Creating desktop icons
 

Here is a problem I have been playing with. It's creating desktop icons for programs that you have to type their name into the command line to get to run. How do I do it basically, I have managed to do it for eDonkey2000 but I want to be able to do it for Firefox and other such program. Is there an easy way?

Regards,

Mat

You have to know the complete link to the application. Most programs are in or have a link in /usr/bin so I'd start to look there. There are some search tools as well which you can use to find the program.
Firefox is for example /usr/bin/firefox or /usr/bin/mozilla-firefox

I know what to click on when I want to start up firefox (I tried making a link to the desktop but that didn't work), so I know where to start looking for the right place, now what?

Mat

Are you using gnome or kde? Then you can create a link in the menu you get by rightclicking. If you're using another window manager it might be that you can't have desktop icons.

I did this and when I shut Firefox down to test the icon it came up with "what doyou want to open this with?"It only works when I have a copy of Firefox already running.

Suppose also that I have installed some software where I just type something in the command promt to get the thing to work. The program I am trying to get to work is MuPAD, to get it working I just type xmupad after opening up a window and hey presto it opens up. How would I get an icon up for that?

Did you write the line to link to in this format:
I don't know if it automatically does this if you just type in the name but since those directories are in your $PATH I think it might work. Just try it,

Depends on the distro that you are using.

With Mandrake, using KDE, its very simple. Just create the menu item for the relevant program and then drag it to the desktop.

I've not tried this in other GUIs, but I suppose there should be a similar procedure.

I'll try it out in GNOME today and tell you.

:D

OKay, I know where these thngs live on my drive BUT therer doesn't seem to be anything I can click to make it work.All I know is the command to type in the command prompt.

Mat