If Debian truly adopts desktop files...
I have received no reply to my post at the Debian forum. It`d be nice to hear it from them.
"adopts"?
How about: "embraces". Yes, debian embraces the org.freedesktop.pullyourhairout spec for desktop-entry files.
http://standards.freedesktop.org/deskto ... atest.html
(as well as the org.freedesktop MENU, and menu categories, specification)
Every debian package containing a GUI application is expected to contain a .desktop (launcher) file, as well as an icon (or an alias to an existing generic icon) ~~ per the freedesktop specification:
"
Icon to display in file manager, menus, etc. If the name is an absolute path, the given file will be used. If the name is not an absolute path, the algorithm described in the Icon Theme Specification will be used to locate the icon."
Each time a debian package is installed
ref:
https://wiki.debian.org/DpkgTriggers
the installater automatically reads "menu category" and performs update-menus.
WELL, the installer just execs the trigger ~~ it's up to the menu manager component of the DE (xfce, gnome, kde, *box) to register instructions for that install trigger.
Many of the "___box" desktop environments lack such a trigger, so they must be updated manually (unless you write your own custom trigger script {grin})
Seeing as Deb. menu files are kind of a mess and need lots of editing like desktop files.
The .desktop file management and menu management can drive ya to drink!
Don't blame Debian, though. Along with countless other distros, they are just following the
freedesktop.org spec.
Do blame Gnome and KDE (if ya want) ~~ they flaunt, er "extend" the spec to suit themselves (often wrecking the menu-management attemtps of other DE's menu managers.
So all the tools I`ve made are useful, but rapid "fixing" of desktop files is the most useful
Here are a few details which can drive you (me) nuts:
You need to remember to place your handcrafted .desktop files in
~share/applications (for each user!)
and/or
/etc/skel/share/applications
^--------- the freedesktop-compliant menu managers will look here, first, then will check
/usr/share/applications
(Unless package maintainer has provided custom post-install instructions)(seldom done)
With each package installation, .desktop file for an installed package will be written solely to:
/usr/share/applications
(overwriting a pre-existing same-named file pathed there, if such exists)
.desktop files provided by apps produced by the Gnome project often (annoyingly, selfishly!)
contain a line stating
OnlyShowIn=Gnome
and same goes for KDE apps.
SOMETIMES this is necessary (like, maybe the app expects/requires to be launched via kdesu, or gksu)
but user winds up installing an app, then head-scratching, wondering why it doesn't show up in their (xfce, *box, lxde, JWM) rootmenu