Spaces in .Desktop file EXEC field fails

[Clayne Robison]

Spaces in .Desktop file EXEC field fails

Problem Description: If the value for the EXEC field in a .desktop file in /usr/share/applications has a space in it, it fails to launch the application. After installing Adobe AIR for MID, the EXEC field of /usr/share/applications/AdobeAIR.desktop points to a link for the AIR installer application: EXEC=”/usr/bin/Adobe AIR Application Installer”. Clicking on the Icon does nothing.

Steps to Reproduce using pidgin:
1. $>mkdir -p /home/ume/test\ folder\ with\ spaces/
2. $>cd /home/ume/test\ folder\ with\ spaces
3. $>sudo ln -s /usr/bin/pidgin .
4. Edit /usr/share/applications/pidgin.desktop
2. Change EXEC=pidgin to EXEC=/home/ume/test\ folder\ with\ spaces or EXEC="/home/ume/test folder with spaces"
3. Restart Crown Beach Device
4. Click on Pidgin icon

Actual Result:
Application fails to launch

Expected Result:
Application launches. See http://standards.freedesktop.org/desktop-entry-spec/latest/ar01s03.html for valid .desktop values. Values of type string may contain spaces.

Any Workarounds:
Create a symbolic link in a path that does not have spaces, and point the EXEC field to that link.