Xfce Forum

frmald

Member

Registered: 2021-01-02

Posts: 22

Whisker menu -- actual app name?

I have both Firefox and Firefox/ESR installed (+ other browsers). In the whisker menu, they both show up as "Web browser" (just like Midori and Chrome), because desktop managers show the "Generic Name=" (not the Name=) entry from the .desktop file. Both also have the non-helpful tooltip "Browse the WWW" (which is the Comment= entry from the desktop file), almost like the other browsers. At least I can distinguish Firefox / Chrome / Midori by the icon. But there's no easy way to tell Firefox from Firefox/ESR *and launch it*.

Right-clicking on the app icon and choosing "Edit app" shows the actual Name= entry (and the executable). However, the Edit app dialog has no button to launch the app.

This is pretty bad UX (not confined to XFCE, of course). Notwithstanding the (in my opinion) idiotic design of all apps to use "generic names" and redundant "comments" in desktop files, what can I do to see the actual Name= (or executable) entry of the .desktop file? What does "Edit app" actually do for system-installed apps -- create some override file in ~/.local?

Last edited by frmald (2021-01-09 14:22:34)

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 11,486

Re: Whisker menu -- actual app name?

Notwithstanding the (in my opinion) idiotic design of all apps to use "generic names" and redundant "comments" in desktop files, what can I do to see the actual Name= (or executable) entry of the .desktop file?

In the Whiskermenu properties, you can uncheck "Show Generic Application Names" to see the "Name=" field.

What does "Edit app" actually do for system-installed apps -- create some override file in ~/.local?

Yes. Creates a complimentary file in ~/.local/share/applications that overrides the default installed at /usr/local/share/applications.

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frmald

Member

Registered: 2021-01-02

Posts: 22

Re: Whisker menu -- actual app name?

Ah, thanks, that helps. I never realized you could right-click on the whisker icon...