2

I made my little Python app, but I can't launch the app using the desktop entry I created:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=MyApp
Version=0.1
Exec=/usr/share/MyApp/MyApp.py
Icon=/usr/share/MyApp/img/MyApp.png
Comment=Description......
Type=Application
Terminal=false
StartupNotify=false
Categories=Video;GTK;GNOME

The /usr/share/MyApp folder I made as root and the MyApp.py has executable properties.

Every time I double Click the MyApp.desktop the MyApp.py launch, display a systray icon, but it closes and make Ubuntu display a error message.

If I run the MyApp.py from terminal or double click on the .py file it runs normally, no crashes.

Kulfy
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aaaaaaaaaaaaaaa
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3 Answers3

15

May I offer a few notes and improvements over the accepted answer?

  • Manually installing software to /usr/share is strongly discouraged!!! That tree should be reserved for software installed by your package manager (Ubuntu Software Center, apt, etc). There is usr/local/share for that. Or, if you don't want to use sudo, you may install for your user only at ~/.local/share. See https://askubuntu.com/a/135679/11015 for more information about software install directories.

  • If you want to execute a .desktop file by double-clicking on it, in Nautilus or your Desktop, just make the .desktop file executable! Note that this is not required if you copy it to /usr/share/applications and launch it via Dash/Menu. Or, better: copy to ~/.local/share/applications or at least /usr/local/share/applications, as suggested above.

  • Icon=/usr/share/MyApp/MyApp.py makes no sense: a .py file is not a valid image, so it cannot be used as an icon. If you want to use the default python icon, use /usr/share/pixmaps/python.xpm

  • The main difference between your .desktop file and the accepted answer is the Path=/usr/share/MyApp/ statement. If that made your app work, it means your software requires the current directory to be the application directory. And that is a bad thing: your software should be able to run fine and find its data files regardless of current directory. (hint: use python's __file__)

  • If your application is a GUI (ie, it has a window), then add StartupNotify=true. It will help the launcher identify its window when it is running.

Community
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MestreLion
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3

Try following text in your .desktop file.

[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Name=ProgramName
Comment=This is my comment
Exec=/usr/share/MyApp/MyApp.py
Icon=/usr/share/MyApp/MyApp.py
Path=/usr/share/MyApp/
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Categories=Utility;Application;
dedunu
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0

I think you should move your Python file to /usr/local/bin or /bin and remove the .py at the end and add #!/bin/python3 to first line of your python file then copy you icon to /usr/share/pixmaps and add this in the .desktop file

Exec=<your file name which is in bin>
Icon=<your logo name without .png or xpm at back>
Greenonline
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Samuel Painadath
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