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Role desktop_file

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Summary

This role can be used to easily install desktop items through the xdg-utils package. This allows for creation of Application menu items and/or autostarting applications on user login.

Requires

An environment that suports xdg-utils. Carefully read through the variables section about the requirements of files.

Description

The purpose of this role is to install a desktop file menu items through xdg-utils reusable. This role cannot be a role on itself, due to the requirement of icon files. It has to be called from inside another role (e.g. include_role) that holds the icon files in their respective files or templates folder. See below example:

# File structure example

researchcloud-items > roles
└─── application_role
│   └───files
│       │   app_name_128.png
│       │   app_name_64.png
│       templates
│       │   app_name.desktop.j2
|       tasks
│       │   main.yml
│   
└─── desktop_file
    │   ...

In the above, _128 and _64 refer to the pixel sizes (e.g. 128x128) of the icon (see desktopfile_sizes below).

The actual role can be called and passed variables as follows:

#researchcloud-items > roles > application_role > tasks > main.yml

[...]
- name: Create desktop menu items through role
  include_role:
    name: desktop_file
  vars:
    desktopfile_app_name: <app_name>
    desktopfile_sizes:
      - <size1 int>
      - <size2 int>
      ...
    modules:
      - <desktop item>
      - <desktop item>
    var1_required_for_app_name.desktop.j2: value
    var2_required_for_app_name.desktop.j2: value
    ...
[...]

Todo

  • Add option to create a desktop shortcut.

Variables

Required variables

  • desktopfile_app_name: String. The name of your application for which to install a desktop item.
  • desktopfile_sizes: List of integers. The different pixel count sizes of your icons. Common sizes are 16, 22, 32, 48, 64 and 128.

Required files

While not variables, the below files are assumed to exist in your playbook or roles /files or /templates folder. See the file structure example above.

  • app_name.desktop file: The desktop file/template to use. Strict name convention based on the app_name required variable.
  • app_name-size-x-size.png files: One file for each of your sizes of your icon. At least every size in the required variable desktopfile_sizes must have one representitive file. Strict name convention based on the desktopfile_app_name and desktopfile_sizes required variables.

Optional variables

  • desktopfile_menu: Boolean. Defines whether or not to install an entry in the Application menu. Default: true.
  • desktopfile_login: Boolean. Defines whether or not to start the application on user login. Default: false.
  • desktopfile_modules: List. If defined, a desktop item is installed for each of the modules in the list. This is used when your application needs several desktop items. All the modules will share the same icon.
  • If your app_name.desktop file is a Jinja2 template that holds variables, ensure that those variables are passed to this role as well.

See also

History

2022 Written by Sytse Groenwold

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