xdg-desktop-menu
command line tool for (un)installing desktop menu items
see also :
xdg-desktop-icon - xdg-icon-resource - xdg-mime
Synopsis
xdg-desktop-menu
install [--noupdate]
[--novendor]
[--mode mode]
directory-file(s) desktop-file(s)
xdg-desktop-menu
uninstall [--noupdate]
[--mode mode]
directory-file(s) desktop-file(s)
xdg-desktop-menu
forceupdate [--mode mode]
xdg-desktop-menu
{--help | --manual |
--version}
add an example, a script, a trick and tips
examples
The company ShinyThings Inc. has developed an application named
"WebMirror" and would like to add it to the application menu. The
company will use "shinythings" as its vendor id. In order to add
the application to the menu there needs to be a .desktop file
with a suitable Categories entry:
shinythings-webmirror.desktop:
[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Type=Application
Exec=webmirror
Icon=webmirror
Name=WebMirror
Name[nl]=WebSpiegel
Categories=Network;WebDevelopment;
Now the xdg-desktop-menu tool can be used to add the
shinythings-webmirror.desktop file to the desktop application
menu:
xdg-desktop-menu install ./shinythings-webmirror.desktop
Note that for the purpose of this example the menu items are
available in two languages, English and Dutch. The language code
for Dutch is nl.
In the next example the company ShinyThings Inc. will add its own
submenu to the desktop application menu consisting of a
"WebMirror" menu item and a "WebMirror Admin Tool" menu item.
First the company needs to create two .desktop files that
describe the two menu items. Since the items are to be added to a
new submenu it is not necassery to include a Categories= line:
shinythings-webmirror.desktop:
[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Type=Application
Exec=webmirror
Icon=shinythings-webmirror
Name=WebMirror
Name[nl]=WebSpiegel
shinythings-webmirror-admin.desktop:
[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Type=Application
Exec=webmirror-admintool
Icon=shinythings-webmirror-admintool
Name=WebMirror Admin Tool
Name[nl]=WebSpiegel Administratie Tool
In addition a .directory file needs to be created to provide a
title and icon for the sub-menu itself:
shinythings-webmirror.directory:
[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Icon=shinythings-webmirror-menu
Name=WebMirror
Name[nl]=WebSpiegel
These file can now be installed with:
xdg-desktop-menu install ./shinythings-webmirror.directory \
./shinythings-webmirror.desktop
./shinythings-webmirror-admin.desktop
The menu entries could also be installed one by one:
xdg-desktop-menu install --noupdate
./shinythings-webmirror.directory \
./shinythings-webmirror.desktop
xdg-desktop-menu install --noupdate
./shinythings-webmirror.directory \
./shinythings-webmirror-admin.desktop
xdg-desktop-menu forceupdate
Although the result is the same it is slightly more efficient to
install all files at the same time.
The *.desktop and *.directory files reference icons with the
names webmirror, webmirror-admin and webmirror-menu which should
also be installed. In this example the icons are installed in two
different sizes, once with a size of 22x22 pixels and once with a
size of 64x64 pixels:
xdg-icon-resource install --size 22 ./wmicon-22.png
shinythings-webmirror
xdg-icon-resource install --size 22 ./wmicon-menu-22.png
shinythings-webmirror-menu
xdg-icon-resource install --size 22 ./wmicon-admin-22.png
shinythings-webmirror-admin
xdg-icon-resource install --size 64 ./wmicon-64.png
shinythings-webmirror
xdg-icon-resource install --size 64 ./wmicon-menu-64.png
shinythings-webmirror-menu
xdg-icon-resource install --size 64 ./wmicon-admin-64.png
shinythings-webmirror-admin
source
echo ">>>
xdg-desktop-menu ${action}
desktop/pmmc-oi-${name}.desktop"
xdg-desktop-menu ${action}
desktop/pmmc-oi-${name}.desktop
echo ">>>
xdg-desktop-menu ${action}
desktop/pmmc-oi-socrates.desktop"
xdg-desktop-menu ${action}
desktop/pmmc-oi-socrates.desktop
source
/tmp/pwsafe.png
xdg-desktop-menu install --novendor --mode system
/tmp/pwsafe.desktop
rm /tmp/pwsafe.png /tmp/pwsafe.desktop
description
The
xdg-desktop-menu program can be used to install
new menu entries to the desktop's application menu.
The application
menu works according to the XDG Desktop Menu Specification
at http://www.freedesktop.org/Standards/menu-spec
options
--noupdate
Postpone updating the menu
system. If multiple updates to the menu system are made in
sequence this flag can be used to indicate that additional
changes will follow and that it is not necassery to update
the menu system right away.
--novendor
Normally,
xdg-desktop-menu checks to ensure that any
*.directory and *.desktop files to be installed has a vendor
prefix. This option can be used to disable that check.
A vendor prefix
consists of alpha characters ([a-zA-Z]) and is
terminated with a dash ("-"). Companies and
organizations are encouraged to use a word or phrase,
preferably the organizations name, for which they hold a
trademark as their vendor prefix. The purpose of the vendor
prefix is to prevent name conflicts.
--mode
mode
mode can be user
or system. In user mode the file is (un)installed for
the current user only. In system mode the file is
(un)installed for all users on the system. Usually only root
is allowed to install in system mode.
The default is
to use system mode when called by root and to use user mode
when called by a non-root user.
--help
Show command synopsis.
--manual
Show this manualpage.
--version
Show the xdg-utils
version information.
commands
install
Install one or more applications in a submenu of the desktop menu
system.
desktop-file: A desktop file represents a single menu
entry in the menu. Desktop files are defined by the
freedesktop.org Desktop Entry Specification. The most important
aspects of *.desktop files are summarized below.
Menu entries can be added to the menu system in two different
ways. They can either be added to a predefined submenu in the
menu system based on one or more category keywords, or they can
be added to a new submenu.
To add a menu entry to a predefined submenu the desktop file that
represents the menu entry must have a Categories= entry that
lists one or more keywords. The menu item will be included in an
appropriate submenu based on the included keywords.
To add menu items to a new submenu the desktop-files must be
preceded by a directory-file that describes the submenu. If
multiple desktop-files are specified, all entries will be added
to the same menu. If entries are installed to a menu that has
been created with a previous call to xdg-desktop-menu the
entries will be installed in addition to any already existing
entries.
directory-file: The *.directory file indicated by
directory-file represents a submenu. The directory file
provides the name and icon for a submenu. The name of the
directory file is used to identify the submenu.
If multiple directory files are provided each file will represent
a submenu within the menu that preceeds it, creating a nested
menu hierarchy (sub-sub-menus). The menu entries themselves will
be added to the last submenu.
Directory files follow the syntax defined by the freedesktop.org
Desktop Entry Specification.
uninstall
Remove applications or submenus from the desktop menu system
previously installed with xdg-desktop-menu install.
A submenu and the associated directory file is only removed when
the submenu no longer contains any menu entries.
forceupdate
Force an update of the menu system.
This command is only useful if the last call to xdg-desktop-menu
included the --noupdate option.
copyright
Copyright © 2006
desktop files
An application item in the application menu is represented by a
*.desktop file. A *.desktop file consists of a [Desktop
Entry] header followed by several Key=Value
lines.
A *.desktop file can provide a name and description for an
application in several different languages. This is done by
adding a language code as used by LC_MESSAGES in square brackets
behind the Key. This way one can specify different values
for the same Key depending on the currently selected
language.
The following keys are often used:
Value=1.0
This is a mandatory field to indicate that the *.desktop file
follows the 1.0 version of the specification.
Type=Application
This is a mandatory field that indicates that the *.desktop file
describes an application launcher.
Name=Application Name
The name of the application. For example Mozilla
GenericName=Generic Name
A generic description of the application. For example Web
Browser
Comment=Comment
Optional field to specify a tooltip for the application. For
example Visit websites on the Internet
Icon=Icon File
The icon to use for the application. This can either be an
absolute path to an image file or an icon-name. If an icon-name
is provided an image lookup by name is done in the user's current
icon theme. The xdg-icon-resource command can be used to
install image files into icon themes. The advantage of using an
icon-name instead of an absolute path is that with an icon-name
the application icon can be provided in several different sizes
as well as in several differently themed styles.
Exec=Command Line
The command line to start the application. If the application can
open files the %f placeholder should be specified. When a file is
dropped on the application launcher the %f is replaced with the
file path of the dropped file. If multiple files can be specified
on the command line the %F placeholder should be used instead of
%f. If the application is able to open URLs in addition to local
files then %u or %U can be used instead of %f or %F.
Categories=Categories
A list of categories separated by semi-colons. A category is a
keyword that describes and classifies the application. By default
applications are organized in the application menu based on
category. When menu entries are explicitly assigned to a new
submenu it is not necassery to list any categories.
When using categories it is recommended to include one of the
following categories: AudioVideo, Development, Education, Game,
Graphics, Network, Office, Settings, System, Utility.
See Appendix A of the XDG Desktop Menu Specification for
information about additional categories.
http://standards.freedesktop.org/menu-spec/menu-spec-1.0.html
MimeType=Mimetypes
A list of mimetypes separated by semi-colons. This field is used
to indicate which file types the application is able to open.
For a complete oveview of the *.desktop file format please visit
http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Standards/desktop-entry-spec
directory files
The appearance of submenu in the application menu is provided by
a *.directory file. In particular it provides the title of the
submenu and a possible icon. A *.directory file consists of a
[Desktop Entry] header followed by several
Key=Value lines.
A *.directory file can provide a title (name) for the submenu in
several different languages. This is done by adding a language
code as used by LC_MESSAGES in square brackets behind the
Key. This way one can specify different values for the
same Key depending on the currently selected language.
The following keys are relevqnt for submenus:
Value=1.0
This is a mandatory field to indicate that the *.directory file
follows the 1.0 version of the Desktop Entry specification.
Type=Directory
This is a mandatory field that indicates that the *.directory
file describes a submenu.
Name=Menu Name
The title of submenu. For example Mozilla
Comment=Comment
Optional field to specify a tooltip for the submenu.
Icon=Icon File
The icon to use for the submenu. This can either be an absolute
path to an image file or an icon-name. If an icon-name is
provided an image lookup by name is done in the user's current
icon theme. The xdg-icon-resource command can be used to
install image files into icon themes. The advantage of using an
icon-name instead of an absolute path is that with an icon-name
the submenu icon can be provided in several different sizes as
well as in several differently themed styles.
environment variables
xdg-desktop-menu honours the following environment variables:
XDG_UTILS_DEBUG_LEVEL
Setting this environment variable to a non-zero numerical value
makes xdg-desktop-menu do more verbose reporting on stderr.
Setting a higher value increases the verbosity.
XDG_UTILS_INSTALL_MODE
This environment variable can be used by the user or
administrator to override the installation mode. Valid values are
user and system.
exit codes
An exit code of 0 indicates success while a non-zero exit code
indicates failure. The following failure codes can be returned:
1
Error in command line syntax.
2
One of the files passed on the command line did not exist.
3
A required tool could not be found.
4
The action failed.
5
No permission to read one of the files passed on the command
line.
see also
xdg-desktop-icon ,
xdg-icon-resource , xdg-mime
authors
Kevin
Krammer
Author.
Jeremy
White
Author.