Creating .desktop files

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/Standards/desktop-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.

WorkaroundOrg: DesktopFiles (last edited 2005-09-03 11:32:11 by ChristophHaas)