[SOLVED] - Create and place icon in Gnome Applications menu

[warron.french]

I would like to create a .desktop file for a custom application, and I have figured out how to do that.

The way I did it was duplicate the icon for firewall-config.desktop; rename it, tweak the syntax internally and etcetera.

Once I have completed that process my icons are dropped into Applications > Other menu. I would like to control the placement of the icon.

How do I create another menu folder, and then place my custom icon in it?

I don't know what to google search, and I am not sure I am using the proper terms on this forum for that matter.

[Mikhail29]

If I understand you correctly...

There are 3 locations you should be concerned with:

/usr/share/desktop-directories
/etc/xdg/menus/applications-merged
/usr/share/applications
Bear in mind the last location is system-wide specific, if you want it just for your user, use: ~/.local/share/applications

Firstly we:

Create a file called APPNAME.menu (substitute APPNAME for whatever you want to call it) in the folder location /etc/xdg/menus/applications-merged
Input these contents:

<!DOCTYPE Menu PUBLIC "-//freedesktop//DTD Menu 1.0//EN"
"http://www.freedesktop.org/standards/me ... nu-1.0.dtd">
<Menu>
<Name>Applications</Name> <!-- This is necessary for your directory to appear in the applications drop down -->
<Menu> <!--app -->
<Name>app</Name>
<Directory>APPNAME.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<Category>APPNAME</Category>
</Include>
</Menu> <!-- End app -->
</Menu> <!-- End Applications -->

Save the file and create another file called APPNAME.directory in the folder location ( it should be the same name specified in the .menu file) /usr/share/desktop-directories with these contents:

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Directory
Name=AppName
Icon=/path/to/icon

Note the .directory filename should be exactly the same as the .directory name you entered in the .menu file above.

Create a standard .desktop file in ~/.local/share/applications or /usr/share/applications with these contents (substituting for your own program of course and the Categories=line MUST BE the same as the name you gave the .directory file eariler)

#!/usr/bin/env xdg-open
[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Type=Application
Terminal=false
Exec=/path/to/executable.sh
Name=ApplicationToRun
Icon=/path/to/icon
Categories=APPNAME
Comment=Comment for users

[warron.french]

Jamalm, thanks for the info.

Can you please explain why this is three parts?
I can see why it would be two parts (icon, and where to place it), but I am confused on why the .desktop, .directory and .menu parts... even with this link - https://access.redhat.com/documentation ... plications

Your instructions made the process easier to understand.
Thank you,

[warron.french]

This worked for me:

/etc/xdg/menus/applications-merged/warron.menu

Code: Select all

<!DOCTYPE Menu PUBLIC "-//freedesktop//DTD Menu 1.0//EN"
"http://www.freedesktop.org/standards/me ... nu-1.0.dtd">
<Menu>
<Name>Applications</Name> <!-- This is necessary for your directory to appear in the applications drop down -->
<Menu> <!--app -->
<Name>app</Name>
<Directory>warron.directory</Directory>
<Include>
<Category>warron</Category>
</Include>
</Menu> <!-- End app -->
</Menu> <!-- End Applications -->

/usr/share/desktop-directories/warron.directory

Code: Select all

[Desktop Entry]
Name=warron
Comment=Warron Desktop programs
Icon=im-local-xmpp
Type=Directory

/usr/share/applications/warron.desktop

Code: Select all

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Warron Prog1
Comment=Firewall Configuration
Icon=im-local-xmpp
Categories=warron
# Translators: These are searchable keywords for the firewall configuration tool
Keywords=firewall;network;security;iptables;netfilter;
Exec=/usr/bin/firewall-config
Type=Application
StartupNotify=true
Terminal=false
X-Desktop-File-Install-Version=0.23

This was enough for me to complete the test/modeling of what I wanted to do.
Thanks,

[Mikhail29]

Can you please explain why this is three parts?

I did not particularly study this question, but somehow I searched for this information and added it to my bookmarks. But nevertheless, as I understand it .menu is a kind of link being created for the menu of the graphical shell that should be displayed. .directory is essentially a virtual menu folder where all application launch shortcuts will be placed when added, and .desktop itself is essentially a command to start a program. That is, the three links are obtained. Desktop refers to the menu directory ".directory", and in turn .directory refers to a new menu item in the .menu system. Although this is only my personal judgment, I can be mistaken.

[warron.french]

Mikhail29,

I seem to be having a problem with reproducing the success of this process on RHEL7.

Is it supposed to be different on RHEL7? The process worked for me at home on CentOS-7.

Sorry, I need a little more help,

[aks]

AFAIK Gnome confirms to XDG:
https://specifications.freedesktop.org/ ... atest.html
(although what version of gnome and what version of xdg is respected may come into play).

[warron.french]

All, thank you for the support. I made some minor mistake apparently, but got it fixed.

I don't remember precisely what it was, but it had something to do with capitalization matching, not just for the filename within the <Directory> tag.

I am all set, thanks!

My RPM work, and the delivery of these Gnome menu and icons has been completed.
Thank you for "teaching me to fish" instead of "feeding me."

[aks]

I like fishing .....

[warron.french]

Me, too, I have not done it in a long time though.

The reference to fishing was: "Feed a man, he eats for a day. Teach him to fish and he eats for life." That's where I was going with the fishing reference.

I don't know how well dispersed the expression is though.