Main menu edit problem after installation

Usually you can't just give the path of the file and then file name, if it's an app or script that are manually installed. That's why it would be easier to help you if you tell us what app and which file format you pointing it to.

I don't know the file format. It's a game Called Mindustry. It's an executable app.

Òkay and you have made it executable? (right click on the file --> Properties -> Permissions)

In the menu editor command:

sh -c "/path/to/the/file && ./file"

Oh. Now it was added. But it doesn't start. What exactly does sh mean?

sh is a command language interpreter that executes commands read from a command line string, the standard input, or a specified file.

You can read more about it by;

man sh

[q] to quit.

To figure out why it doesn't work, take the commandline and put it in the terminal. An error should be display thereafter.

I am linking to the path "Zorin OS Files" but it says can't find ".../Zorin".

I'm confused???

@Aravisian Any idea? I think we're missing each others context. :pensive:

Heading out to perform some road tests (same as yesterday). Will try to catch up and grab any context if I am able when I return.

The other person for the road test is apparently not ready, yet.

I have a moment...

Yes, just the path can work if the path leads to an executable file.

Currently; the question is how to add a custom made launcher to the App Menu.
Need to know: Zorin OS Core or Zorin OS Lite?

The longer answer is to create a .desktop file for it. On XFCE, (Zorin Lite) it is a little easier.

I am using Zorin OS Core. I have a GNOME desktop environment.

Great, now all you need to do to get that application to show up in the Zorin Menu is to create a desktop file and place it in /usr/share/applications/
Open terminal and

sudo -i

nautilus

Now, navigate to /usr/share/applications/ and right click an open area in the window. Select create new file...
Paste into it the following:

[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Version 1.0
Name=
Comment=
Categories=Games;Application;Development;
Exec=
Icon=
Terminal=false
Type=Application
StartupNotify=true

You notice there are Blanks in the template above. Please fill those in as needed. Exec=/path/to/your/executable/file, for example.
icon can be the path to the icon you wish to use in /usr/share/icons/zorin/....
Comment=Whatever you want to display in a tooltip to show what it does. For example: Comment=Application to colonize the Moon
Name is the Name you want to display as the app in the menu.
Name=Mindustry
Categories; list out the preferred application placement in the Menu; First choice, second choice, third choice...

Save the file and log out and in - test that it appears in the App Menu

Do I really have to do that every time I wanna add an app? The main menu app should actually do that for me. I would want to fix the app or the issue in the app so I can add new shortcuts.

No. Whenever you install an App, the desktop file is generally created for the vast majority of installations you can do. In some rare cases, a third party application is installed for which a desktop file is not created- either due to the app developers commands or it being run in a different way than normal- or not being a Fully Installed app.
App images, other standalone apps will not create one.
Wine Programs will not create one unless told to do so.

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I downloaded this one app from itch.io. That's why it isn't in the menu. As I was trying Linux out from the USB stick, I could create the shortcut via executable. I don't know why it doesn't work now.

If I understand properly; you are now having a problem with getting the EXEC portion to function? The app does not open?

I don't know. I am confused rn.

I somehow managed to add an app I made with python but the same method doesn't work for the game Mindustry. I used some "cd" command and executed the program with "./name". It looked like so: "EXEC=sudo cd "/path/of/program" ; ./name". This was in a .desktop file which I connected. I am really confused why it works and why not with the other game.

Okay. I found a way myself. It works but I think it could be better. The data of the .desktop file is like:
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Mindustry
Exec=sudo cd "/path/to/game ; ./Mindustry
Comment=
Icon=
Type=Application
Terminal=false
Encoding=UTF-8
Categories=Utility;

But shouldn't the menu be able to add apps just by the executable?

Hi. Please share the terminal command that launches the required app.
Where is the game's directory? Make sure you launch the app within the directory.
What type of application is this?

.exe

.sh

.AppImage
??

1 Like

I don't know it.