[Solved] Where are the .desktop files

viniosity · 2019-02-01 01:27:18

Sorry, newbie question here but I am trying to get Firefox to launch with touch support. In the past that meant changing the /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop file to use

    Exec env MOZ_USE_XINPUT2=1 /usr/lib/firefox/firefox

That doesn't seem to be working on Arch and I can't find anything in /usr/local/share/applications. So where's the desktop file hiding? FWIW I'm launching using Gnome.

Last edited by viniosity (2019-02-01 18:00:25)

jasonwryan · 2019-02-01 01:34:21

https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Desktop_entries

viniosity · 2019-02-01 01:40:14

Thanks. As mentioned, I don't have any entries where the wiki suggests looking (/usr/local/share/applications).

jasonwryan · 2019-02-01 01:50:30

┌─[Veles ~]
└─╼ pacman -Ql firefox | grep desktop
firefox /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop

viniosity · 2019-02-01 01:59:36

Thanks again, as mentioned, I've already modified that file. Here's my line in its complete state. I just added the env MOZ_USE_XINPUT2=1 to it but it's has some other stuff about a private window so I don't think it's actually referencing this file when launching from Gnome.

Exec=env MOZ_USE_XINPUT2=1 /usr/lib/firefox/firefox --private-window %u

twelveeighty · 2019-02-01 02:08:40

Copy the firefox.desktop to ~/.local/share/applications/Firefox-Touch.desktop and make the changes you want: I recommend giving it a unique "Name" entry and obviously adjust Exec line:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Firefox Touch
Comment=Browse the Web Touch
Icon=firefox
Exec=[your exec line here]
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Categories=Network;WebBrowser;
StartupNotify=true

If you use a DE, it should pick up this file in whatever launcher it's using. For example, I use KDE and the KDE launcher automatically picks up desktop files you put into ~/.local/share/applications.

Trilby · 2019-02-01 02:40:20

I'm pretty sure twelveeighty's post captures the solution, but for future reference, please be more precise in your post

viniosity wrote:

Thanks. As mentioned, I don't have any entries where the wiki suggests looking (/usr/local/share/applications).

viniosity wrote:

Thanks again, as mentioned, I've already modified that file...

How can you have already have modified a file that you just claimed didn't exist?

viniosity · 2019-02-01 03:11:07

His/her first suggestion was to look at the wiki which points to /usr/local/share/applications. That folder doesn't exist. The second response recommends looking at /usr/share/applications. As mentioned I modified that .desktop file already.

I understand that I can create a new entry under /usr/local/share/applications and give it a unique name. It's just odd that I have to. I don't understand where Gnome is launching firefox from if not /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop which I've already modified.

Last edited by viniosity (2019-02-01 03:11:52)

seth · 2019-02-01 07:54:24

viniosity wrote:

look at the wiki which points to /usr/local/share/applications

wiki wrote:

These files usually reside in /usr/share/applications/ or /usr/local/share/applications/

…

1. Did you try whether punching the command into an interactive shell actually gets you the desired results?
2. "launching from Gnome" isn't a thing. If you've a custom link/button/widget/shortcut for this, it can do any number of things
3. There are multiple entries in /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop - the "--private-window %u" is just one of them and launches a pornbrowsing session.
4. Do not edit distro provided files anyway, https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 1#p1829661 is the way to go. You "have to" because your alterations will be overridden w/ every update.

viniosity · 2019-02-01 18:00:10

seth wrote:

…
1. Did you try whether punching the command into an interactive shell actually gets you the desired results?
2. "launching from Gnome" isn't a thing. If you've a custom link/button/widget/shortcut for this, it can do any number of things
3. There are multiple entries in /usr/share/applications/firefox.desktop - the "--private-window %u" is just one of them and launches a pornbrowsing session.
4. Do not edit distro provided files anyway, https://bbs.archlinux.org/viewtopic.php … 1#p1829661 is the way to go. You "have to" because your alterations will be overridden w/ every update.

1. Yep, confirmed it does work from the command line
2. Good to know, thank you!
3. THIS! I had just spotted and changed the last one. Altering the others was the solution - thank you!
4. This is true too. I had it working with Firefox 64 and it got overwritten when Firefox 65 came out. Creating a local version is definitely a good option

Thanks all, marking this solved!

Arch Linux

#1 2019-02-01 01:27:18

[Solved] Where are the .desktop files

#2 2019-02-01 01:34:21

Re: [Solved] Where are the .desktop files

#3 2019-02-01 01:40:14

Re: [Solved] Where are the .desktop files

#4 2019-02-01 01:50:30

Re: [Solved] Where are the .desktop files

#5 2019-02-01 01:59:36

Re: [Solved] Where are the .desktop files

#6 2019-02-01 02:08:40

Re: [Solved] Where are the .desktop files

#7 2019-02-01 02:40:20

Re: [Solved] Where are the .desktop files

#8 2019-02-01 03:11:07

Re: [Solved] Where are the .desktop files

#9 2019-02-01 07:54:24

Re: [Solved] Where are the .desktop files

#10 2019-02-01 18:00:10

Re: [Solved] Where are the .desktop files

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