xdg-desktop-icon
command line tool for (un)installing icons to the desktop
see also :
xdg-icon-resource
Synopsis
xdg-desktop-icon
install [--novendor] FILE
xdg-desktop-icon
uninstall FILE
xdg-desktop-icon
{--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 a launcher for for on the
desktop. The company will use "shinythings" as its vendor id. In
order to add the application to the desktop there needs to be a
.desktop file for the application:
shinythings-webmirror.desktop:
[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Type=Application
Exec=webmirror
Icon=shinythings-webmirror
Name=WebMirror
Name[nl]=WebSpiegel
Now the xdg-desktop-icon tool can be used to add the
webmirror.desktop file to the desktop:
xdg-desktop-icon install ./shinythings-webmirror.desktop
To add a README file to the desktop as well, the following
command can be used:
xdg-desktop-icon install ./shinythings-README
description
The
xdg-desktop-icon program can be used to install
an application launcher or other file on the desktop of the
current user.
An application
launcher is represented by a *.desktop file. Desktop files
are defined by the freedesktop.org Desktop Entry
Specification. The most important aspects of *.desktop files
are summarized below.
options
--novendor
Normally,
xdg-desktop-icon checks to ensure that a
*.desktop file 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.
--help
Show command synopsis.
--manual
Show this manualpage.
--version
Show the xdg-utils
version information.
commands
install
Installs FILE to the desktop of the current user.
FILE can be a *.desktop file or any other type of file.
uninstall
Removes FILE from the desktop of the current user.
copyright
Copyright © 2006
desktop files
An application launcher can be added to the desktop by installing
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.
For a complete oveview of the *.desktop file format please visit
http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Standards/desktop-entry-spec
environment variables
xdg-desktop-icon honours the following environment variables:
XDG_UTILS_DEBUG_LEVEL
Setting this environment variable to a non-zero numerical value
makes xdg-desktop-icon do more verbose reporting on stderr.
Setting a higher value increases the verbosity.
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-icon-resource
authors
Kevin
Krammer
Author.
Jeremy
White
Author.