Arch Linux

sergej

Package Maintainer (PM)

From: Russia, Voronezh

Registered: 2006-03-21

Posts: 69

Discuss WM applications menu autogeneration

Hi, All!

I want to start discussion about menu hierarchy for window managers and
it's autogeneration from .desktop files.

So I create wiki page

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/WM_Menu_hierarchy

Feel free to edit and discuss...

sergej

Package Maintainer (PM)

From: Russia, Voronezh

Registered: 2006-03-21

Posts: 69

Re: Discuss WM applications menu autogeneration

I want to implement it after discussion if ready-to-use solution will not be found.

dtw

Forum Fellow

From: UK

Registered: 2004-08-03

Posts: 4,439

Website

Re: Discuss WM applications menu autogeneration

Surely this should be based on the freedesktop catergories?  Or is it already?

sergej

Package Maintainer (PM)

From: Russia, Voronezh

Registered: 2006-03-21

Posts: 69

Re: Discuss WM applications menu autogeneration

Yes, I'm going to use Categories from .desktop file. I'm not sure how, but I hope to find some solution to map Categories to menu tree item. This is subject to discuss too.

[vEX]

Member

From: Sweden

Registered: 2006-11-23

Posts: 450

Re: Discuss WM applications menu autogeneration

What's the use of the .desktop files?

Coming from Debian I was used to having the menus (was using Fluxbox at the time) updated whenever I installed/remove anything.. however after moving to Arch Linux and switching to Openbox I've managed my menus manually and I prefer to keep it that way. Hence I would like it to be an optional thing.

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sergej

Package Maintainer (PM)

From: Russia, Voronezh

Registered: 2006-03-21

Posts: 69

Re: Discuss WM applications menu autogeneration

...or it should be separated submenu with autogenerated items.

Btw - freedesktop standard - http://standards.freedesktop.org/menu-s … atest.html

sergej

Package Maintainer (PM)

From: Russia, Voronezh

Registered: 2006-03-21

Posts: 69

Re: Discuss WM applications menu autogeneration

What's the use of the .desktop files?

It provides info about icon, localized application name, etc. Should be used by different DEs.

sergej

Package Maintainer (PM)

From: Russia, Voronezh

Registered: 2006-03-21

Posts: 69

Re: Discuss WM applications menu autogeneration

I finished my research.

gnome and kde are xdg compatible. So they picks up .desktop files
automaticaly.

TODO:

- make common xdg configuration in /etc/xdg/menu and
  /usr/share/desktop-directories. (gnome/kde have own)
- write parser for xdg XML (perl) to simplify output format
- write few WM methods which take parsed output from xdg parser and make
  menu items.

Output format from xdg parser:

  path/to/application1/in/menu
  icon-name1.png
  command to run app1
  long application1 description
  path/to/application2/in/menu
  icon-name2.png
  command to run app2
  long application2 description

4 lines per menu item.

Suggestions?

sergej

Package Maintainer (PM)

From: Russia, Voronezh

Registered: 2006-03-21

Posts: 69

Re: Discuss WM applications menu autogeneration

I put xdg-menu package into AUR

http://aur.archlinux.org/packages.php?d … 1&ID=10286

and create a wiki page

http://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/XdgMenu

Please test it and give me feedback.