Shortcuts?

[aenglish]

Are shortcuts possible on the KDE desktop like you have in MS Windows?

I have an application that has a specialized startup command that I need to type into the console every time I need to start it. It would be helpful if I could create some kind of shortcut on the desktop that launches the console and executes the command. Is that possible? If so how do go about creating one?

I tried right click but nothing appears in the options.

Thanks,

[hcvv]

I am not sure I understand you fully because you refer to Windows of which I have no knowledge, but I can make a few remarks in the hope that it helps.

When you start it from a terminal window (if I understand you correctly), why don’t you considder creating an alias for that very long statment. That would work werever you start a CLI, independent of the Desktop Environment you use and even if one is used.
Create a file with name .alias in your home directory and add a line like:

alias hurray='very long command with parameters and options'

after the next login you can thus use

hurray

and it will be replaced by the string and thus executing the command.
There is a lot about aliases in

man bash

And of course there are many possibilleties to add an icon that will start your command to the KDE main menu, the panel, the space on the desktop (I forgot the name).

[nrickert]

@aenglish

Are shortcuts possible on the KDE desktop like you have in MS Windows?

I think you are looking to create a “.desktop” file on your Desktop. Maybe the following will help:
Anatomy of a .desktop file

I found that with a google search. You can probably find tools to create such a file, if you are not into simple editing of small text files.

[Fraser_Bell]

@aenglish

Are shortcuts possible on the KDE desktop like you have in MS Windows?

I have an application that has a specialized startup command that I need to type into the console every time I need to start it. It would be helpful if I could create some kind of shortcut on the desktop that launches the console and executes the command. Is that possible? If so how do go about creating one?

I tried right click but nothing appears in the options.

Thanks,

From the menu:

Configure Desktop => Shortcuts and Gestures (in the top category, Common Appearance and Behavior)

-fb

[wolfi323]

Right-click on your Desktop folder and select “Create new”->“Link to Program” or one of the other options. (this will in fact create such a .desktop file)
The command to run can be set on the “Application” tab.

This should create an icon on the desktop.

If you want to change the command line, right-click on the icon and choose “Properties”.

[Tyler_K]

unlock widgets (r-click anywhere along the task bar > unlock widgets)

go to kmenu … hover the cursor over the app you want a short cut for, then r-click and choose where you want it (desktop, panel…)

[wolfi323]

@Tyler_K

go to kmenu … hover the cursor over the app you want a short cut for, then r-click and choose where you want it (desktop, panel…)

Or drag’n’drop the icon from kmenu to where you want to have it (desktop, panel).

[aenglish]

@Tyler_K

unlock widgets (r-click anywhere along the task bar > unlock widgets)

go to kmenu … hover the cursor over the app you want a short cut for, then r-click and choose where you want it (desktop, panel…)

Thanks but the application I have installed doesn’t have a Application icon. It has be run from the terminal console using SUDO.

This is why I ask about the possibility of creating a short cut.

Thanks,

[wolfi323]

@aenglish

Thanks but the application I have installed doesn’t have a Application icon. It has be run from the terminal console using SUDO.

This is why I ask about the possibility of creating a short cut.

See my comment#5.
And if you click on “Advanced Options” in the Properties dialog (“Application” tab), you can even tell KDe to start it as root (or any other user), so you don’t have to use sudo.