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Thread: shared desktop launcher

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    shared desktop launcher

    Hello everyone,

    I have found how to create shared menu entries (by placing .desktop files in /usr/share/applications/, with the possible additional tweaking of /usr/share/icons/ and /usr/share/desktop-directories/).

    Now I'm stuck when trying to put them not only in main menu, but also on desktop. Is it even possible without excessive hassle? I mean I could probably use scripts to put them on all users desktops, since I am root on the fileserver. First problem: ugly practice, really. Second problem: launchers would be there even when they log on systems where the corresponding application is not installed.

    Thanks!

    PS: Xubuntu 18.04, regular amd64 desktop version, but a solution spanning various flavors or even distributions would obviously be best.

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
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    Xubuntu 22.04 Jammy Jellyfish

    Re: shared desktop launcher

    Thread moved to Server Platforms. which is more appropriate and a better fit as you appear to be dealing with a server system.

    I think you may also need to explain a little more clearly exactly what you're trying to do as it is not totally obvious to me, perhaps because I am not a server administrator.

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
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    Re: shared desktop launcher

    sounds like you need a script to me.

    first you need to check for the app:
    Code:
    which app-name
    -> if not installed, install it, which is going to require root

    second you need to get it there:
    Code:
    cp /path/to/*.desktop /home/*/Desktop
    then you need to make it trusted & launch-able:
    Code:
    gio set "$@" "metadata::trusted" yes && chmod +x "$@"
    pretty basic, should be easy to whip up a script.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    48

    Re: shared desktop launcher

    @ajgreeny

    Hello, and thanks for your interest.

    Apparently I really wasn't clear at all indeed: the problem is on clients.
    What I meant is that I could devise somewhat of a fix server-side because I luckily have admin rights on it, but I would much rather configure desktop clients instead.

    I have about 180 pc on which users can log using LDAP accounts, automounting home directories from a file server.
    So I would like the client's system to display launchers of locally available applications straight on user's desktop.

    Sorry for the mess, I honestly hadn't realized how confusing it could be.
    Last edited by N-t-F; June 21st, 2018 at 08:29 AM.

  5. #5
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    Sep 2007
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    48

    Re: shared desktop launcher

    @kerry_s

    Thanks for the tips.

    This is exactly the kind of solution I was thinking about and would like to avoid. Launchers wouldn't adapt to locally available or unavailable applications, for instance. Plus I'm not keen on meddling with user's files.

    That said, I didn't know about the "metadata::trusted" part, good to know!
    Last edited by N-t-F; June 21st, 2018 at 08:30 AM.

  6. #6
    Join Date
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    Re: shared desktop launcher

    it's the
    locally available or unavailable applications
    that would be the issue, your talking about different launchers for 180?

    cause i was think since your already automounting home, just create a "Desktop" folder with the launchers & soft link it in home. hmmm, not sure if i'm saying that right.

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Sep 2007
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    Re: shared desktop launcher

    Quote Originally Posted by kerry_s View Post
    it's the that would be the issue, your talking about different launchers for 180?
    Indeed, different either in space (ie. some computers being better geared toward math processing, or having a good GPU, or simply having access to specific software licenses), or in time with the change of OS version, use of new software or termination of others.

    Quote Originally Posted by kerry_s View Post
    cause i was think since your already automounting home, just create a "Desktop" folder with the launchers & soft link it in home. hmmm, not sure if i'm saying that right.
    Yes, I get your point. What I'm doing so far is packing launchers in a folder distributed through nfs and have a soft link to it in the template used to create new accounts. Not the sexiest thing for users, but acceptable. Doesn't cover the differences between computers though, only the changes over time.

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