Creating desktop files

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Your Debian package should contain a .desktop file if it's a graphical/X11/GUI application. It makes the application available to at least KDE and Gnome without stuffing everything into the ugly Debian submenu.

 Official documentation: http://freedesktop.org/wiki/Specifications/desktop-entry-spec?action=show&redirect=Standards%2Fdesktop-entry-spec

Example entry:

[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Type=Application
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=Cream
Comment=Edit text files
Comment[de]=Textdateien editieren
TryExec=cream
Exec=cream %F
MimeType=text/plain
Categories=Application;Utility;TextEditor;
Icon=/usr/share/pixmaps/cream.xpm

Just install that file into

/usr/share/desktop/$PACKAGE.desktop

and don't forget to run

dh_desktop

from your

debian/rules

to make the new menu entry visible for the user.