Arch Linux

elasticdog

Member

From: Washington, USA

Registered: 2005-05-02

Posts: 995

Website

.desktop File Options

Searching for this term didn't seem to turn up much, but I was wondering when and how .desktop files should be used.  I'm packaging a program and thought about creating one, but wasn't real sure of the details behind what it does.

I know they are stored in /usr/share/applications/ and basically help the WM to know how to categorize them, the default icon, etc., but I guess I'm just looking for a resource that describes them a bit better.  I'd like to know, should I create them for packages I make?  What categories I can file applications under?  Where does it look for the default icon (I would guess /usr/share/pixmaps/)?  Stuff like that...

iphitus

Forum Fellow

From: Melbourne, Australia

Registered: 2004-10-09

Posts: 4,927

Re: .desktop File Options

generally the icon is looked for in the current icon theme's directory, in the size desired, and if it is not found there, then it looks in /usr/share/pixmaps.

.desktop entry spec.
http://standards.freedesktop.org/deskto … 0.9.4.html

xdg menu spec. - list of suggested categories here.
http://standards.freedesktop.org/menu-s … c-0.9.html

the idea behind these is to create a unified menu system between KDE+GNOME+Insert WM here. Already KDE and Gnome are nearly XDG Menu compliant, and there are plenty of scripts an things to generate menus for other wms.

iphitus

elasticdog

Member

From: Washington, USA

Registered: 2005-05-02

Posts: 995

Website

Re: .desktop File Options

Awesome...thanks a ton iphitus!  That's exactly what I was looking for, but could never find by Googling ".desktop file linux" or the like...

dtw

Forum Fellow

From: UK

Registered: 2004-08-03

Posts: 4,439

Website

Re: .desktop File Options

yeah google is all very well if you know what terms to use!