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Bug 688632 - Desktop files shouldn't be "magical" but handled like normal files
Desktop files shouldn't be "magical" but handled like normal files
Status: RESOLVED FIXED
Product: nautilus
Classification: Core
Component: general
3.27.x
Other Linux
: Normal enhancement
: ---
Assigned To: Nautilus Maintainers
Nautilus Maintainers
: 107417 545882 643881 651838 712279 749466 767193 (view as bug list)
Depends on: 628897 651838
Blocks:
 
 
Reported: 2012-11-19 11:54 UTC by lamefun
Modified: 2018-05-09 16:50 UTC
See Also:
GNOME target: ---
GNOME version: ---


Description lamefun 2012-11-19 11:54:20 UTC 
There are several problems with how .desktop files are handled in Nautilus now.

1. Doesn't offer the option to edit the files in text editors.
2. It doesn't show real names of the files, but the label that is stored inside the files themselves.
3. When renaming the files, it doesn't change the real names of the files, but changes the labels inside them.

Nautilus should handle .desktop files like normal files, especially since the Desktop folder is now deprecated and .desktop files are primary managed by power users or developers.
Comment 1 Cosimo Cecchi 2012-11-19 16:44:56 UTC 
I agree with the sentiment, but we can't do this until we drop the Desktop part of Nautilus completely.
Comment 2 António Fernandes 2013-04-20 10:49:41 UTC 
*** Bug 643881 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 3 António Fernandes 2014-01-04 12:10:06 UTC 
*** Bug 712279 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 4 António Fernandes 2015-05-16 20:29:13 UTC 
*** Bug 749466 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 5 António Fernandes 2017-08-29 15:10:49 UTC 
*** Bug 545882 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 6 António Fernandes 2017-08-29 15:12:35 UTC 
*** Bug 767193 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 7 António Fernandes 2017-12-20 20:30:05 UTC 
The desktop handling is to be removed from nautilus soon: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/nautilus/issues/158

> 1. Doesn't offer the option to edit the files in text editors.

This has been fixed thanks to the "Open with Other Application..." action.

> 2. It doesn't show real names of the files, but the label that is stored
> inside the files themselves.
> 3. When renaming the files, it doesn't change the real names of the files,
> but changes the labels inside them.

A fix for these two points is already in a branch.

> *** Bug 643881 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

The tradition of adding application launchers to the Desktop folder was a good reason for nautilus to support launching them, but that reason is going away now.

But running executable binary and script files from nautilus is also possible. Running those but not running actual .desktop launchers would be weird.
Comment 8 António Fernandes 2018-01-02 16:26:08 UTC 
The 3 issues from comment #0 are fixed.

Further work on streamlining the special handling of desktop entry files will be discussed here: https://gitlab.gnome.org/GNOME/nautilus/issues/184
Comment 9 António Fernandes 2018-05-09 16:43:07 UTC 
*** Bug 107417 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***
Comment 10 António Fernandes 2018-05-09 16:50:03 UTC 
*** Bug 651838 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***