How to get Firefox into my Desktop App Launcher (in the left margin)?

Question

Ubuntu 16.06 with the normal desktop (Unity & gnome AFAIK).

Here's my desktop file. I've tried quite a few different things like having a %u at the end of the exec file. Nothing works. Now keep in mind that if I open terminal and type /usr/lib/firefox/firefox it most certainly launches Firefox.

[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Version=1.0
Type=Application
NoDisplay=true
Exec=/usr/lib/firefox/firefox
Name=Firefox
Comment=Firefox newset version
Icon=/usr/lib/firefox/browser/chrome/icons/default/default128.png
Terminal=false

And here's what happens when I do a compiz --replace:

compiz (core) - Info: Loading plugin: unityshell
compiz (core) - Info: Starting plugin: unityshell
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.favorite.store FavoriteStore.cpp:131 Unable to load desktop file: /home/joe/Desktop/firefox.desktop
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.favorite.store FavoriteStore.cpp:144 Unable to load Favorite for uri 'application:///home/joe/Desktop/firefox.desktop'
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.glib.dbus.server GLibDBusServer.cpp:593 Can't register object 'org.gnome.Shell' yet as we don't have a connection, waiting for it...
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.debug.interface DebugDBusInterface.cpp:217 Unable to load entry point in libxpathselect: libxpathselect.so.1.4: cannot open shared object file: No such file or directory -- full D-Bus introspection will not be available
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 xim.controller XIMController.cpp:103 IBus natively supported.
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.dash.gsettingsscopereader GSettingsScopes.cpp:108 Error fetching protocol metadata for scope: social.scope : Valid key file could not be found in search dirs
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.glib.dbus.server GLibDBusServer.cpp:593 Can't register object 'com.canonical.Unity.Launcher' yet as we don't have a connection, waiting for it...
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.glib.dbus.server GLibDBusServer.cpp:593 Can't register object 'com.canonical.Unity.Dash' yet as we don't have a connection, waiting for it...
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.glib.dbus.server GLibDBusServer.cpp:593 Can't register object 'org.gnome.SessionManager.EndSessionDialog' yet as we don't have a connection, waiting for it...
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.glib.dbus.server GLibDBusServer.cpp:593 Can't register object 'com.canonical.Unity.Session' yet as we don't have a connection, waiting for it...
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.glib.dbus.server GLibDBusServer.cpp:593 Can't register object 'org.gnome.ScreenSaver' yet as we don't have a connection, waiting for it...
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unityo (appinfo2) <unknown>:0 g_settings_set_value: value for key 'visual-bell-type' in schema 'org.gnome.desktop.wm.preferences' is outside of valid range
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unityo (appinfo2) <unknown>:0 g_settings_set_value: value for key 'visual-bell-type' in schema 'org.gnome.desktop.wm.preferences' is outside of valid range
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.favorite.store FavoriteStore.cpp:131 Unable to load desktop file: /home/joe/Desktop/firefox.desktop
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.favorite.store FavoriteStore.cpp:144 Unable to load Favorite for uri 'application:///home/joe/Desktop/firefox.desktop'
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unityo (appinfo2) <unknown>:0 g_settings_set_value: value for key 'visual-bell-type' in schema 'org.gnome.desktop.wm.preferences' is outside of valid range
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.favorite.store FavoriteStore.cpp:131 Unable to load desktop file: /home/joe/Desktop/firefox.desktop
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.favorite.store FavoriteStore.cpp:144 Unable to load Favorite for uri 'application:///home/joe/Desktop/firefox.desktop'
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unityo (appinfo2) <unknown>:0 g_settings_set_value: value for key 'visual-bell-type' in schema 'org.gnome.desktop.wm.preferences' is outside of valid range
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.favorite.store FavoriteStore.cpp:131 Unable to load desktop file: /home/joe/Desktop/firefox.desktop
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.favorite.store FavoriteStore.cpp:144 Unable to load Favorite for uri 'application:///home/joe/Desktop/firefox.desktop'
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unityo (appinfo2) <unknown>:0 g_settings_set_value: value for key 'visual-bell-type' in schema 'org.gnome.desktop.wm.preferences' is outside of valid range
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.favorite.store FavoriteStore.cpp:131 Unable to load desktop file: /home/joe/Desktop/firefox.desktop
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.favorite.store FavoriteStore.cpp:144 Unable to load Favorite for uri 'application:///home/joe/Desktop/firefox.desktop'
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unityo (appinfo2) <unknown>:0 g_settings_set_value: value for key 'visual-bell-type' in schema 'org.gnome.desktop.wm.preferences' is outside of valid range
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.favorite.store FavoriteStore.cpp:131 Unable to load desktop file: /home/joe/Desktop/firefox.desktop
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.favorite.store FavoriteStore.cpp:144 Unable to load Favorite for uri 'application:///home/joe/Desktop/firefox.desktop'
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unityo (appinfo2) <unknown>:0 g_settings_set_value: value for key 'visual-bell-type' in schema 'org.gnome.desktop.wm.preferences' is outside of valid range
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.favorite.store FavoriteStore.cpp:131 Unable to load desktop file: /home/joe/Desktop/firefox.desktop
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.favorite.store FavoriteStore.cpp:144 Unable to load Favorite for uri 'application:///home/joe/Desktop/firefox.desktop'
ERROR 2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.glib.dbus.server GLibDBusServer.cpp:538 DBus name lost 'org.gnome.Shell'
ERROR 2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.glib.dbus.server GLibDBusServer.cpp:538 DBus name lost 'com.canonical.Unity'
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.key.gnome.grabber GnomeKeyGrabber.cpp:108 Trying to grab a disabled action, we skip it
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.key.gnome.grabber GnomeKeyGrabber.cpp:108 Trying to grab a disabled action, we skip it
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.key.gnome.grabber GnomeKeyGrabber.cpp:108 Trying to grab a disabled action, we skip it
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.key.gnome.grabber GnomeKeyGrabber.cpp:108 Trying to grab a disabled action, we skip it
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.key.gnome.grabber GnomeKeyGrabber.cpp:108 Trying to grab a disabled action, we skip it
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.key.gnome.grabber GnomeKeyGrabber.cpp:108 Trying to grab a disabled action, we skip it
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.key.gnome.grabber GnomeKeyGrabber.cpp:108 Trying to grab a disabled action, we skip it
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.key.gnome.grabber GnomeKeyGrabber.cpp:108 Trying to grab a disabled action, we skip it
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.key.gnome.grabber GnomeKeyGrabber.cpp:108 Trying to grab a disabled action, we skip it
WARN  2018-03-19 20:02:55 unity.key.gnome.grabber GnomeKeyGrabber.cpp:108 Trying to grab a disabled action, we skip it

(soffice:2790): Gdk-WARNING **: gdk_window_set_icon_list: icons too large

(soffice:2790): Gdk-WARNING **: gdk_window_set_icon_list: icons too large
WARN  2018-03-19 20:06:24 unity.launcher.icon LauncherIcon.cpp:413 Unable to load 'firefox' from icon theme: Error opening file: No such file or directory
WARN  2018-03-19 20:06:24 unity.launcher.icon LauncherIcon.cpp:413 Unable to load 'firefox' from icon theme: Error opening file: No such file or directory
WARN  2018-03-19 20:06:24 unity.launcher.icon LauncherIcon.cpp:413 Unable to load 'firefox' from icon theme: Error opening file: No such file or directory

Ubuntu 16. 06? There's no such thing. – David Foerster Apr 22 '18 at 09:57 — David Foerster, Apr 22 '18 at 09:57
notice your .desktop has NoDisplay=true – ustick Apr 28 '18 at 04:58 — ustick, Apr 28 '18 at 04:58

score 1 · Answer 1 · answered Mar 20 '18 at 00:33

1

While Firefox is running, its icon should appear in the left panel. Just right-click thereon and select the option to lock it in place. Then it will always be available.

answered Mar 20 '18 at 00:33

TRiG

1,910

Wow that worked. The .desktop fie that it created looks a lot like the one that I had created that did NOT work. I just tried to edit it to manually set up the Icon. If that works I'll accept your answer. – Joe C Mar 20 '18 at 13:22
Does it not have an icon as is? I've never had a problem with that. (On the other hand, I've never had to do this for Firefox either. It's always been there.) – TRiG Mar 20 '18 at 15:03
It has an Icon but the Icon is just a picture of a folder, not the real Firefox Icon. Here's the .desktop it created, then I modified it so the Icon would point to where I have the Icon png. joe@Ubuntu16:~$ cat .local/share/applications/userapp-Firefox-ATDJGZ.desktop [Desktop Entry] Encoding=UTF-8 Version=1.0 Type=Application NoDisplay=true Exec=/usr/lib/firefox/firefox %u Name=Firefox Comment=Custom definition for Firefox Icon=/usr/lib/firefox/browser/chrome/icons/default/default64.png – Joe C Mar 22 '18 at 14:20

How to get Firefox into my Desktop App Launcher (in the left margin)?

1 Answers1