One of our readers commented this statement few days ago, and I tend to agree with him/her to a point. The commenter posted ‘adding program shortcuts to the desktop in Ubuntu sucks’.
Do you agree or not? All I will say is it sucks sometimes for new users. Other popular operating systems allows for one to quickly add a program icon on the desktop by dragging it there easily using the mouse. That’s how its supposed to be. That easy!
In Ubuntu or other Linux systems, it’s a different story at times. Just dragging a program icon on the desktop works for some programs but not all. For instance, if you drag LibreOffice Writer icon from Dash to your desktop in Ubuntu, a shortcut will be created but owned by the root user. Why is that?
And if you double-click it to launch it, you’ll get the following error message
“The application launcher ‘writer.desktop’ has not been marked as trusted. If you do not know the source of the file, launching it may be unsafe”
That’s not cool. This is not what new users want. New users want to use these features without running commands. To fix this in Ubuntu, one must run the below commands.
sudo chmod +x ~/Desktop/*.desktop
Then take ownership of the icons by running the commands below.
sudo chown username ~/Desktop/*.desktopReplace username with your account name.
Restart or log out and log back in for the changes to take effect.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How can I add program icons to the desktop in Ubuntu?
To add program icons to the desktop in Ubuntu, you can drag the program icon to the desktop. However, ensure that the ownership and permissions are correctly set to avoid errors.
What do I do if the program icon on the Ubuntu desktop is owned by the root user?
If a program icon on the Ubuntu desktop is owned by the root user, you can change ownership using the terminal. Run 'sudo chown username ~/Desktop/*.desktop' to take ownership of the icon.
Why am I getting an error message 'The application launcher has not been marked as trusted' in Ubuntu?
The error message 'The application launcher has not been marked as trusted' in Ubuntu indicates a security warning. To resolve this, you need to mark the application launcher as trusted or adjust the permissions.
How can I fix the issue of unsafe file launching in Ubuntu?
To fix the issue of unsafe file launching in Ubuntu, you can adjust the permissions of the desktop icon by running 'sudo chmod +x ~/Desktop/*.desktop'. This allows you to launch the application without encountering security warnings.
What commands should I run to take ownership of desktop icons in Ubuntu?
To take ownership of desktop icons in Ubuntu, run 'sudo chown username ~/Desktop/*.desktop' where 'username' is your account name. This ensures that you have the necessary permissions to manage the desktop icons.
How do I ensure changes to ownership and permissions take effect in Ubuntu?
To ensure changes to ownership and permissions take effect in Ubuntu, you need to restart your system or log out and log back in. This allows the changes to be applied and reflected in the desktop icons.
What are the common issues new users face when adding program icons to the Ubuntu desktop?
Common issues new users face when adding program icons to the Ubuntu desktop include ownership problems, security warnings, and permission errors. It is important to follow the correct steps to avoid these issues.
Is there a simpler way for new users to add program icons to the Ubuntu desktop?
For new users looking for a simpler way to add program icons to the Ubuntu desktop without running commands, it is recommended to use the GUI interface or follow detailed step-by-step guides to ensure a smooth process.
