'\" t
.\"     Title: xdg-desktop-icon
.\"    Author: Kevin Krammer
.\" Generator: DocBook XSL Stylesheets v1.79.1 <http://docbook.sf.net/>
.\"      Date: 01/11/2021
.\"    Manual: xdg-desktop-icon Manual
.\"    Source: xdg-utils 1.0
.\"  Language: English
.\"
.TH "XDG\-DESKTOP\-ICON" "1" "01/11/2021" "xdg-utils 1.0" "xdg-desktop-icon Manual"
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.SH "NAME"
xdg-desktop-icon \- command line tool for (un)installing icons to the desktop
.SH "SYNOPSIS"
.HP \w'\fBxdg\-desktop\-icon\fR\ 'u
\fBxdg\-desktop\-icon\fR install [\fB\-\-novendor\fR] \fIFILE\fR
.HP \w'\fBxdg\-desktop\-icon\fR\ 'u
\fBxdg\-desktop\-icon\fR uninstall \fIFILE\fR
.HP \w'\fBxdg\-desktop\-icon\fR\ 'u
\fBxdg\-desktop\-icon\fR {\fB\-\-help\fR | \fB\-\-manual\fR | \fB\-\-version\fR}
.SH "DESCRIPTION"
.PP
The xdg\-desktop\-icon program can be used to install an application launcher or other file on the desktop of the current user\&.
.PP
An application launcher is represented by a *\&.desktop file\&. Desktop files are defined by the freedesktop\&.org Desktop Entry Specification\&. The most important aspects of *\&.desktop files are summarized below\&.
.SH "COMMANDS"
.PP
install
.RS 4
Installs
\fIFILE\fR
to the desktop of the current user\&.
\fIFILE\fR
can be a *\&.desktop file or any other type of file\&.
.RE
.PP
uninstall
.RS 4
Removes
\fIFILE\fR
from the desktop of the current user\&.
.RE
.SH "OPTIONS"
.PP
\fB\-\-novendor\fR
.RS 4
Normally, xdg\-desktop\-icon checks to ensure that a *\&.desktop file to be installed has a vendor prefix\&. This option can be used to disable that check\&.
.sp
A vendor prefix consists of alpha characters ([a\-zA\-Z]) and is terminated with a dash ("\-")\&. Companies and organizations are encouraged to use a word or phrase, preferably the organizations name, for which they hold a trademark as their vendor prefix\&. The purpose of the vendor prefix is to prevent name conflicts\&.
.RE
.PP
\fB\-\-help\fR
.RS 4
Show command synopsis\&.
.RE
.PP
\fB\-\-manual\fR
.RS 4
Show this manual page\&.
.RE
.PP
\fB\-\-version\fR
.RS 4
Show the xdg\-utils version information\&.
.RE
.SH "DESKTOP FILES"
.PP
An application launcher can be added to the desktop by installing a *\&.desktop file\&. A *\&.desktop file consists of a
\fI[Desktop Entry]\fR
header followed by several
\fIKey\fR=\fIValue\fR
lines\&.
.PP
A *\&.desktop file can provide a name and description for an application in several different languages\&. This is done by adding a language code as used by LC_MESSAGES in square brackets behind the
\fIKey\fR\&. This way one can specify different values for the same
\fIKey\fR
depending on the currently selected language\&.
.PP
The following keys are often used:
.PP
Type=Application
.RS 4
This is a mandatory field that indicates that the *\&.desktop file describes an application launcher\&.
.RE
.PP
Name=\fIApplication Name\fR
.RS 4
The name of the application\&. For example
\fIMozilla\fR
.RE
.PP
GenericName=\fIGeneric Name\fR
.RS 4
A generic description of the application\&. For example
\fIWeb Browser\fR
.RE
.PP
Comment=\fIComment\fR
.RS 4
Optional field to specify a tooltip for the application\&. For example
\fIVisit websites on the Internet\fR
.RE
.PP
Icon=\fIIcon File\fR
.RS 4
The icon to use for the application\&. This can either be an absolute path to an image file or an icon\-name\&. If an icon\-name is provided an image lookup by name is done in the user\*(Aqs current icon theme\&. The
\fBxdg\-icon\-resource\fR
command can be used to install image files into icon themes\&. The advantage of using an icon\-name instead of an absolute path is that with an icon\-name the application icon can be provided in several different sizes as well as in several differently themed styles\&.
.RE
.PP
Exec=\fICommand Line\fR
.RS 4
The command line to start the application\&. If the application can open files the %f placeholder should be specified\&. When a file is dropped on the application launcher the %f is replaced with the file path of the dropped file\&. If multiple files can be specified on the command line the %F placeholder should be used instead of %f\&. If the application is able to open URLs in addition to local files then %u or %U can be used instead of %f or %F\&.
.RE
.PP
For a complete overview of the *\&.desktop file format please visit
\m[blue]\fB\%http://www.freedesktop.org/wiki/Specifications/desktop-entry-spec\fR\m[]
.SH "ENVIRONMENT VARIABLES"
.PP
xdg\-desktop\-icon honours the following environment variables:
.PP
XDG_UTILS_DEBUG_LEVEL
.RS 4
Setting this environment variable to a non\-zero numerical value makes xdg\-desktop\-icon do more verbose reporting on stderr\&. Setting a higher value increases the verbosity\&.
.RE
.SH "EXIT CODES"
.PP
An exit code of 0 indicates success while a non\-zero exit code indicates failure\&. The following failure codes can be returned:
.PP
\fB1\fR
.RS 4
Error in command line syntax\&.
.RE
.PP
\fB2\fR
.RS 4
One of the files passed on the command line did not exist\&.
.RE
.PP
\fB3\fR
.RS 4
A required tool could not be found\&.
.RE
.PP
\fB4\fR
.RS 4
The action failed\&.
.RE
.PP
\fB5\fR
.RS 4
No permission to read one of the files passed on the command line\&.
.RE
.SH "SEE ALSO"
.PP
\fBxdg-icon-resource\fR(1)
.SH "EXAMPLES"
.PP
The company ShinyThings Inc\&. has developed an application named "WebMirror" and would like to add a launcher for for on the desktop\&. The company will use "shinythings" as its vendor id\&. In order to add the application to the desktop there needs to be a \&.desktop file for the application:
.sp
.if n \{\
.RS 4
.\}
.nf
shinythings\-webmirror\&.desktop:

  [Desktop Entry]
  Encoding=UTF\-8
  Type=Application

  Exec=webmirror
  Icon=shinythings\-webmirror

  Name=WebMirror
  Name[nl]=WebSpiegel
.fi
.if n \{\
.RE
.\}
.PP
Now the xdg\-desktop\-icon tool can be used to add the webmirror\&.desktop file to the desktop:
.sp
.if n \{\
.RS 4
.\}
.nf
xdg\-desktop\-icon install \&./shinythings\-webmirror\&.desktop
.fi
.if n \{\
.RE
.\}
.PP
To add a README file to the desktop as well, the following command can be used:
.sp
.if n \{\
.RS 4
.\}
.nf
xdg\-desktop\-icon install \&./shinythings\-README
.fi
.if n \{\
.RE
.\}
.sp
.SH "AUTHORS"
.PP
\fBKevin Krammer\fR
.RS 4
Author.
.RE
.PP
\fBJeremy White\fR
.RS 4
Author.
.RE
.SH "COPYRIGHT"
.br
Copyright \(co 2006
.br
