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Rosella Bowlan

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Aug 2, 2024, 12:36:45 PM8/2/24

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I've tried deleting the shortcut and creating a new one and it worked once, not any more. I've also just tried uninstalling the app but it did not go away right away until I did a restart then reinstalled it - icon is still missing after making the desktop shortcut. There is a previous version dated (11.15.2015) in properties but I have not tried restoring to it - clicking open does nothing.

I create the shortcut by dragging the metro app on to the desktop. Netflix did get an update not too long ago since I can tell the UI is a little different. Other metro apps I create a desktop shortcut for do show their icon.

I was advised to start a new thread to an old question posted back in 2009, because a lot has changed since then and creating a desktop icon is supposed to be easy now.
I must admit I'm a new convert to Linux and have a lot to learn. That's why I'm here. I think the XFCE desktop envionment is one of the best set-ups of them all, but there are very simple tasks that are not intuitive at all or downright hard to accomplish.

One of those things is creating a desktop icon. I found out through much trial and error and by finally giving up and looking it up on the internet, that you have to "Create a Launcher", which sounds much different than adding a desktop shortcut. But it does make sense as to why it's called that... just threw me off.

I would like to look at and go through all the apps I have so that I can decide which ones I'd like on the desktop. Once I looked up where to find those, I right clicked on one that I wanted and I see the "send to desktop(create shortcut)" option. That's perfect! But not so fast.... Now I have a shortcut with a lock on it, and everytime I click it there's a warning saying:
Untrusted application launcher
"The desktop file "gcalctool.desktop" is in an insecure location and not marked as executable. If you do not trust this program, click Cancel.
Exec=gnome-calculator"
with a promt to "Launch Anyway" or "Cancel"

It's not very handy to add these shortcuts with the "create launcher" function because then I'm not choosing from a list... I have to start typing the app I want from memory, unless I "work-around" that by adding all the ones I want from the list of applications or look at the list in another open window, then I can see them and I start creating the real shortcuts with the create launcher function.
After that I still get the same error, but this time a 3rd option is on the promt: "Mark Executable" ...well I'm glad that was there... now it's functional.

But it IS easy to create a desktop shortcut for one of your apps. Just open your menu, move your mouse cursor over the app, hold your left mouse button down, move your mouse cursor to the desktop, and let go of the button. I believe this process is known as "click and drag," "drag it to the desktop," something like that.

I just tried to do the same thing with the directory you mentioned by right-clicking on it from Thunar and choosing Send to / Desktop (Create Link). I also saw that the directory (link) was locked. But, really, that makes sense, because I checked the permissions and they're "root" - the same as the actual directory.

I knew the folder was under root permissions, but the right click functionality was there all the way up to launching it, as long as you didn't mind the error message each time. I just didn't understand why that would even be an option... what a tease!

BTW on my computer, even when I drag and drop an app from the applications menu to the desktop to make the shortcut, it still has the error message and I have to mark it as executable. Maybe that's a security thing...

I really kind of like access to that "usr/shared/applications" folder. I haven't yet figured out if there's a way to make a desktop shortcut for it. Since it's 'root' permission, I would bet I have to go to the terminal and use a sudo command...

Actually the folder "/usr/share/applications" has more. It is full of symbolic links to all your executables including each executable command found inside places like the "Settings Manager". While technically those are accessable in the menu by openning the menu, clicking on Settings Manager, then selecting an app (for example "Appearance"), there's not any drag and drop functionality to create a launcher to "Appearance" on the desktop from Settings Manager. But inside "/usr/share/applications" there is, and I can save 2 steps and have a launcher that goes directly to "Appearance". Which I have figured out how to do now.

Also I like seeing everything all in one place (listed alphabetically) for reference, especially when you can look at the properties of each one, including where the actual app is found and what natively opens it... just personal preference for convenience. It even lists executables that are only accessed inside of other applications otherwise. For example the "Bulk Rename" command from Thunar is there. That's not useful, but it's just an example of what's there that isn't in the menu.

My shortcut icon stopped working a couple months ago. The only way I can access dropbox is through windows explorer. I'm running windows 10. I have uninstalled/reinstalled multiple times, restarted my pc multiple times. I've tried single and double clicking, right clicking, running as administrator. By the way, the software opens just fine on my phone. Suggestions?

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Hi @PRQ! To recretate the Dropbox shortcut in your taskbar, please click on the small Dropbox icon in your system tray, go to your initials/profile picture > Preferences > Account tab. When you're at the Account tab, press alt + h on your keyboard, and click the "Create desktop shortcut" button.

I don't see those things in that area. BTW, I neglected to mention that I have two accounts (business and personal). I can't imagine that would make any difference, but thought I'd mention it. AND, the dropbox icon didn't disappear from my taskbar, it just stopped working. See attached picture.

This will install around 254MB of packages, mainly it will install wine-compholio (a custom version of wine that is able to run Silverlight) and dependencies. If wine is not installed already you may need to agree to use Microsoft fonts (in the text mode window use arrow keys or tab to reach the red "ok" button in text mode when it appears). The download/installation takes around 15 minutes.

If something went wrong in the installation (third party links are involved), don't panic: netflix-desktop will detect that something is missing and try to reinstall it, if that also fails, start over.

The window will open in fullscreen, which is very elegant, but if you want to have control over the window press F11 right away to exit fullscreen mode. (It may also ask to install a Firefox extension --specially designed-- that makes fullscreen mode more friendly.)

Credits and references: This information was originally taken from -to-use-netflix-in-ubuntu-through.html. Although this is a result of a campaign initiated by www.iheartubuntu.com in -on-linux-contest.html, resulting in this achievement -for-netflix-desktop-app.html (by Erich Hoover) which also contains a link for donations to support the development. There is also -desktop

Bonus: By running this you have a fully functional Firefox 17 (Windows version) with working Silverlight that can be used to navigate other sites, by pressing F10 -> View -> Toolbars -> Navigation menu on the main window you can access any site and be able to use Silverlight.

If you don't like the appearance of the scroll bars, you can enable Chrome's overlay scrollbars. Go to chrome://flags/#overlay-scrollbars and Enable them. Now you have scrollbars that complete the experience: