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I have an executable jar file which I'd like to be able to start from a shortcut on either the desktop or the start menu. I wrote a desktop file but I cannot get it to work no matter how I specify the Exec line. The file currently reads as

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Name=Party Planner
Exec=java -jar ~/Downloads/PartyPlanner.jar

When I click on the file on the desktop, absolutely nothing happens. The command in the Exec line works perfectly well when I enter it in the terminal. In fact, it works no matter what directory I'm in when I type it. I've tried replacing "java" and "~/Downloads/PartyPlanner.jar" in the desktop file with their respective absolute paths, but that doesn't help. I can't get this thing to work on either of my Lubuntu machines (one running 14.04 and the other 15.04).

What am I doing wrong? Is there some log file somewhere I should be looking at for error messages?

John
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  • Try it again with the absolute path of ~/Downloads/PartyPlanner.jar and add exactly this desktop file into your question. ~ can't work. – A.B. Oct 12 '15 at 13:25
  • http://standards.freedesktop.org/desktop-entry-spec/latest/ar01s06.html – Byte Commander Oct 12 '15 at 13:25
  • . . . it's working now. Thank you. For the record, I tried doing the absolute path before posting the question. I see now that I had a typo then--I capitalized my user name rather than going with all lower case. Thanks. – John Oct 12 '15 at 14:36

1 Answers1

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  1. You can't use the ~ in your desktop file. Replace ~ with the output of

    echo /home/$USER

    e.g.

    Exec=java -jar /home/john/Downloads/PartyPlanner.jar

  2. Use 

    Path=/home/john/Downloads/
Type=Application
A.B.
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