[intrepid/KDE] No way to create an arbitrary desktop icon

[Dave Gilbert]

Binary package hint: kdebase

I'd like to create an icon on my desktop to launch an arbitrary program that isn't on the menus;
say an old one I've built from source or a little wrapper script. There doesn't seem to be
a way to do this on KDE 4.1 on Intrepid Alpha 4 - this exists on every other
desktop system I've seen.

I've created a KDE bug entry for it as well: https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=170138

[Gilbertd+kde (gilbertd+kde)]

Version: (using KDE 4.1.0)
Compiler: N/A
OS: Linux
Installed from: Ubuntu Packages

There seems to be no way to add an icon to the desktop to run an arbitrary command line app; If I have an entry on the menu I can drag it to the Desktop background and all is good - but if I've installed an app that doesn't have a menu entry (e.g. an old X app built from source) and just want an icon on the background to run it there doesn't appear to be an interface to create a launcher for it.
Every other desktop I'm aware of has had a way to do this - and I'm sure older KDEs did.

(It confused me more since there is a Widget 'application launcher' which is what I expected to do this - but it's the whole menu).

Dave

[Christian Schürer-Waldheim (quincunx)]

This works, just drag&drop a .desktop file onto the desktop, an icon plasmoid will be created then.

[Christian Schürer-Waldheim (quincunx)]

This works, just drag&drop a .desktop file on the desktop, an icon will be created then.

[Gilbertd+kde (gilbertd+kde)]

But if you don't have a .desktop file it doesn't provide a way to create one other than having to create one by hand - e.g. if I want to execute a given command with a set of parameters.

(I'm asking for an equivalent here of GNOME's 'create launcher' or similar).

Dave

[Dhaumann (dhaumann)]

This is a valid wish that occured in our university installation today as well. Manually creating a .desktop-file is a workaround for that, but it's not obvious nor straight forward to do for users. That's why I change the state to NEW.

[Jonathan Thomas (echidnaman)]

Hello,

Thanks for reporting this feature request! Unfortunately, at this time Kubuntu does not have the developer manpower needed to implement and maintain many features at the Kubuntu level. But don't worry! This issue is being tracked by the KDE developers at: http://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=170138
Once implemented in KDE, it will be included in Kubuntu once the KDE version the feature is implemented in reaches Kubuntu.

Thanks!

[Nate-b (nate-b)]

Hello!

This feature request was filed for KDE Plasma 4, which reached end-of-support status in August 2015. KDE Plasma 5's desktop shell has been almost completely rewritten for better performance and usability, so it is likely that this feature request is already implemented in Plasma 5, or is no longer applicable.

Accordingly, we hope you understand why we must close this feature request. If the requested feature is still desired but not implemented in KDE Plasma 5.12 or later, please feel free to open a new ticket in the "plasmashell" product after reading https://community.kde.org/Get_Involved/Bug_Reporting

If you would like to get involved in KDE's bug triaging effort so that future mass bug closes like this are less likely, please read https://community.kde.org/Get_Involved#Bug_Triaging

Thanks for your understanding!

Nate Graham