[SOLVED] Bash script: Convert MS URL files to Linux desktop links

äxl · 11-08-2013, 06:44 AM

Hi folks! This is mainly for my own record but maybe it can help others.
I made some links in Windows to web pages but all I got was these .URL files.

Code:

[InternetShortcut]
URL=http://www.w3.org/
IDList=
HotKey=0
IconFile=C:\Users\User\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\8rn9f680.User\shortcutCache\gt5hKbqP7+v5RX5n3nCzwW==.ico
IconIndex=0

They contain a URL= line but the Linux equivalent is slightly different.

Code:

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Link
URL=http://www.w3.org/show/217230

These three lines a sufficent for a working web link. Here's my bash script that will convert all URL files to .desktop files:

Code:

#!/bin/bash
#case-insensitive
shopt -s nocaseglob
#give folder as argument or execute in current directory
[ -n "${1}" -a -d "${1}" ] && cd "${1}"
for file in *.url
do
	URLLINE=$(grep -Ei url= "$file")
	FILENAME=`echo $(basename "$file") | cut -d'.' -f1`
echo -ne "[Desktop Entry]\nType=Link\n$URLLINE" > "$FILENAME.desktop"
done

As always save as file and make executable.

#Licence: CC BY-SA
#Sources: ubuntuuser.de, tldp.org, linuxquestions.org

sag47 · 11-11-2013, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by äxl

Code:

	FILENAME=`echo $(basename "$file") | cut -d'.' -f1`
echo -ne "[Desktop Entry]\nType=Link\n"$URLLINE > "$FILENAME.desktop"

Neat

. A quick note: you can use bash parameter expansion instead of substitution for the file name... e.g.

Code:

#method #1 using parameter expansion: Remove matching suffix pattern.
echo -ne "[Desktop Entry]\nType=Link\n"$URLLINE > "${file%.url}.desktop"

#method #2 using parameter expansion: Pattern  substitution.
echo -ne "[Desktop Entry]\nType=Link\n"$URLLINE > "${file/%.url/.desktop}"

Also you should check to see if it is a directory before using the cd command. You should also quote the variable in case there's spaces provided in the argument. e.g.

Code:

[ -n "${1}" -a -d "${1}" ] && cd "${1}"

You should also include $URLLINE in the script within the quote. Always quote variables as a rule of thumb. e.g.

Code:

echo -ne "[Desktop Entry]\nType=Link\n${URLLINE}" > "${file%.url}.desktop"

äxl · 11-15-2013, 01:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sag47

Neat

.

Thanks.

Quote:

A quick note: you can use bash parameter expansion instead of substitution for the file name...

Nice.
Got this from http://wiki.ubuntuusers.de/TS-Daten_archivieren so blame them.

Quote:

Also you should check to see if it is a directory before using the cd command. You should also quote the variable in case there's spaces provided in the argument. e.g.

Both aren't case-insensitive. #2 doesn't work for *.URL at all.
#1 converts but doesn't delete the "url" part of the name. But that's not really important.

Quote:

Code:

[ -n "${1}" -a -d "${1}" ] && cd "${1}"

Right. Thanks.

Quote:

You should also include $URLLINE in the script within the quote. Always quote variables as a rule of thumb. e.g.

Code:

echo -ne "[Desktop Entry]\nType=Link\n${URLLINE}" > "${file%.url}.desktop"

Hm. I had this before but it wasn't working then. Thanks.

Oh, and sometimes I still get "Could not dispay "[link]". The file is of unknown type".
Which can simply be corrected by opening the .desktop-file (which is a nuisance) and save.

sag47 · 11-15-2013, 02:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by äxl

Which can simply be corrected by opening the .desktop-file (which is a nuisance) and save.

Shot in the dark but since you open the .desktop file and save it then perhaps it's an EOL issue and using the dos2unix utility will fix that from your script.