Panel entries for browsers that a distribution does not support

nobodyuknow · 2021-02-03 23:17:32

I've asked many questions and have gotten all of my queries answered. So I thought I'd try to give back to the community.

When I first started using Linux, I thought I was restricted to the browsers the developers offered. Then I realized that browsers such as Pale Moon and Basilisk could be used by downloading it (Pale Moon calls it a bzipped tarball), extracting it, and moving the folder to the desktop, where I could start it by opening the folder and double-clicking on the executable (I could also just leave them in Downloads and access them there). But then I realized that I could add those entries to the panel by adding two files to the file system. Please note that Openbox is slightly different, as one must edit the Panel file.

First, a .png file must be copied to /usr/share/pixmaps, in this case, basilisk.png. I found this icon in basilisk/browser/icons, named mozicon128.png. This file will serve as the icon in the panel.

Second, a .desktop file must be added to /usr/share/applications. The format is:

[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Version=1.0
Type=Application
Terminal=false
Exec=/home/username/Downloads/basilisk/basilisk
Name=Basilisk
GenericName=Web Browser
Icon=basilisk
Categories=Network;WebBrowser

The file referenced in the Exec line could reside anywhere. The file referenced in the Icon line has an implied extension of .png, in this case the icon is called "basilisk.png" and resides in /usr/share/pixmaps. I chose to copy the .png file to /usr/share/pixmaps, though one could easily keep it in /home/username/Downloads and reference it properly. The Categories line will place it in the start menu section titled Internet. The files will be accessed on the next login, so don't panic if you add them and don't see them in the start menu.

Please note that the above process would work for any application. Also note that certain browsers, with Brave being a good example, do not offer a downloadable folder that can be used this way. Browsers such as Vivaldi that offer a .deb file will automatically create .desktop and .png files and copy them to the appropriate directories. The reason I left the browser folder in Downloads is that Linux is inconsistent with respect to executables. On Devuan, both Firefox and Vivaldi are stored in /opt, so I could have copied the Basilisk folder to /opt as well. But on Sparky Linux, Firefox is stored in /usr/lib, which is surprising given that both Devuan and Sparky are Debian spins. /usr/share/pixmaps appears to be consistent between Debian spins.

The above .desktop / .png scheme works for openSUSE as well, though obviously .deb files will be of no use.

dice · 2021-02-04 06:52:50

You would better off letting basilisk/palemoon have there own directories imo instead of the Download folder.

Palemoon has a nice guide where you can softlink icons, .desktop files and binaries in the correct areas.

https://linux.palemoon.org/help/installation/

Basilisk might be different though, i believe palemoon is a derivative of basilisk ?

Ron · 2021-02-05 02:25:10

dice wrote:

Basilisk might be different though, i believe palemoon is a derivative of basilisk ?

No. Pale Moon's initial release was October 2009. Basilisk's was November 2017.

zapper · 2021-02-05 11:12:51

dice wrote:

You would better off letting basilisk/palemoon have there own directories imo instead of the Download folder.
Palemoon has a nice guide where you can softlink icons, .desktop files and binaries in the correct areas.
https://linux.palemoon.org/help/installation/
Basilisk might be different though, i believe palemoon is a derivative of basilisk ?

Palemoon is based originally on firefox 38 ESR

Basilisk is based on firefox esr 52

Just a heads up.

dice · 2021-02-05 11:55:56

Ron wrote:

dice wrote:
Basilisk might be different though, i believe palemoon is a derivative of basilisk ?
No. Pale Moon's initial release was October 2009. Basilisk's was November 2017.

yeah sorry i didnt bother to search before i typed that. Thanks for clearing that up.

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#1 2021-02-03 23:17:32

Panel entries for browsers that a distribution does not support

#2 2021-02-04 06:52:50

Re: Panel entries for browsers that a distribution does not support

#3 2021-02-05 02:25:10

Re: Panel entries for browsers that a distribution does not support

#4 2021-02-05 11:12:51

Re: Panel entries for browsers that a distribution does not support

#5 2021-02-05 11:55:56

Re: Panel entries for browsers that a distribution does not support

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