panel/menu bug: where to report?

dchmelik · 2024-03-11 03:52:10

Will there be option to add 'applications->other' menu items to launchers, and where on gitlab.xfce.org can I report this application menu issue/bug/request? I'm aware it may not be a panel issue (though someone told me it is) rather than specific item issue, but when I searched for 'application menu' there was no result.

Gitlab.xfce.org is very hard to navigate; can't find many other items there I looked for either.

We switched family PCs from KDE to XFCE but have preexistent /home/user & ~/Desktop, but XFCE didn't handle ~/Desktop very well, using its filenames rather than software names, and overriding some main desktop/menu entries with custom-made ones, like in Internet, FireFox & ThunderBird main entries were replaced with our custom ones that launch specific profiles, so we can no longer get to the main ones besides 'applications->other' menu, and can't put them on launchers. We'd either have to erase & redo ~/Desktop, or switch back to KDE which is has less power/speed and many more problems, so would rather not.

Last edited by dchmelik (2024-03-18 06:08:41)

ToZ · 2024-03-11 09:53:10

dchmelik wrote:

Will there be option to add 'other' menu items to launchers, and where on gitlab.xfce.org can I report this application menu issue/bug/request? I'm aware it probably isn't a panel issue rather than specific item issue, but when I searched for 'application menu' there was no result.

What do you mean by "Other menu items"? You can create custom entries for launchers (see "add a new empty item" here).

Gitlab.xfce.org is very hard to navigate; can't find many other items there I looked for either.

xfce4-panel's issues list can be found here.

We switched family PCs from KDE to XFCE but have preexistent /home/user & ~/Desktop, but XFCE didn't handle /home/Desktop very well, using its filenames rather than software names, and overriding some main desktop/menu entries with custom-made ones, like in Internet, FireFox & ThunderBird main entries were replaced with our custom ones that launch specific profiles, so we can no longer get to the main ones besides 'other' menu, and can't put them on launchers. We'd either have to erase & redo ~/.Desktop, or switch back to KDE which is has less power/speed and many more problems, so would rather not.

This is confusing. You mention "~/Desktop", "/home/Desktop", and "~/.Desktop" - these are 3 different locations.

using its filenames rather than software names,

Creating launchers on the desktop (including custom ones) does show the software name.

Perhaps you can explain in better detail the issue you are facing - possibly providing an example and some screenshots. Also, which distro and version of Xfce are you using?

dchmelik · 2024-03-12 01:16:30

ToZ wrote:

What do you mean by "Other menu items"?

the 'applications->other' menu

Last edited by dchmelik (2024-03-18 06:07:04)

zub · 2024-03-17 23:06:36

I am not completely sure if I understand your problem but I will give it a shot.

questions about your question

Here are some overall things that would help clarify the question. If you don't find my answers useful, please keep in mind that I am guessing about a lot of it.

- it would be useful to know what you have already tried to solve your problem and what happened when you did it. This would also be helpful so I could know what level of information to provide. Some of the below might be too simple for you or too complex. A bit more context would assist to provide the most useful info.

- find or make a screenshot of the desired behaviour in KDE compared to XFCE to show the difference. I think this problem would really benefit from some visuals.

- What menu are you accessing specifically? The Whisker menu, or Application menu on the panel? Or maybe the popup launcher? Right clicking on the desktop? Please take a screenshot if you are not sure. ToZ asked you to clarify what you said about the "Other" menu. He's not asking because he's stupid or trying to waste your time. He's asking because there are about 50 different ways to get an "Other" menu and if we know which one *you* are using it's more likely you will get a solution.

- It is ALWAYS a good idea to share information about your xfce version, distro, install method, etc.

- Try making a completely new user account with a fresh xfce-only profile and see if you are more successful setting that up. It could be there are some old KDE configuration files laying around confusing xfce.

So here we go with the question

dchmelik wrote:

We switched family PCs from KDE to XFCE but have preexistent /home/user & ~/Desktop

so far so good!! Perfect.

the xfce desktop

dchmelik wrote:

but XFCE didn't handle ~/Desktop very well

What sort of thing do you want to use ~/Desktop for? I tried to look up if KDE does anything special with this directory but it's too vague to ask the internet.

Xfce4 uses an application called xfdesktop to run the actual desktop. Here is the documentation. Scroll a bit to the heading called "General" and look through the linked pages. Does that help at all?

Desktop & Menu Entries in General

I suspect the actual meat of the question is in regards to Desktop Entries and/or Menu Entries.

Are you framiliar with these file formats and their place in linux? I see you mention them by name in your post so guessing yes.

If yes
- Have you edited them in KDE and/or in XFCE?
- How?
- Where are your custom files stored?
- Are they per-user or system wide?

If no
- those links might be overwhelming but don't worry you do not need to know all that stuff

Arch Wiki is usually a good place to find a thorough overview of a topic: ArchWiki entry about Desktop Entries

It's good to know how to edit the text files, but mostly I like to use the GUI application MenuLibre to create and edit Desktop Entries and Menu Entries.

Generic vs specific application display names

dchmelik wrote:

using its filenames rather than software names, and overriding some main desktop/menu entries with custom-made ones, like in Internet,

OK do I understand correctly: You want it to say "Firefox" NOT "Web browser". Yes? If so, you need to look in the preferences for whatever application is actually displaying you the menu. If it is a panel menu (acts like a windows Start menu), right click on the icon in your panel and look for an item something like "properties" or "preferences". Then look for an entry called "Show generic application names". Here is an example from WhinkerMenu docs (first checkbox):

UNCHECK that box and it will now say "Firefox" NOT "Web Browser" when yhou open the menu.

Launching Firefox with correct profile, or profiles manager

dchmelik wrote:

FireFox & ThunderBird main entries were replaced with our custom ones that launch specific profiles, so we can no longer get to the main ones besides 'other' menu, and can't put them on launchers. sad

Is this what you are saying?
- You made custom Desktop Entry for Firefox
- You want both the original and custom Desktop Entries to be available.
- HOWEVER Only the custom Desktop Entries are available.

Questions for the above:
- Have you edited them in KDE and/or in XFCE?
- How? (text edit, MenuLibre etc)
- Where are your custom files stored? Are they per-user or system wide?
- Please post the text of relevant Desktop Entry. One that works and one that doesn't work. Include the above information for each.
- Did these Desktop Entries work properly in KDE and stopped working when yhou moved to XFCE? Or did you newly make them in XFCE and they don't work.

General infor about Firefox cli options

Are you looking for command line options to launch Firefox and Thunderbird? Here is some documentation for Firefox. Once you find the correct command line you can use MenuLibre or another method to create a new Desktop Entry.

I think you want to do one of the following:

Launch Firefox with a specific profile. Here is some basic info about FF profiles you will need to change this line to correctly reflect the location of you FF dir:

firefox --profile /home/username/.mozilla/firefox/x0x0x0x.YourProfile

Launch Firefox with the Profile Manager to ask you which profile to open:

firefox --ProfileManager

Don't delete!

dchmelik wrote:

We'd either have to erase & redo ~/Desktop

Before you erase and redo it, try moving the ~/Desktop directory to a different location temporarily. Then log out and log in again to reset to default. That way you can get your work back if you change your mind.

I would be interested to know if this resolves really *any* of your issues. I don't think it will but please report back.

dchmelik wrote:

or switch back to KDE which is has less power/speed and many more problems, so would rather not.

Don't despair!

Stay strong!

There's always a learning curve when you make a big switch like this!

Or maybe you will decide you like KDE afterall---- that's fine! I think that your problems here will end up being solveable once we are able to communicate a bit more about what's going on.

dchmelik · 2024-03-18 06:06:44

We only use original application menu which sometimes has submenu 'other' (sometimes disappears though not empty); I don't know why people assume one might use unspecified non-default/new-fangled menus (we don't; I always forget those exist).

I don't care about ~/Desktop; users do (though don't know what it is). I don't use it (renamed ~/.Desktop) (why I accidentally wrote both... never mind mistaken mention of /home/Desktop). The issue is on family PCs (not mine) I administer and don't think I can elaborate anything I didn't already; a bug is applications menu takes entries from ~/Desktop (this means for a specific user) (I don't know about format other than probably defined by FreeDesktop, though were created with KDE) normally in 'other' menu and replaces things in 'Internet' menu with those, and moves some 'Internet' menu's ones to 'other'.

I managed to add/edit blank launcher to launch default FireFox (or ask which profile) so they don't need to go to menu; thanks!

Another issue for users' ~/Desktop is for example if I used KDE desktop menu to add a link to Mosaic web browser, it created Mosaic.desktop, which on KDE desktop simply says Mosaic, but XFCE desktop might say Mosaic.desktop... don't recall this is correct example, but some entries say like programname.desktop instead of programname... it may be the case what they link aren't currently installed so are broken until I reinstall that software, and XFCE handles ~/Desktop fine (other than replacements mentioned above). Maybe I'll screenshot more details later; right now some hardware (network connection, PC repair) issues need fixing first.

Last edited by dchmelik (2024-03-18 06:23:23)

eriefisher · 2024-03-18 10:28:12

The "Other" section of the menu is normally reserved for uncategorized options. If a .desktop file for a particular application has a specific category then that's where it will show up. ie "Settings". If not it's dumped in "Other". Normally the desktop and Whisker menu don't show the "Other" section if there is nothing in it. Another menu, ie Jgmenu, always shows the "Other" section. I'm sure KDE works very similarly but I don't know. It's been a very long time since I've sat in front of a KDE screen.

zub · 2024-03-19 04:08:20

I don't know why people assume one might use unspecified non-default/new-fangled menus (we don't; I always forget those exist).

who's assuming anything? I asked you to provide more information because your problem report is vague, confusing and doesn't contain basic information. The initial post is asking where you can open an issue but there is no point until you can describe the situation adequately. Which is still not happened. What is "the default"? There are 2 different menus that come with XFCE in my experience. Which one is "the default" depends on your distro's setup. There could even be something else installed with your distro; who knows. Instead of being snarky when people try to help you how about doing your part of the interaction.

Have you *tried* the "non-default/new-fangled menu"? Now that you are reminded they exist? Does the problem persist?

I don't care about ~/Desktop; users do (though don't know what it is). I don't use it

The issue is on family PCs (not mine) I administer and don't think I can elaborate anything I didn't already;

so you don't know what the problem actually is and are not interested in it, because someone else is having it, but you expect a third party to solve it...

Have you been able to reproduce it on your own PC?

it may be the case what they link aren't currently installed so are broken until I reinstall that software

did you *only* switch DMs or did you reinstall Linux or even switch distros at the same time? I was wondering that before.

don't recall this is correct example, but some entries say like programname.desktop instead of programname...

Sounds like you didn't specify the name properly but the only way to know for sure would be if you provide text contents of an example .desktop file as already suggested. hard to say what the solution would be when we're not even sure if the problem exists.

dchmelik · 2024-03-22 06:31:23

The type of thing you use in the panel to open menus has nothing to do with whether menu entries are separately accessible to launchers. I got the answer I needed from IRC.

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