Yes the Kmenu is a mess.
With all respect for the people working on KDE, this one is simple one of the
worse things. Using SuSE myself also, after the mess SuSE makes doubles it too.
Let me try to explain.
The new method use xml file(s) in /etc/xdg for layout
Basic install KDE (SuSE 8.2 and 9.x)
/opt/kde/share/applnk (old method)
/opt/kde/share/applications (new method)
/root/.kde/share/applnk (old method)
/root/.kde/share/applications
/home/<user>/.kde/share/applnk
/home/<user>/.kde/share/applications
SuSE (8.2, 9.x?) add also there menu
/etc/opt/kde3/share/applnk
If we forget SuSE then we have a system wide menu in /opt/kde.
This is merged with the menu from the user. There is no way to see the
items are from original KDE or the users own installs. File associates,
services and mime actions are done on the merged menu and only for the
user. Its OK for me user A can't peek in user B menu settings.
But he should see it is the orginal or his own changed one.
However if you are also root then you can do it again.
root can't change, add or remove the system wide menu settings.
Also as root you can't do it user wide for update the user menu's.
You have to login as the user him/her self, or edit with a text
or XML editor in the users .kde application/applnk files.
Did you see with SuSE the double entries in open with?
That part is total not to reach with KMenu for corrections.
The old system with the applnk directories was more or less the same as
windows systems have. Changing was a simple mather of copy the desktop
file into it. Adding directories to build a organized tree is what SuSE
had done as the SuSE menu. Nothing wrong with that but the if you get
packages from other people the use the KDE menu. As result the new program
is in the KDE menu and not the SuSE menu.
After installing 3 times the same program I give up.
Later I found you could switch between the two.
It even happend with installs from SuSE packages the menu entry was
not in the SuSE menu but the KDE menu, and the reverse happens too.
A common directory, as applications, to keep the desktop files
for the menu is a good as repository.
The new way as promoted by freedesktop.org is in basic not bad.
However the simple drag and drop is gone. You need to understand how
XML works, how to build the menu with the merge, context, if
condition
and many more good options to manage that menu.
This is very user unfriendly if there is no good editor available.
Special for newbies it is almost impossible now
Your saving existing entries was done in a subdirectory of applnk I assume.
The menu system however dives in all subdirectories also. If you place it
out the .kde tree in your home map then it should go OK. In my case that worked.
You say Program Shortcut in the menu subfolder.
That is wrong because KMenuedit can only handle the .desktop files, what
is the reason you do not see the current now. You must use the provided
.desktop file from the application map or create a new one using a
existing one as template. If you place it in the /opt/kde/share/applnk
it will be system/user wide. If you go edit that one with the editor
there will be a copy made to your home(root) directory and changes
are in that one done. System wide changes can this way only done with
kedit in the /opt/kde/share/applnk map or the XML file.
The XML file is (re)build from old XML and the applnk entries.
There are now 2 systems for the KDE menu's and final will be the XML
file method. There are also 2 levels of it, the system wide /opt/kde
and the users level. Then SuSE with there idea doubles the menu also.
So you can have at least 8 places to edit for what you want. The hidden
behavior is for more people the problem that changes in the menu are
not working.
You need also run ksycoca after manual changes, and for SuSE systems
SuseConfig from CLI if you want Gnome is updated also, to update all
the menus to new state.
And to close. This double working mechanism is also for the services,
servicetypes, help and mime associates. There is not easy to find how
the old and new are interacting each other. The new way is documented
on freedesktop.org but the old is somewhere in the mist gone.
Typical programmers behavior.
Customizing your menu is almost undone after update of KDE version.
Abandon the SuSE binary RPM and do it yourself directly from KDE
source can solve the mixed SuSE and KDE way but that way you lose
the SuSE's system configuration menu also.
Yast from a linux(dos) box is the remaining way to use.
Also the SuSE help is gone that way.
I have seen on bug.kde.org one of KDE say 'who cares SuSE anyway'.
The people that use IT cares.
So your idea it is a mess is correct in my view.
I can't say all I have written is 100% correct, it is what I found and
belive it is working. Let be well. The new system isn't bad, it makes
it for all desktop systems GNome, KDE and the others more easy to share
a menus between them, that is good.
It is the missing good editor and in my view that it is the system wide
entry or the users entry. And the root (the system administrator) can't
do the system wide and his own root menu separate.
I know I'm allowed to do it myself, but that way I have to reinvent how
it exactly works now, sounds stupid, but missing clear documentation is
a reason, second C isn't my strong one.
No offence to the people working on KDE and freedesktop.org but making
this system also requires a manager to handle it. That is what is wrong.
A not unsatisfied KDE user but sad SuSE/KDE user.
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Quoted
Original von zlisiecki
Thursday, April 18th 2024, 11:54pm
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