How To Install Tor Browser and Get It Working For the KDE Start Menu

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1

I just downloaded the latest Tor Browser from the official Tor site. When I click on the start-tor-browser.desktop file, it runs fine and is the latest version. I created a KDE Menu Entry for it, using the desktop file as the target command, but this doesn’t work.

I tried the Tor-Launcher program from the openSUSE repositories, but that only runs Tor version 11.58, the previous version. It does not run the latest version which is 12.0. I thought this was supposed to automatically update the Tor Browser when there is a new version.

I also notice there is no version of the Tor Launcher for 15.4, only 15.3 and Tumbleweed. I’ve been noticing this a lot lately - whenever I want to update a package or install a new software, I find there is no official package for 15.4, only 15.3 and Tumbleweed. Are devs not developing for 15.4 at all? There are community packages for the launcher, but again, it’s only supporting the older version. I also don’t like using a community package for a security tool like Tor.

Anyway, how do I get the desktop file registered so it shows up in the KDE Start Menu?

2

Hi
Use zypper, I’m guessing your searching on software.o.o?


zypper se -s torbrowser-launcher


S  | Name                     | Type    | Version           | Arch   | Repository
---+--------------------------+---------+-------------------+--------+----------------
   | torbrowser-launcher      | package | 0.3.3-bp154.1.102 | noarch | Main Repository

With the repository changes, software.o.o doesn’t work (well hasn’t worked for some time).

You need to create your own python launcher for wherever the application resides if not installed in default locations.

3

I already tried the repository tor-browser-launcher. On the off chance that your suggestion that zypper would install a better version, I tried it. Same problem. It does not install the latest Tor. As I asked above, I thought this launcher was supposed to automatically update to the latest version on the Tor Web site.

In any event, my question remains: how do I get the official Tor Browser desktop file to register so it will run from the KDE Start menu?

4

The Plasma menu entry should point to the executable application…you need the working directory and the application starter.

5

It never worked for Leap 15.4, from the very beginning.

tor-browser-laucnher does not install tor at all - it installs torbrowser. So may be your expectations are incorrect?

6

No. I explicitly said Tor Browser - not tor. I actually also installed tor but removed it when it also did nothing.

7

OK, I fixed it. I found there was an application starter script inside the browser directory which could also start the Tor Browser. I used that in the menu entry and that works. So I guess it doesn’t matter whether the tor-browser-start.desktop entry is there or not, which begs the question of why it is.

Looking at the .desktop file, which I should have done first, the EXEC command is:

Exec=sh -c '"/Data2/Computer Security Software/Tor/tor-browser/Browser/start-tor-browser" --detach || ( !  -x "/Data2/Computer Security Software/Tor/tor-browser/Browser/start-tor-browser" ] && "$(dirname "$*")"/Browser/start-tor-browser --detach)' dummy %k

That command just does what I’m doing manually in the KDE menu entry - running the internal start script. I don’t know why it didn’t work when the .desktop file was run from the menu. I suppose it has something to do with the .desktop file being a text file, so the KDE menu simpky doesn’t run it or do anything with it. Which means I don’t understand why clicking on the .desktop file from Dolphin does run it. Seems inconsistent. to me, but whatever.

All this KDE minutia has never been my strong suit, and I don’t have time to read tons of KDE internal documentation on how the desktop works. I don’t see why the tor people don’t simply make a bloody appimage and solve all this installation nonsense.