UPDATE Linux Mint 18, Cinnamon ... cannot create desktop link ... how to?

Please post suggestions for improvement of Cinnamon on:
https://github.com/linuxmint/Cinnamon
Forum rules
Before you post read how to get help. Topics in this forum are automatically closed 6 months after creation.
Locked
User avatar
MintyMorkyMindy
Level 3
Level 3
Posts: 169
Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2014 3:53 am

UPDATE Linux Mint 18, Cinnamon ... cannot create desktop link ... how to?

Post by MintyMorkyMindy »

Hi,

I have a working standalone application on a usb HDD that I wish to create a desktop link for.

The location is similar to this:

/media/username/usbDRIVEname/folderNAME

I am able to create a working "make link" within the folder of the application.

However I am unable to create a desktop launcher.

When I move the above mentioned "make link" to the desktop, it stops working.

When I try to create a desktop launcher, it will not accept the path as a command.

I do NOT want to use the terminal to solve this problem.

...

How to make a desktop link in Linux Mint 17.1, cinnamon?

Thanks.
Last edited by LockBot on Wed Dec 28, 2022 7:16 am, edited 2 times in total.
Reason: Topic automatically closed 6 months after creation. New replies are no longer allowed.
Linux Mint since 5 October 2014 :D
caribriz

Re: Cinnamon 17.1 ... cannot create desktop link ... how to?

Post by caribriz »

Hi,

Try this in the "Command" line for the Desktop Launcher:

Code: Select all

nemo /media/username/usbDRIVEname/folderNAME
User avatar
MintyMorkyMindy
Level 3
Level 3
Posts: 169
Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2014 3:53 am

Re: Cinnamon 17.1 ... cannot create desktop link ... how to?

Post by MintyMorkyMindy »

Thanks for the reply.

It didn't work.

I use the link target path from a "make link" within the folder, which works. I copy and paste that to the launcher command line. The launcher doesn't accept the path.

It also doesn't accept it with the nemo prefix.

There are spaces in the file name and path.

It says "spaces in file names must be escaped with backslash (/)", which makes no sense to me. The path is correct. The make link works, the desktop launcher doesn't.
Linux Mint since 5 October 2014 :D
caribriz

Re: Cinnamon 17.1 ... cannot create desktop link ... how to?

Post by caribriz »

If the folder name has spaces in it, try enclosing the names in quotation marks, in the command line for the desktop launcher:

Code: Select all

nemo /media/username/usbDRIVEname/"folder NAME"
This worked for me, for a folder with spaces in the folder name located on a connected usb flashdrive.
Last edited by caribriz on Tue Dec 09, 2014 5:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
MintyMorkyMindy
Level 3
Level 3
Posts: 169
Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2014 3:53 am

Re: Cinnamon 17.1 ... cannot create desktop link ... how to?

Post by MintyMorkyMindy »

Thanks for the replies.

Adding quotes " link path " before and after the link path. enables the launcher to accept the "command". Unfortunately, the launcher doesn't do anything when clicked.

Adding the prefix nemo, opens nemo to the correct folder.

I am still unable to create a desktop link to a program. The program works fine. I don't know how to see the suffix of the program name, so I can't try to add that - how can full program names be shown within Nemo?
eg:
name_of_progeam.exe

How to display the "exe" equivalent within Nemo?

Thanks.
Linux Mint since 5 October 2014 :D
caribriz

Re: Cinnamon 17.1 ... cannot create desktop link ... how to?

Post by caribriz »

Apologies, MintyMorkyMindy

I misread your original post. :oops:

Please disregard my answer altogether.
I was thinking you just wanted to make a desktop launcher to a location on a drive,
I didn't realise you wanted it for an application, so "nemo" in the command is irrelevant.

I think gmilo2's suggestion is what you want.

If you say which application it is you're trying to link to, it may be easier for someone to help find a solution.
User avatar
MintyMorkyMindy
Level 3
Level 3
Posts: 169
Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2014 3:53 am

Re: Cinnamon 17.1 ... cannot create desktop link ... how to?

Post by MintyMorkyMindy »

The program type that I wish to run is:
Program (application/x-executable)

At the desktop, when I create a launcher, and use the browse function, the path it puts into the command field is inccorrect:

/media/userNAME/usbHDDname/abcdef\ ghijk/123\ 456\ 78\ 90/Start\ program \NAME

The correct link path is:

/media/userNAME/usbHDDname/abcdefghijk/1234567890/programName

...

The backward slashes \ are used to represent spaces. I removed spaces from the names in the path, using underscore _ and this didn't work fully. The launcher now accepts the path, but it won't run the program.

Looking at the launcher properties, the file type is text, per:
Text (application/x-desktop)

If it is referring to the program, then it is misreading it, for it is an application and not a text file. There is no obvious way to correct this.

...

I moved the portable program from the usb HDD to the Linux Mint 17.1 HDD and that made no difference in getting the desktop launcher to work.

...

The make link within the folder works, however this doesn't work when placed on the destop.

Nemo ought to have the function, right click on a file and create a desktop shortcut ... that is user friendly. It also should be able to create a link to a program and for that link to be working when moved to a different folder.

The whole create a launcher and find a path, even if/when working, isn't as good a method of creating desktop links and other links.

Nemo also disappears the Pidgin icon from the panel.

Nemo clearly has problems with names, paths, link functionality and the panel. There are standalone Windows explorers that work well so I don't understand how Nemo, the flagship of Cinnamon can be in such a poor state.

Nemo can't create working links and it doesn't display the Pidgin icon when it is running ... where can these bugs be lodged? Thanks.
Linux Mint since 5 October 2014 :D
codegnosis

Re: Cinnamon 17.1 ... cannot create desktop link ... how to?

Post by codegnosis »

Hi,

When you create a desktop link via "Create Launcher", it's expecting, and checks for an executable file. By that, I mean a Unix executable, with execute permissions. I imagine that your USB drive is formatted to either FAT32 or NTFS, which doesn't support Unix permissions, so the Create Launcher can't check to see if the file has +x. Unfortunately, even running chmod 755 on the file won't work on the USB drive.

However, you mentioned that you have copied the file to your Linux HDD and it still doesn't work. This is because the permissions applied to the file on the FAT/NTFS drive have been carried over as the file was copied. If you cd into the directory where you copied the file, e.g.

Code: Select all

cd /home/username/Desktop
and then run

Code: Select all

ls -l
it will probably output something like the following:

Code: Select all

-rw------- 1 user user   2330592 May 29  2014 the_file_you_want_to_launch.whatever
This means that it only has read/write permissions for your user, so you need to run:

Code: Select all

chmod 755 the_file_you_want_to_launch.whatever
which will give it executable permissions, so that

Code: Select all

ls -l
will return

Code: Select all

-rwxr-xr-x 1 user user   2330592 May 29  2014 the_file_you_want_to_launch.whatever
Only now is it executable, and you should be able to create a desktop launcher for it. However, this will not work on your USB drive if it's FAT/NTFS

Hope that helps :)
User avatar
MintyMorkyMindy
Level 3
Level 3
Posts: 169
Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2014 3:53 am

Re: Cinnamon 17.1 ... cannot create desktop link ... how to?

Post by MintyMorkyMindy »

Thanks codegnosis for your reply, the eternal usb 1.0 TB drive is Ext4 (version 1.0), standard Linux Mint 17.0/17.1 format from memory.

I no longer use the software that originally led to this post.

I'll keep in mind your post, thanks.
Linux Mint since 5 October 2014 :D
User avatar
MintyMorkyMindy
Level 3
Level 3
Posts: 169
Joined: Sun Oct 05, 2014 3:53 am

Re: Cinnamon 17.1 ... cannot create desktop link ... how to?

Post by MintyMorkyMindy »

Linux Mint 18, Cinnamon ... I still don't know how to create a desktop shortcut.

Where the problem is, the steps I've followed.

1. Right click on the desktop and click:
"Create a new launcher here ..."

2.
Name: ABC
Command: /media/username/disk\ HDD/folder/folder\ ABC
Comment:

...

The media is ext4.

For the command, I browsed to the program to add it. However there is a small red circle with a diagonal line through it.

That is as far as I have gotten.

The program launches fine from the actual folder.

Thanks.
Linux Mint since 5 October 2014 :D
Ascaris

Re: UPDATE Linux Mint 18, Cinnamon ... cannot create desktop link ... how to?

Post by Ascaris »

You just want a link, right? It doesn't have to be a desktop launcher for that, if all you want is a link.

Just drag the file from the USB drive to the desktop as if you were going to copy it there, but don't release the mouse button. Press CTRL and SHIFT on the keyboard, then release the mouse button. It should create a link to the file.
Locked

Return to “Cinnamon”