Adding Applications to "The System"?

[th3ass3t]

Apologies if this title isn't very well crafted .. I'm trying to learn how to install applications so that they show up when I search in the "Start" button .. It seems that when I install something by downloading a file from outside the "Software Library", it isn't added in the same was as those installed from inside the library .. For example, I downloaded and installed Bitwarden as an appimage, but then everytime I wanted to launch it, I had to do so by doubleclicking the appimage in the Downloads folder.. I finally ended up deleting it and installing from the Library, and it now works as I hoped.

I then installed Anaconda by grabbing the shell script, choosing to install it in the default location as it's what's recommended .. but now I can't search for it again from the search.. This is how I usually interact with my programs, I don't pin them to the taskbar or add shortcuts to the desktop..

While I have issues with these apps showing up, and having to navigate to their location manually, webapps (like Photopea) seem to show up in the search, so I am not sure what the best option is here to get them to be indexed properly by whatever handles the search

[zenzen]

I'm not sure about this one, but hopefully this can help:

Why doesn't the program appear in Z menu pop up?

Most applications are told during nstallation process to create a .desktop entry and be added to the app menu. But not all software you install include this in the installation. This is more true when building from source. To add a program to the app menu, create a .desktop file in your ~/.local/share/applications directory. Just create a new document, then name it by that application name .desktop. As an example, if I was making one for gimp, it would be gimp.desktop. Within that document, …

[wild]

do they show up if you reboot the computer?

[th3ass3t]

@wild no, not if installed from outside the Software interface - I have to navigate to wherever they're stored (for me it was Bitwarden, and it was in my downloads folder, and launch it from there - although perhaps this wasn't the ideal way to acquire the software, I wasn't sure what I should have chosen from the Software library as there were multiple options and I didn't want to download something that wasn't legitimate)

[Aravisian]

Whether applications show up in the App Menu and under what category is determined in the .desktop file for the application.
These are stored in /usr/share/applications or if locally installed, ~/.local/share/applications
Appimages and the like often do not include a .desktop file.
Software installed from source often does, but not always.
But the user can create and place a .desktop file for any application that they wish to include in the App Menu.
Here is a handy guide on how to create a .desktop file for your applications:

How to Create a .Desktop File for Your Application in Linux - Make Tech Easier