At what process do DE shortcuts get created? Inconsistent PKG builds..

thayer · 2007-07-16 01:31:22

I've only been using Arch for about 2 months now, but I've noticed some real inconsistencies with respect to whether a menu shortcut is created for a given application. I'm wondering at what point in the package build process does this get determined.

For example, the following programs automatically generate application shortcuts in the GNOME menu:
K3b
Inkscape
dvd::rip

Yet these applications don't:
Acidrip
K9copy
lbreakout2
stellarium

I've looked through the ABS tree for differences in the individual build files, but I don't see a pattern that determines what does and doesn't have a GNOME shortcut. Where is this determined?

It would seem to me that any program which makes its way into the Current or Extra repos should also have the appropriate shortcuts provided for the DE automatically, if only for the sake of consistency. Half the the time, I can't even tell whether I've already installed a program or not because there's no menu item for it.

tomk · 2007-07-16 08:58:54

"shortcuts" are created by *.desktop files, typically installed in /usr/share/applications. Arch packages whatever is provided by upsteam devs, so if they include a *.desktop file, so do we. I've had a look at Acidrip and Stellarium, and neither package has one. You can always create your own, using existing files as the template.

thayer · 2007-07-16 16:38:23

Hi tom, thanks... I spent some time last night digging around and I figured out where the .desktops go for system-wide vs. local users, so I've now got at least some shortcuts added.

It's frustrating to know that the original program devs don't bother to include such a simple file, leaving it up to the individual distro packagers to deal with--especially for such popular programs as K9copy & Acidrip.

tomk · 2007-07-17 19:37:26

If you've created the appropriate files, submit them to the app's devs as a feature request.

Action is a good antidote for frustration.

ezzetabi · 2007-07-17 21:11:00

Considering there are lots of WM and DE with different format...
I am the only one who thinks the packages should not create shortcut at all?
It would be more useful adding an option to pacman -Ql that filter any non executable file.

Phrodo_00 · 2007-07-17 22:17:59

ezzetabi wrote:

Considering there are lots of WM and DE with different format...
I am the only one who thinks the packages should not create shortcut at all?
It would be more useful adding an option to pacman -Ql that filter any non executable file.

while it's true it's not standarized, .desktop files are nice and it's pretty likely to be more adopted, as it's a freedesktop.org spec (although then agin, I haven't seen a lot of implementations of their trash spec, but whatever)

dtw · 2007-07-17 23:41:14

I try to add .desktop files to my pkgs on request...even to the extent of scalping them from other distros (see scorched3d). I'm all for freedesktop standards and in fact Iphitus and I just completed a little project that relates very closely to this...

Cerebral · 2007-07-18 13:12:24

dtw wrote:

I'm all for freedesktop standards and in fact Iphitus and I just completed a little project that relates very closely to this...

Hmmmmmmm? Thou hast piqued mine interest, good sir.

dtw · 2007-07-18 13:54:33

Cerebral wrote:

dtw wrote:
I'm all for freedesktop standards and in fact Iphitus and I just completed a little project that relates very closely to this...
Hmmmmmmm? Thou hast piqued mine interest, good sir.

Nothing too exciting. I think I'll be announcing it on the dev list today.

Arch Linux

#1 2007-07-16 01:31:22

At what process do DE shortcuts get created? Inconsistent PKG builds..

#2 2007-07-16 08:58:54

Re: At what process do DE shortcuts get created? Inconsistent PKG builds..

#3 2007-07-16 16:38:23

Re: At what process do DE shortcuts get created? Inconsistent PKG builds..

#4 2007-07-17 19:37:26

Re: At what process do DE shortcuts get created? Inconsistent PKG builds..

#5 2007-07-17 21:11:00

Re: At what process do DE shortcuts get created? Inconsistent PKG builds..

#6 2007-07-17 22:17:59

Re: At what process do DE shortcuts get created? Inconsistent PKG builds..

#7 2007-07-17 23:41:14

Re: At what process do DE shortcuts get created? Inconsistent PKG builds..

#8 2007-07-18 13:12:24

Re: At what process do DE shortcuts get created? Inconsistent PKG builds..

#9 2007-07-18 13:54:33

Re: At what process do DE shortcuts get created? Inconsistent PKG builds..

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