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Well, the package download it via GUI (Graphical User Interface).

Now, would like the app to appear on Dashboard and also to be findable in the search bar of Ubuntu.

How to create a .desktop file???

Help..

Morpheus
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  • What package was it? –  May 07 '16 at 13:50
  • to @Nick Weinberg: Just, anyone package. I want the method. – Morpheus May 07 '16 at 13:52
  • The reason I ask is that there might be a reason a .desktop file wasn't installed automatically (for example, if it's not a GUI application). What is the program's executable that you're trying to run? If you're looking for an example .desktop file, see https://developer.gnome.org/integration-guide/stable/desktop-files.html.en –  May 07 '16 at 13:54
  • clamav-0.99.2, firefox, netbeans-8.1-linux.sh, privoxy_3.0.24-1, software-center-13.10, thunderbird, youtube-dl: These are the packages at path: /home/Downloads – Morpheus May 07 '16 at 14:01
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    On Ubuntu, it's best to use the built-in package manager when possible, rather than manually downloading packages. Try using the Software Center application to install firefox, thunderbird, and the rest of your applications, instead of downloading the packages manually. If, for some reason, you need a different version than is supplied with Ubuntu, you can use sudo dpkg -i package.deb in a terminal window, or the graphical tool gdebi, to install packages. –  May 07 '16 at 14:06
  • ...duplicate: http://askubuntu.com/questions/142159/desktop-shortcut-to-create-a-new-desktop-shortcut-doesnt-do-anything – mikewhatever May 07 '16 at 14:06

1 Answers1

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You can use a package called alacarte which is in the universe repo.

or you can simply copy one from

/usr/share/applications/

then open it in gedit

Exec is the command line to run to start the program

Icon is the path to the icon to use

Actions is a list of quicklist menus items

then save it to

~/.local/share/applications/whatever.desktop

and it should appear in the unity launcher immediately

The actions field works like this 

Actions=Option1,Option2,Option3

For each of the Option sections you can then add a stanza like this 

[Desktop Action Option1]
Name=Quicklist menu option one
Exec=command option=1

Be careful not to duplicate information in this file with that of other .desktop files otherwise unpredictable behaviour when clicking launchers will ensue.

Amias
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  • "Copy one from /usr/share/applications"...how can you say that? Each of them has its own set of keywords, depending on the application. – Jacob Vlijm May 07 '16 at 14:12
  • gnome-terminal.desktop has a good selection of options to learn from but i take your point @JacobVlijm one needs to be careful of duplicating some of the fields. Ultimately you really just need those three. – Amias May 07 '16 at 16:26