[SOLVED] Desktop launchers given permission to launch, by Terminal.?

Jakob77 · 2025-06-15 14:27:22

Sometimes if I restore a desktop launcher to the desktop it will not launch directly before the user has clicked yes for it to run as a program.
I would very much like one or more Terminal commands that can unlock/set the desktop launchers, so the user won't have to give permission by mouse clicks.

Do we have one or more Terminal commands that can do that (chmod can't).?

I have read somewhere that the problem is considered a Xfce bug, so maybe it will soon be fixed "all by itself".?

Thank you in advance.

Last edited by Jakob77 (2025-06-19 21:57:04)

eriefisher · 2025-06-15 17:19:47

I don't use desktop icon/launchers but if you place a program on the desktop it shouldn't be an issue as long as you have permission to run it as a normal user. Of course if you need to run a program as root you will be ask for a password.
What are putting on the desktop to launch a program? Are you creating a launcher?

Jakob77 · 2025-06-15 21:59:42

Yes, if I for instance create or copy a launcher from Whisker and restore it to another disk by snapshot.
That is the actual situation but I also believe I have seen the problem by normal copy restore maybe from another user.
I thought "chmod" could fix it but it seems to me that more code is needed to put the desktop launcher in the right state, where it can actually start programs.

Last edited by Jakob77 (2025-06-15 22:02:39)

eriefisher · 2025-06-15 22:13:15

I don't know about snapshot as I don't use it and not sure how or why it would effect permission or ownership.

You can check both with

ls -la path/to/file

If the ownership is wrong you can use chown

chown $user:group path/to/file

If you own it and the details of the launcher are correct there is no reason for it to not work.

Added later 28 min 23 s:
OK, I just enabled desktop icons to test this. If I go to /usr/share/applications and just sendto desktop(create launcher) I get this:

This launcher is owned by root thus the error message. Right click on it and select properties to view.
If I create the launcher, right click and select "create launcher", it will prompt to autofill(in this case Google Chrome). Once it created it works fine. Checking in the properties this launcher is owned by me. This may be worth a bug report.

Jakob77 · 2025-06-16 16:57:24

Maybe just a bit of gravel in the gearbox.

"ls -la" says it is the same owner and the same group

Then I test with two identical launchers in two different folders and by mouse click give one of them permission to start programs.

Afterwards "diff -s" says the two files are identical.

Doesn't that indicate that it has nothing to do with the launcher but has to be something deeper inside the system where there perhaps is a list with the launchers that are allowed to run programs, and if the launcher is not on that list, then the user will be prompted if he try to launch.?

eriefisher · 2025-06-16 18:22:50

"ls -la" says it is the same owner and the same group

Is that you?
Is it a specific program your having trouble with?
Can you post the contents of the problem launcher.

Jakob77 · 2025-06-16 23:41:38

I have plenty of launchers with the same problem.
When I build up a panel I always make desktop launchers first because it is easier to copy a launcher to a panel than from a panel to the desktop.
When I am done I make a backup of all the desktop launchers, so I have them for another day.
I just did a test with one of them, and it is the same as when snapshot has restored a desktop launcher. It needs permission given by mouse click before it can launch.
And "ls -la" and "diff -s" shows no difference between the one I gave the permission and the one I didn't.

eriefisher · 2025-06-17 10:19:45

I can only guess that snapshot is changing permissions for some reason. Is there something in the config file to maintain permissions?

Jakob77 · 2025-06-19 10:07:01

Are you thinking about a config file in Xfce or Snapshot, I don't know about either. lol
But you have a point, and that is where it might get a little complicated to hunt a bug.
When there is change in launcher behavior after a snapshot then it seems clear it has to be because the copy was not complete enough but if it failed because of an error in Xfce that will soon be fixed, then I think it looks a little different.
Root work is not my strong side but if it is not the launcher and instead a Xfce root data file that is being changed when the launch permission is given by mouse, then I wonder if there is a way to find it. - Timeshift perhaps.?
I don't know how much deeper I will dig into the mystery, but I'm a little curious and it would of course be nice to find a solution.

"ls -la" output from a launcher before and after the permission to launch was given by mouse:

drwxr-xr-x  2 john john  4096 17 jun 00:32 .
drwxr-xr-x 14 john john 12288 17 jun 00:33 ..
-rwxr-xr-x  1 john john   273  4 dec  2023 NASA.desktop

drwxr-xr-x  2 john john  4096 17 jun 00:32 .
drwxr-xr-x 14 john john 12288 17 jun 00:33 ..
-rwxr-xr-x  1 john john   273  4 dec  2023 NASA.desktop

ToZ · 2025-06-19 12:24:11

This might be helpful: https://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?id=16357. Thunar sets the gio property xfce-exe-checksum (along with executable permissions) on any desktop launcher that you want to execute without prompting.

Jakob77 · 2025-06-19 21:54:05

ToZ wrote:

This might be helpful: https://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?id=16357. Thunar sets the gio property xfce-exe-checksum (along with executable permissions) on any desktop launcher that you want to execute without prompting.

Yes, and thank you both very much. :-)

I jumped into the script:
https://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?pid=73362#p73362

And I use it in a start up script, so all snapshot desktop launchers will be automatically cured at every Live boot up.

Beautiful.! :-)

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#1 2025-06-15 14:27:22

[SOLVED] Desktop launchers given permission to launch, by Terminal.?

#2 2025-06-15 17:19:47

Re: [SOLVED] Desktop launchers given permission to launch, by Terminal.?

#3 2025-06-15 21:59:42

Re: [SOLVED] Desktop launchers given permission to launch, by Terminal.?

#4 2025-06-15 22:13:15

Re: [SOLVED] Desktop launchers given permission to launch, by Terminal.?

#5 2025-06-16 16:57:24

Re: [SOLVED] Desktop launchers given permission to launch, by Terminal.?

#6 2025-06-16 18:22:50

Re: [SOLVED] Desktop launchers given permission to launch, by Terminal.?

#7 2025-06-16 23:41:38

Re: [SOLVED] Desktop launchers given permission to launch, by Terminal.?

#8 2025-06-17 10:19:45

Re: [SOLVED] Desktop launchers given permission to launch, by Terminal.?

#9 2025-06-19 10:07:01

Re: [SOLVED] Desktop launchers given permission to launch, by Terminal.?

#10 2025-06-19 12:24:11

Re: [SOLVED] Desktop launchers given permission to launch, by Terminal.?

#11 2025-06-19 21:54:05

Re: [SOLVED] Desktop launchers given permission to launch, by Terminal.?

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