convert autostart applications to LXQt modules

[ԜаӀtеr Ⅼарсһуnѕkі]

We have several applications that are autostarted with the typical XDG/Freedesktop mechanism. These appear under the "Autostart" pane in LXQt Session Settings. LXQt Session also supports something called LXQt Modules which are shown on the initial "Basic Settings" pane. With this, applications can be started and stopped right within the dialog and there is more robust handling and feedback to the user when there are problems. More on that here:
https://lxqt-project.org/blog/2022/09/20/about-modules-in-lxqt/

Only one addition to the .desktop file is required to essentially convert normal autostarts to LXQt modules:
X-LXQt-Module=true

I propose we apply this to all of our autostarted applications.

[ԜаӀtеr Ⅼарсһуnѕkі (wxl)]

I just uploaded 25.04.09 with an experimental module for Picom. Please test extensively and let me know how it goes. If all goes well, I’ll work on everything else.

I did this by adding a Desktop Entry to /etc/xdg/xdg-Lubuntu/autostart with the module key. I chose to make it as minimal as possible, additionally specifying only the other necessary keys: Name, Type, Exec. I figure this way it should be lower maintenance. From what I can tell, this has no impact on what’s shown in the menu.

LXQt Session only uses the Name to display. The other base LXQt components have friendly names rather than application names. Because of this, I opted for something similar.

Assuming that goes well, we will need to decide which components we actually want to add and what we want to call them. Lubuntu-specific components like lubuntu-update are obvious. What’s not so obvious are things like snapd or orca.

[ԜаӀtеr Ⅼарсһуnѕkі (wxl)]

Here's that list.

Some things to note:
 1. See the legend at the bottom (be aware these include both facts and suggestions)
 2. Symbol columns are, from left to right: suggested action, visibility, default status
 3. Listed as "desktop_basename_without_suffix (originating_package)" except for upstreams ("Name_value (package)")
 4. For the ones I'm suggesting adding, I've also added suggested Name values

in /etc/xdg/xdg-Lubuntu/autostart:
_/0 nm-applet (lubuntu-default-settings)
$.1 picom (lubuntu-default-settings) - X Compositor

in /etc/xdg/autostart:
#.1 Desktop (pcmanfm-qt)
#.1 Global Key Shortcuts (lxqt-globalkeys)
#.1 Notification Daemon (lxqt-notificationd)
#.1 Panel (lxqt-panel)
#.1 PolicyKit Handler (lxqt-policykit)
#.1 Power Management (lxqt-powermanagement)
#.1 Runner (lxqt-runner)
+.1 blueman (blueman) - Bluetooth Manager
+.1 lubuntu-update-autostart (lubuntu-update-notifier) - Lubuntu Update
+.1 lxqt-qlipper-autostart (qlipper via lxqt-session) - Clipboard Manager
+.1 lxqt-xscreensaver-autostart (lxqt-session) - Screensaver
+.1 nm-tray-autostart (nm-tray) - Network Manager
+.0 print-applet (system-config-printer via lxqt-config) - Print Manager
?.0 spice-vdagent (spice-vdagent via lubuntu-desktop-minimal)
_.1 at-spi-dbus-bus (at-spi2-core via orca)
_.1 geoclue-demo-agent (geoclue-2.0 via redshift)
_/0 orca-autostart (orca via lubuntu-desktop-minimal)
_/0 org.kde.discover.notifier (plasma-discover-notifier)
_.0 snapd-installation-monitor (snapd-installation-monitor)
_.0 snap-userd-autostart (snapd)
_.0 xdg-user-dirs (xdg-user-dirs)
_^0 nm-applet (network-manager-applet)
_^1 picom (picom)

legend:
 # done upstream
 + add module
 _ leave as is
 ? remove?
 $ done; needs testing
 ^ superceded
 / hidden
 . shown
 0 off by default
1 on by default

Feedback appreciated!

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

This bug was fixed in the package lubuntu-default-settings - 25.04.10

---------------
lubuntu-default-settings (25.04.10) plucky; urgency=medium

  * Added Comment to Picom LXQt module so executable shown in tooltip.
  * Added LXQt Modules for the following (LP: #2059346):
    * Bluetooth Manager (blueman)
    * Lubuntu Update
    * Clipboard Manager (qlipper)
    * Screensaver (xscreensaver)
    * Network Manager (nm-tray)
    * Print Manager (print-applet)

 -- Walter Lapchynski <email address hidden> Sun, 16 Mar 2025 20:45:11 +0000