gnome-desktop-item-edit

Create or edit desktop application launchers

SYNOPSIS

gnome-desktop-item-edit [DIRECTORY] [--create-new] [--file=FILE]

DIRECTORY
    Optional. The path to the directory where a new .desktop item should be saved. If omitted, it often defaults to the user's desktop directory.

--create-new
    Optional. Explicitly indicates that a new desktop item should be created. When used, it's typically followed by a DIRECTORY.

--file=FILE
    Optional. Specifies the path to an existing .desktop file that should be opened for editing instead of creating a new one.

DESCRIPTION

gnome-desktop-item-edit is a graphical utility within the GNOME desktop environment designed for creating and modifying .desktop files. These files serve as shortcuts or launchers for applications, documents, or URLs, allowing them to appear in application menus, on the desktop, or in panels.

When invoked, it typically opens a dialog box that allows users to define an application's name, command, icon, category, and other properties without manually editing the plain-text .desktop file. It simplifies the process of making applications accessible and discoverable within the GNOME shell.

While widely used in older GNOME versions, its direct command-line invocation for users might be less common or replaced by integrated desktop features in newer releases, such as contextual menus in file managers or dedicated configuration tools.

CAVEATS

This command is primarily a GUI tool and requires a running X server and a GNOME desktop environment. Its functionality has evolved, and in modern GNOME versions, its direct command-line invocation might be deprecated or superseded by gnome-panel-desktop-item-edit or integrated functionalities within the desktop environment itself.

USES OF .DESKTOP FILES

.desktop files are a core component of the FreeDesktop.org Desktop Entry Specification, used across various Linux desktop environments (GNOME, KDE, XFCE, etc.) to define application shortcuts. They contain metadata such as the application's name, command to execute, icon path, categories, and whether it should run in a terminal. They are crucial for populating application menus, desktop launchers, and enabling file associations.

HISTORY

Part of the gnome-panel package, this tool was common in older GNOME 2.x and early GNOME 3.x series for user-friendly desktop file management. With the transition to GNOME Shell and greater integration of functionality into the file manager (Nautilus) and other system components, its direct command-line usage has become less prominent, and its specific function might be superseded by other tools or direct GUI interactions.