 3085 .desktop files. All except one are dated Apr 18. The exception is:
-rw-r--r-- 1 root root ...
- 42.6k
7
votes
4
answers
3k
views
Why is this file name truncated in Nautilus?
In Ubuntu the "extension" to a file name, that is, the part after the dot (.) is normally visible. Why is Nautilus not showing the extension of eclipse.desktop when the ls command clearly shows that ...
- 9,693
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votes
1
answer
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views
Desktop entry, or other convinent but safe way to exec multiple statements,
I'm running Gnome on Ubuntu 15.4.
I want to execute two or more actions at once, but let's try with two:
sudo pm-suspend
gnome-screensaver-command -l
pm-suspend has been added and allowed to be ...
- 203
5
votes
2
answers
4k
views
What is the shutdown command?
I want to create a shutdown icon for the launcher in 13.04. In former versions of Ubuntu I used this desktop file and put it in the launcher:
.local/share/applications/indicator-session-shutdown....
- 2,793
5
votes
1
answer
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views
"ubuntu-desktop" disappear on reboot (Ubuntu 22.04)
Situation now: every time I reboot, I'm having to reinstall "ubuntu-desktop" because its not available on startup.
On boot, it goes to "tty1", if I try going to 7/8 it just shows a ...
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votes
3
answers
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How to make a launcher(.desktop file) for a binary file?
I have sccceded in making launchers with python scripts,php scripts,etc as launchers.
Now I want to make a binary file as a launcher. It is not an installable binary file. It is actually the binary ...
- 7,868
36
votes
13
answers
86k
views
.desktop files not launching from desktop in Ubuntu 20.04 LTS
I have just created a .desktop shortcut on my desktop to launch a shell scrip. The script itself works fine, but its shortcut that doesn't display the icon and double-clicking on it just displays its ...
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votes
9
answers
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How can I use two Firefox profiles?
I run Ubuntu 14.04 and want to use one installation of Firefox with two different profiles for the same logged in Ubuntu user.
How can I set this up, so that I may easily launch both profiles from ...
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votes
2
answers
3k
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Custom right-click action in Unity Launcher keeps cursor busy for 20 seconds
To have a "minimize window" option through right click on an icon in the Unity launcher (Ubuntu 14.04), I followed the detailed instructions here about changing a .desktop file and made a custom ...
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votes
1
answer
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17.10 / 18.04.TLS .desktop files are no longer trusted
I've moved from 17.04 to 17.10 (by update, not fresh install)
I have a bunch of customized .desktop files in my desktop.
When I try to run then, I get a message telling me these are "untrusted&...
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votes
1
answer
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How to increase the icon text size in Ubuntu 18.04?
How can I increase the icon text size in Ubuntu 18.04? I have tried
using gnome-tweaks but I was only able to change font size of window titles and interface items.
Here is a screen shot of three ...
- 3,973
32
votes
7
answers
152k
views
Desktop shortcut for terminal command
I was wondering how to make a clickable terminal shortcut for my desktop using the command easytether connect.
I don't want to have to open/close the terminal every time I wish to connect to the ...
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22
votes
5
answers
44k
views
How can I create a desktop entry for an AppImage?
I want to create desktop entry for Inkscape AppImage. I'm having some issues because I don't have all MIME types or a clear idea about running that kind of app on desktop entry.
Does anyone know how I ...
- 451
21
votes
1
answer
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views
Cannot launch .desktop files (opens with Text Editor instead)
For some reason, I cannot launch .desktop files. When I double-click the file, it opens the Text Editor. The desktop file has "Allow executing file as program" turned on (-rwx). In the tab "Open with",...
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votes
3
answers
4k
views
My .bashrc alias not run in .desktop file
I've added the following line to the .bashrc file:
alias midos="sh /home/erkanmdr/Belgeler/midos/midos.sh"
This command works fine in the terminal and tty.
But not working in my .desktop shortcut ...
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votes
2
answers
10k
views
How do I associate a file type with an appimage?
I'm using ubuntu 16.04 LTS.
I've downloaded the latest krita appimage
(http://files.kde.org/krita/3/linux/krita-3.0-x86_64.appimage)
I want to be able to open Krita files (with the extension ".kra", ...
- 273
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votes
2
answers
3k
views
How do I determine an application's process name?
This is the situation:
Working on (the next version of) a Unity Quick List editor, I would like to add a reliable way of "restarting" launcher icons. To do so, I need to remove the icon (editing ...
- 83.8k
13
votes
4
answers
7k
views
Ubuntu 18.04: "Add to Favorites" missing for certain qt-based applications?
OS: Ubuntu 18.04 (minimal installation option):
dkb@dkb-ubu1804:~$ cat /etc/X11/default-display-manager
/usr/sbin/gdm3
dkb@dkb-ubu1804:~$ echo $XDG_SESSION_TYPE
x11
dkb@dkb-ubu1804:~$
I installed ...
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