How to remove things from the desktop without deleting them or unpinning them from launcher?

Question

I have added some apps and programs to the desktop (since I'll be using them often), but then I found that I can actually pin my favorite programs to the launcher. So, now I don't want anything on the desktop to keep it neat and tidy. Unfortunately, when I tried moving the icons to the "trash" I deleted the actual programs/apps (so I undid my action). How can I solve this on Ubuntu 17.04? Thanks a lot.

Here's what I got from ls -a ~/Desktop:

org.gnome.Calendar.desktop
..                             org.kde.kolourpaint.desktop
dell-driver-installer.desktop  photocollage.desktop
eog.desktop                    simple-scan.desktop
gallery-app.desktop            sol.desktop
gnome-mahjongg.desktop         system-config-printer.desktop
org.gnome.Calculator.desktop   unity-activity-log-manager-panel.desktop

I don't want to delete the actual apps, I just want to delete the icons? — Nermeen Hussein, Nov 22 '17 at 05:35
Can you open a terminal and type ls -a ~/Desktop and include the output by copy&paste (ctrl+shift+c to copy and crtl+v to paste) to your question by [edit]ing it. — Videonauth, Nov 22 '17 at 06:35
By icons I mean the small picture designated for each app + it's name written under it (a shortcut to opening the program). Sorry, I'm still used to Windows. — Nermeen Hussein, Nov 22 '17 at 09:01
There are only .desktop files on your desktop, no actual applications. Why do you think you deleted the actual applications? — Jacob Vlijm, Nov 22 '17 at 09:02
Sorry, I said I deleted it and then I undid my action. So, nothing is deleted now, I just want to create shortcuts for these programs and pin them on the launcher, is that possible? — Nermeen Hussein, Nov 22 '17 at 09:05
Possible duplicate of How can I create launchers on my desktop? — Jacob Vlijm, Nov 22 '17 at 09:24

score -1 · Accepted Answer · edited Aug 14 '19 at 14:22

-1

That are all simple link files, you can safely remove them without affecting the installed programs.

So simply delete them and you still be able to access the programs by pressing Super/windows key.

To remove them you can right-click on them and choose delete which sends them to the trashcan or you can use the terminal for that:

WARNING: This will remove all other files on your desktop, not just links! BE VERY CAREFUL when you run this command, and do not run this command unless you want to permanently remove all files as well as links from your Desktop and the Desktop folder.

# this following command removes all icons from the desktop
# so make sure that is what you want to do (this is not reversible)!
rm ~/Desktop/*

or if you want only to remove a single file:

rm ~/Desktop/<file-name>.desktop

You can always recreate those files by dragging the applications from the dash back to the desktop which will create a new icon or as you did pin them from the dash to your dock.

edited Aug 14 '19 at 14:22

Thomas Ward

74,764

answered Nov 22 '17 at 09:06

Videonauth

33,355
17
105
120

Sorry, what is the super/windows Key? – Nermeen Hussein Nov 22 '17 at 09:08
the key which is usually either show apples super symbol or windows symbol, located between the left side ctrl key and the alt key. – Videonauth Nov 22 '17 at 09:11
Excellent answer, thanks a lot. When I click the "windows" button though nothing happens at all! – Nermeen Hussein Nov 22 '17 at 09:14
Or click on the launcher symbol in your dock? Which version of Ubuntu are you using? – Videonauth Nov 22 '17 at 09:15
I'm using 17.04 – Nermeen Hussein Nov 22 '17 at 09:17
Then pressing this key should open the dash, however you can as well click on the Ubuntu symbol on your dock to open it. – Videonauth Nov 22 '17 at 09:18
The windows key isn't doing anything. But, yes, I followed yr advice on the Ubuntu launcher and now the desktop is all nice and tidy :-)) – Nermeen Hussein Nov 22 '17 at 09:26

How to remove things from the desktop without deleting them or unpinning them from launcher?

1 Answers1