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primalbeing committed Feb 7, 2025
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128 changes: 88 additions & 40 deletions Desktop Entries/README.md
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# Custom Desktop Entries

Desktop entries are the graphical icons and names in your app menu and other areas. They follow [the Freedesktop specification](https://specifications.freedesktop.org/desktop-entry-spec/desktop-entry-spec-latest.html) and are used by all apps (except AppImages) and in other areas.
Desktop entries are the graphical icons and names in your app menu and other
areas. They follow [the Freedesktop
specification](<<https://specifications.freedesktop.org/desktop-entry-spec/deskto>
p>
-entry-spec-latest.html) and are used by all apps (not AppImages) and in other
areas.

## System Actions

Some useful system actions can be "GUI-fied" using desktop entries. They will show up as apps.
Some useful system actions can be "GUI-fied" using desktop entries. They will
show up as apps.

If you want to run `sudo` actions, use `pkexec` instead, which shows a GUI password prompt.
If you want to run `sudo` actions, use `pkexec` instead, which shows a GUI
password prompt.

### Bluetooth Toggle

If you want to disable Bluetooth permanently but keep the ability to enable it when needed, use the user variant. However, it requires these steps before:
If you want to disable Bluetooth permanently but keep the ability to enable it
when needed, use the user variant. However, it requires these steps before:

```sh
# Copy system service to user dir
sudo cp /usr/lib/systemd/system/bluetooth.service /etc/systemd/user/bluetooth-user.service
sudo cp /usr/lib/systemd/system/bluetooth.service
/etc/systemd/user/bluetooth-user.service

# Disable and mask the system service
sudo systemctl disable --now bluetooth
Expand All @@ -24,31 +33,44 @@ sudo systemctl mask bluetooth
systemctl --user daemon-reload
```

The user variant does not require `wheel` group permissions and does not display a password prompt.
The user variant does not require `wheel` group permissions and does not
display a password prompt.

### Execute or Install Files

Some files, like `.jar` archives or Android `.apk` packages, don't have a graphical "app" registered to execute them.
Some files, like `.jar` archives or Android `.apk` packages, don't have a
graphical "app" registered to execute them.

Most others, like system packages or `.flatpakref`, `.flatpakrepo`, normally have a graphical app store assigned to open them.
Most others, like system packages or `.flatpakref`, `.flatpakrepo`, normally
have a graphical app store assigned to open them.

### Journalctl Errors

Sometimes you may need to get logs of your system. Systemd's `journalctl` is the standard tool for this.
Sometimes you may need to get some logs of your system. Systemd's `journalctl`
is pretty standardized as the way to retrieve them.

That entry uses multiple actions for different log types.
That entry uses multiple actions for the log types.

![Screenshot of the journalctl error entry](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/boredsquirrel/Linux/main/Desktop%20Entries/Images/journalctl-entry.jpg)
![Screenshot of the journalctl error
entry](<<https://raw.githubusercontent.com/boredsquirrel/Linux/main/Desktop%20Ent>
r>
ies/Images/journalctl-entry.jpg)

## Applications

System-wide installed applications have their `.desktop` entries in `/usr/share/applications/`. To edit them, copy them to `~/.local/share/applications/`. These will be preferred over the system entries, effectively overwriting them.
System-wide installed applications have their `.desktop` entry in
`/usr/share/applications/`. To edit them, copy them to
`~/.local/share/applications/`. These will be preferred over the system
entries, practically overwriting them.

### Konsole

![Screenshot](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/trytomakeyouprivate/Linux/main/Desktop%20Entries/Images/konsole-desktop-entry.jpg)
![Screenshot](<<https://raw.githubusercontent.com/trytomakeyouprivate/Linux/main/>
D>
esktop%20Entries/Images/konsole-desktop-entry.jpg)

Konsole has a few annoyances that can be easily fixed. It always opens in a new window, even though it supports tabs.
Konsole has a few annoyances that can be easily fixed. It always opens in a new
window, even though it supports tabs.

You may also want to add custom actions and profiles for certain tasks.

Expand All @@ -69,20 +91,27 @@ EOF
```

You can do the same for:

- Running as root
- Running over SSH

Now place the desktop entry in the correct location, and it will change immediately.
Now place my desktop entry in the correct location, and it will change
immediately.

### Firefox

![Screenshot](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/trytomakeyouprivate/Linux/main/Desktop%20Entries/Images/firefox-desktop-entry.jpg)
![Screenshot](<<https://raw.githubusercontent.com/trytomakeyouprivate/Linux/main/>
D>
esktop%20Entries/Images/firefox-desktop-entry.jpg)

Firefox can use profiles too. You might want to run it in private browsing mode or exclude it from a VPN (e.g., MullvadVPN).
Firefox can use profiles too. You might want to run it in private browsing mode
or exclude it from a VPN (here, MullvadVPN as an example).

Use `firefox -p` or `flatpak run org.mozilla.firefox -p`, respectively. Create a new profile, use a custom location, and name the folder properly (instead of using the cryptic default name).
Use `firefox -p` or `flatpak run org.mozilla.firefox -p`, respectively. Create
a new profile, use a custom location, and use a folder with a dedicated name.
Otherwise, it will be a cryptic sequence of symbols.

Run that profile in private browsing:
Run that profile but in private browsing:

```sh
firefox -p --private-window
Expand All @@ -94,49 +123,61 @@ Exclude a custom insecure profile from VPN:
mullvad-exclude firefox -p INSECURE
```

Open a link in an excluded browser:
Open a link in such an excluded browser:

```sh
mullvad-exclude firefox -p INSECURE http://insecure.link.com
```

This is useful for logging into captive portals or using sites that block VPN servers.
This is needed for logging into captive portals (yes, they suck...) or using
sites that block VPN servers.

Edit the Firefox desktop entry:
Edit the Firefox desktop entry like this:

```sh
cp /usr/share/applications/org.mozilla.firefox.desktop ~/.local/share/applications/
cp /usr/share/applications/org.mozilla.firefox.desktop
~/.local/share/applications/
```

### Delete App Data After Launching

This is Flatpak-specific and very useful. For example, the app [Decoder](https://flathub.org/apps/com.belmoussaoui.Decoder) keeps a history of all copied elements, which may not be desirable (e.g., for passwords).

Flatpaks store their `.desktop` entries in:
This is Flatpak-specific and very useful. For example, the app
[Decoder](https://flathub.org/apps/com.belmoussaoui.Decoder) will keep a
history of all copied elements, even though this may not be desired (i.e.,
sending passwords).

```
/var/lib/flatpak/app/APPNAME/current/active/export/share/applications/
```
Flatpaks have their desktop entries in
`/var/lib/flatpak/app/APPNAME/current/active/export/share/applications/`. Copy
that to `~/.local/share/applications/` and edit it here.

Copy that to `~/.local/share/applications/` and edit it.

Flatpaks store app data in `~/.var/app/APPNAME/`, making deletion easy. Just add `&& rm -rf ~/.var/app/APPNAME` after the `Exec=` command, and it will delete itself after closing the app.
Flatpaks store their app data in `~/.var/app/APPNAME/`, which makes deleting it
easy. Just add `&& rm -rf ~/.var/app/APPNAME` after the `Exec=` command, and it
will delete itself after closing the app.

## Tips

If you want to find system icons or mimetypes (the name a file is recognized by), you can do both graphically in KDE.
If you want to find system icons or mimetypes (the name a file is recognized
by), you can do both graphically in KDE.

### Finding System Icons

| Open the app menu | Find the icon name in the list |
|------------------|------------------------------|
| ![App launcher](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/boredsquirrel/Linux/main/Desktop%20Entries/Images/applauncher-find-icons.jpg) | ![App icon list](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/boredsquirrel/Linux/main/Desktop%20Entries/Images/find-icons.jpg) |
| ![App
launcher](<<https://raw.githubusercontent.com/boredsquirrel/Linux/main/Desktop%20>
E>
ntries/Images/applauncher-find-icons.jpg) | ![App icon
list](<<https://raw.githubusercontent.com/boredsquirrel/Linux/main/Desktop%20Entr>
i>
es/Images/find-icons.jpg) |

Change "programs" to "all" to display all icons. These names can be used directly in the `Icon=` line of a `.desktop` file.
Change "programs" to "all" to display all icons. These names can directly be
used in the `Icon=` line.

### Finding Mimetypes

To associate an "app" with a specific file type (e.g., "adb install" or "java execute"), use the terminal:
To associate an "app" with a specific file type (see "adb install" and "java
execute"), in the terminal, you can use:

```sh
cat /etc/mime.types | grep FILEEXTENSION
Expand All @@ -145,15 +186,22 @@ cat /etc/mime.types | grep FILEEXTENSION
cat /etc/mime.types | grep jar
```

Or use KDE's "File Association" settings and search for the file extension (e.g., "jar").
Or you can use KDE's "File Association" settings page and search for the file
extension (here, "jar").

![System settings page for mimetypes](https://raw.githubusercontent.com/boredsquirrel/Linux/main/Desktop%20Entries/Images/file-names.jpg)
![System settings page for
mimetypes](<<https://raw.githubusercontent.com/boredsquirrel/Linux/main/Desktop%2>
0>
Entries/Images/file-names.jpg)

Here, the mimetype is `application/x-java-archive`.

Example: See KDE Discover's associated mimetypes:
As an example, see KDE Discover's associated mimetypes:

```sh
$ cat /usr/share/applications/org.kde.discover.desktop | grep Mime

MimeType=application/x-rpm;application/vnd.flatpak;application/vnd.flatpak.repo;application/vnd.flatpak.ref;
MimeType=application/x-rpm;application/vnd.flatpak;application/vnd.flatpak.repo;

application/vnd.flatpak.ref;
```

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