cinnamon-menu-editor

cinnamon-menu-editor

The `cinnamon-menu-editor` command provides a graphical interface for editing the Cinnamon desktop environment's application menu. It allows users to add, remove, and modify entries in the menu, including changing application names, icons, and command-line arguments. This utility is essential for personalizing the desktop environment and ensuring that applications are easily accessible and properly configured. The editor allows you to organize applications into categories (like 'Internet', 'Office', 'Games') and change their order.

It provides an interface for creating launchers and modifying existing .desktop files, which represent application entries in the menu. Changes are typically saved to `~/.local/share/applications` or `/usr/share/applications`, depending on whether the change is user-specific or system-wide. `cinnamon-menu-editor` simplifies menu customization without requiring direct manipulation of configuration files. It uses the XDG Desktop Entry Specification.

Modifying system-wide menu entries requires root privileges. Improperly configured entries can prevent applications from launching correctly or cause display issues in the menu. Changes made via `cinnamon-menu-editor` are reflected after restarting the Cinnamon desktop or the X server, in some situations.

Incorrect configurations can lead to application instability. Always check your edits before closing the program.

The `cinnamon-menu-editor` relies on the XDG Desktop Entry Specification for defining application entries. Each entry is represented by a `.desktop` file, which contains information such as the application's name, icon, command to execute, and categories.

These desktop files are interpreted by the desktop environment to create the application menu entries.

Changes made to `.desktop` files in `/usr/share/applications` typically require root privileges. Changes made in `~/.local/share/applications` only require user privileges, and these entries will override system-wide entries with the same name.

The Cinnamon Menu Editor was developed as part of the Cinnamon desktop environment project, aiming to provide a user-friendly alternative to editing desktop entry files manually. It arose from the need for a simple tool to customize the application menu without requiring technical knowledge. Its usage became widespread among Cinnamon users seeking a more personalized desktop experience.

Prior to graphical tools like this, command line tools or manual .desktop file editing were necessary, which were more challenging for less experienced users.

alacarte(1), update-desktop-database(1)