How to create a launcher that really launches?

[BandC]

Simple question:

I know how to create a launcher or make a link. The problem is when I set the launcher command to something like /home/user/binay/xxx, the xxx command doesn't execute from desktop because I'm not in that directory (Effectively I need: cd /home/user/binary/xxx; ./xxx )

How to accomplish this?

[fatal_error]

I'm not sure if I got this right: you try to make a "graphical" (windows-like) link in a DE like KDE or Gnome right? Than simply specify the absolute path (/home/user/binary/xxx) at the field saying "Command" or "Path"....

[Omega Blue]

You should be able to use "browse" to specify the absolute location of your program.

[BandC]

fatal_error:

Yes, you got it right. I simply want the equivalent of a desktop shortcut to a program in Windows. I tried putting the entire path to the executable in the "command" field of the launcher: /home/user/binary/xxx but it didn't work.

Omega Blue:

I'm not sure what you mean by "browse". Can you explain?

[fatal_error]

If you are working in KDE, try to put single quotation marks (') around the path, e.g. '/usr/bin/any_executable'

[BandC]

Gnome here. But I'll try that and double quotes though the path doesn't include any spaces.

[BandC]

Ok, now I know what the problem is. Setting the command to /home/user/binary/xxx like I did before actually works. I realized that the real problem is though xxx internally calls ./yyy which doesn't work because the current directory is desktop. Any ideas on how to get around this without changing the contents of xxx?

[sailor]

I think you may need to use the "advanced" settings and have it launch in a terminal or launch the terminal and point it at the program you want to launch.