Hi,
I have some software installed that does not show in the start menu, nor can be found using the search box.
For example I just installed UNetbootin and I have to go in /usr/sbin and manually launch it from there using my root password.
Why is this ? And how can I add them to the “start” menu ?
Thank You
You can go into the Menu editor and manually add an entry for it, or may find it is there and not selected (doubtful, but stranger things have happened).
I think it is under “Configure Desktop”, but I am not in front of any of my Linux boxes so I am not sure.
On 04/23/2013 04:16 PM, robertot5 wrote:
> I just installed
what operating system and version are you using?
and what desktop environment and version?
and where did you get the UNetbootin and how did you install it?
i ask because normally when YaST is used it adds new software to the
menu system of GNOME and KDE . . . if the rpm is packaged
specifically for openSUSE (which those in our standard repos usually
are–others, not so much)…
Not all software installed on a system shows up in the menu of an end-users GUI desktop. Amongst them:
. the package does not contain any executable prgram;
. there is one (or more) executable programs in the package, but they are not GUI programs, thus putting them in a GUI menu is of no use;
. there is a (or more) executable programs in the package, but they are for system managers (root) usage and thus of no concern for the end-user;
. there is a (or more ) executable programs in the package to be used by end-users in a GUI environment, but the packager forgot to organise this properly. When this is the case in a supported verion of openSUSE on one of the DEs that come with it and a package that is from the standard repos, this is abug to be reported on the openSUSE Bugzilla.
Also I have to mention that I have installed many packages that contain executables for the end-user in a GUI, and they do show up in the main menu. In fact, everything that is in that menu is from an installed package where the installation proces added an entry in the menu. Thus your title “Installed software does not show in menu” is certainly not generaly true.
On 4/23/2013 9:16 AM, robertot5 wrote:
>
> Hi,
> I have some software installed that does not show in the start menu,
> nor can be found using the search box.
> For example I just installed UNetbootin and I have to go in /usr/sbin
> and manually launch it from there using my root password.
>
> Why is this ? And how can I add them to the “start” menu ?
>
> Thank You
>
>
robertot5;
You never answered dd. But if you are using KDE, right click on the “Application Launcher Menu” button. Then choose “Edit
Applications”. There you can create a new menu item and, if needed, configure it to run as a different user.
–
P.V.
“We’re all in this together, I’m pulling for you” Red Green
I have Suse 12.2 x64 with KDE.
I have installed UNetbootin from Yast by searching for Unetbootin.
I will try your suggestions right now !
I’ve added the application in the menu by manually creating its entry.
Thank you all !
So for some info on program applications showing up in the KDE menu system. For KDE, Have a look in these folders:
(For KDE & GNOME) /usr/share/applications
AND
(For KDE Only) /usr/share/applications/kde4
Where you will find the applications that appear in the KDE menu. These appname.desktop files are just text files that tell KDE where the application is located, if not in the path, and what its name is to run. Let us take a look at the program:
KDE menu / Utilities / Editor / Kwrite:
You can find its .desktop file in the folder and file name as: /usr/share/applications/kde4/kwrite.desktop and the contents of the file as follows:
[Desktop Entry]
X-SuSE-translate=true
GenericName=Text Editor
Name=KWrite
MimeType=text/plain;
Exec=kwrite %U
X-KDE-StartupNotify=true
Icon=accessories-text-editor
X-DocPath=kwrite/index.html
Type=Application
Terminal=false
InitialPreference=8
X-DBUS-StartupType=Multi
X-DBUS-ServiceName=org.kate-editor.kwrite
Categories=Qt;KDE;Utility;TextEditor;
If, when you install an application, its file list should indicated it has placed a .desktop file in one of these two folders to be found by the KDE menu systems (I can say that other folders may also apply, as I have not searched it all down). If I open up:
YaST / Software / Software Manager / Search
Search on kwrite and the select the File List Tab, I can see that indeed a desktop file is installed and to where this was located:
http://paste.opensuse.org/view/download/4167260
So, on the next and frequent KDE menu update cycle, this application should be picked up and added to the correct menu. If there was no desktop file installed, then you must create one manually, just as you have done. If a .desktop file was installed, but not in the proper folder, you could move it to one that is being monitored by KDE. You can force a KDE menu update by opening up a terminal session and typing in the following terminal command:
kbuildsycoca4
You can find out more about the command here: kbuildsycoca4(8): Rebuilds system config cache - Linux man page
Even though you were successful, perhaps you might want to know why an installed application might not be picked up by KDE and this is one reason, no .desktop file or the file is not in the proper location for some reason.
Thank You,
Just an added note: Looking for answers and found these notes. All the explanations look well and good -but- none explain what we encountered. We like to use Quanta, an HTML editor. It is KDE3 oriented -and- it is selectable via the default repos in openSuSE 12.3. However, going into Yast2 and selecting it and installing it … it does NOT show up in the Menus. From previous experience we found that we could install it from en.opensuse.org/Quanta as a ‘One Click’ install. We removed the one from the Yast2 install and went to the One Clicker. It installed -and- it showed up in the menus.
Go figure???
Chuck
Your question, in light of the info I have posted, is why the program, when installed, did not include a .desktop file, or why the included .desktop was not copied to the proper location to be picked up by the KDE menu. I also think that on a brand new openSUSE 12.3 install, some problem exists with the initial KDE desktop install that prevents it from picking up .desktop files in the menu. This latter problem gets fixed after a full system update. The answer is one of these three things and you must present the total package contents for each of the two version here so that we might see the problem. And, we do not in any way say you did not have a problem. I believe you and only am trying to help get to the reason why it occurred.
Thank You,