[SOLVED] Creating a program launcher under gnome 3

[leonardevens]

I am running gnome 3 under Fedora 17. Previously with gnome 2, I could create a program launcher which sat in the horizontal bar on top for a program in /usr/local/bin. Under gnome 3, if I put the program name or location in the slot on the upper right, nothing happens. I want to have a launcher, if possible in the 'favorites bar' on the left. Can I do that in some way?

I have gotten Advanced Settings and that way chosen to have the file manager manager the desktop. So I can in principle put the desired program launcher on the desktop, but I don't see how to do that either.

---------- Post added at 08:09 AM ---------- Previous post was at 07:25 AM ----------

I managed to do something approximating what I want. In ~/.gnome-2/nautilus-scripts, I created a file with
the following in it
#!/bin/bash
/usr/local/VueScan/vuescan
and named it vuescan_launcher. I made ti an executable file.

Now if I right click on my desktop, I can choose scripts>vuescan_launcher and that brings the program up.

But I would still like to put something in the favorites list and just click on it to start it.

Or, alternately, but less acceptable, and icon on the desktop which I can double click on which just starts the program without anything further to do.

[BBQdave]

Originally Posted by leonardevens

Or, alternately, but less acceptable, and icon on the desktop which I can double click on which just starts the program without anything further to do.

Not sure I follow... but the application bar (hidden) on the left side of G3 display - you can populate the application bar with your favorite applications. You can access the application bar easily with the hot spot in the upper left corner of the G3 display or strike the windows key to show the application bar

[leonardevens]

Originally Posted by BBQdave

Not sure I follow... but the application bar (hidden) on the left side of G3 display - you can populate the application bar with your favorite applications. You can access the application bar easily with the hot spot in the upper left corner of the G3 display or strike the windows key to show the application bar

How do I put something in that application bar, if that something is just a program which the system doesn't recognize by name? In this pparticular case, the application is the scanning software Vuescan which I downloaded and put in /usr/local. It is not part of a package known to the system. Or suppose it was just s shell script I created.

[AdenUkolnis]

open a terminal and as root use the following commands

echo '[Desktop Entry]' >> /usr/share/applications/vuescan.desktop
echo 'Name=vuescan' >> /usr/share/applications/vuescan.desktop
echo 'Exec=/usr/local/VueScan/vuescan' >> /usr/share/applications/vuescan.desktop
echo 'Icon=system' >> /usr/share/applications/vuescan.desktop
echo 'Type=Application' >> /usr/share/applications/vuescan.desktop


You should see it listed in applications in overview mode.




never let it be said that meandean doesn't hand out fish.....occasionally

[leonardevens]

Originally Posted by AdenUkolnis

open a terminal and as root use the following commands

echo '[Desktop Entry]' >> /usr/share/applications/vuescan.desktop
echo 'Name=vuescan' >> /usr/share/applications/vuescan.desktop
echo 'Exec=/usr/local/VueScan/vuescan'' >> /usr/share/applications/vuescan.desktop
echo 'Icon=system' >> /usr/share/applications/vuescan.desktop
echo 'Type=Application' >> /usr/share/applications/vuescan.desktop


You should see it listed in applications in overview mode.




never let it be said that meandean doesn't hand out fish.....occasionally

Thanks. That did it.

There is a typo: You have a " in the Exec statement, where I think there should be a '.

I first tried just creating a file with the statements you specified and then copying it to /usr/share/applications, but that didn't work. I may have mistyped something. So I did it your way but corrected the typo. I do get exactly a file with the expected contents.

It would be helpful to me to understand how this works. Where can I find an explanation of the syntax for files I may want to put in /usr/share/applications? How can I produce an icon for the application? Also, how does that directory fit in the general scheme of things? A reference link to documentaion would be useful.

[AdenUkolnis]

There is a typo: You have a " in the Exec statement, where I think there should be a '.

good catch, I corrected it

I first tried just creating a file with the statements you specified and then copying it to /usr/share/applications, but that didn't work.

If you create a regular file named vuescan.desktop and add those lines and then move it to /usr/share/applications/ then it should work.

It would be helpful to me to understand how this works.

If you say so.

Where can I find an explanation of the syntax for files I may want to put in /usr/share/applications?

Personally I usually just look at the other .desktop files in that directory to see the format. But this may help - http://standards.freedesktop.org/des...ec-latest.html

How can I produce an icon for the application?

-specify the path to one that exists
-create (or download or otherwise obtain) one and then specify the path to it
-use the name of one that already exists in your theme like system or text-editor or web-browser for (poor) example

Also, how does that directory fit in the general scheme of things?

/usr/share/applications/ is where desktop files reside and those files are used by gnome/kde/xfce/others to create their menu

A reference link to documentaion would be useful

The link above is all I got for ya. As far as fedora docs, I have no clue as I am one of those elitist debian pricks you hear so much about.

[Gareth Jones]

Just to note, /usr/local/share/applications would be a more appropriate place for self-installed packages.

[AdenUkolnis]

Actually /usr/local/share/applications doesn't exist in my debian install. If I create it and stick .desktop files inside then they do not show in applications either.

I can't think of any reason it would be more appropriate either.

[cazo]

You can also put .desktop files in $HOME/.local/share/applications/.

[Gareth Jones]

Originally Posted by AdenUkolnis

Actually /usr/local/share/applications doesn't exist in my debian install. If I create it and stick .desktop files inside then they do not show in applications either.

I can't speak for Debian, but the original question was about Fedora, which definitely does both have and honour /usr/local/share/applications.

I can't think of any reason it would be more appropriate either.

Most distros (including Debian I'm sure) have a guideline that the /usr prefix is intended for software installed and updated through the distribution's packaging and update infrastructure (RPM/Yum in Fedora, Deb/Apt in Debian). The /usr/local prefix is intended for "locally" installed software, such as that compiled from source, hence being the default prefix for source tarballs' ./configure scripts. In any case, it's good practice to keep all the files relating to an installed package in the same prefix wherever possible.

As cazo said, ~/.local/share/applications/ is also available, although that's more for software relating to a specific user, e.g. if it was installed in ~/bin or ~/.local/bin (both in the default PATH in Fedora).

[johndoe1000]

do someone know how I create an application launcher with root prompt?

[AdenUkolnis]

not sure I understand your request....but...

suppose I have gksu installed
and want to be prompted for roots password
because I want to run nautilus with root privys


I would open a terminal and use the following commands


echo '[Desktop Entry]' >> /usr/share/applications/root-nautilus.desktop

echo 'Name=Root-Files' >> /usr/share/applications/root-nautilus.desktop

echo 'Exec=gksu /usr/bin/nautilus' >> /usr/share/applications/root-nautilus.desktop

echo 'Icon=system' >> /usr/share/applications/root-nautilus.desktop

echo 'Type=Application' >> /usr/share/applications/root-nautilus.desktop



This creates a desktop file in the /usr/share/applications directory. Of course you can change that to wherever you think is appropriate. I will stick to having them in one location myself, since it isn't a binary and it isn't libs or anything.


The applications menu will have an entry called Root-Files

.

[BinaryBandit]

Originally Posted by leonardevens

I want to have a launcher, if possible in the 'favorites bar' on the left. Can I do that in some way?

I hate to be a pain, however it seems things have been made much more complicated than necessary.
To add an application launcher to the favorites bar on the left simply drag it there from the applications menu.
1. Access the Applications menu by either hitting the "Super (Windows) Key" or pointing the mouse to the top left corner.
2. Locate the desired application, left click and hold while dragging over the favorites bar and release.
A pop up notification will appear at the bottom of your screen telling you it has been added to the favorites bar.
Another way is to open the desired application, an Icon for it will appear in the favorites bar, press "Super (Windows)" or hit the top left screen with your mouse to show the favorites bar, right click on the Icon of the desired application and select "Add to favorites bar"
Removing applications can be done the same way in both examples.
Drag the Icon you want to delete from the favorites bar to the trash-bin icon that appears when you start dragging.
Or, right click the icon and choose "Remove from favorites bar"

I hope this helps, especially for NOOBs who break out in a sweat every time someone suggests opening a Terminal.

Cheers,
The Bandit

[AdenUkolnis]

Originally Posted by BinaryBandit

I hope this helps, especially for NOOBs who break out in a sweat every time someone suggests opening a Terminal.

First, everyone should be comfortable with the terminal and the only way to be comfortable is to use it.

Second, what you describe is how to add a launcher to favorites for progams that already appear in the applications menu. I think we are discussing how to do so for programs that do not appear in the applications menu.

[ppstay]

Thanks for this post, I managed to create a icon on the bar. However when I right click on the icon I created, there is no menu item 'Add to Favorites' which I expected it has like the other icons. What did I miss in the *.desktop file?