[kmenuedit] [Bug 321152] New: Desktop file not usable outside KDE due to empty incompatible field: Path[$e]=

[Ben Armstrong]

https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=321152

            Bug ID: 321152
           Summary: Desktop file not usable outside KDE due to empty
                    incompatible field: Path[$e]=
    Classification: Unclassified
           Product: kmenuedit
           Version: 0.8
          Platform: Debian unstable
                OS: Linux
            Status: UNCONFIRMED
          Severity: normal
          Priority: NOR
         Component: general
          Assignee: unassigned-bugs at kde.org
          Reporter: synrg at debian.org

At a time when alacarte was temporarily broken in Debian unstable, I wanted to
find a drop-in replacement for it to help another user find a workaround to
this breakage. I assumed kmenuedit, which describes itself as an "XDG menu
editor", would be compatible. I understand the xdg specs are not binding and
each desktop environment has implemented slightly different features that may
not always be compatible. However, is there really any good reason to write out
an empty "Path[$e]="? This field prevents other desktops, such as Gnome3, from
being able to read the desktop files that kmenuedit writes. The end result from
the user's perspective is that a new custom launcher created in kmenuedit for a
custom cannot be found in GNOME3.

Now, admittedly this is a minor corner case, and a knowledgable user can find
the file kmenuedit writes and hand-edit it to delete the offending "Path[$e]="
line to make the desktop file visible to GNOME3, but this is tedious and ugly.
It would be better if kmenuedit did not write out such fields, since they seem
to serve no purpose, thereby making it more interoperable with other
environments.

Thanks,
Ben


Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1. In a gnome-shell session, start kmenuedit
2. In an appropriate category (i used "Utilities"), File > New Item ...
3. Give it some values, such as: Name = test, Description = test, Command =
xeyes, icon = gnome-eyes-applet.
4. Save
5. In gnome-shell Overview, Type to Search for "test"
Actual Results:  
The new test launcher does not appear with the icon we gave it.

Expected Results:  
The new test launcher should have appeared.


6. Hand-edit the file kmenuedit created, locate the line "Path[$e]=" and delete
that line
7. Perform step 5 again (In gnome-shell Overview, Type to Search for "test")
-> The new test launcher appears.
8. Click on the launcher.
-> The test program will be launched.

I suspect, but don't know for sure, that other desktop environments are
affected. I only tested in gnome-shell.

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