Type=Webapp

Thu Jan 7 07:54:56 PST 2016

Hallo,

> Sent: Thursday, January 07, 2016 at 12:47 PM
> From: "Giles Atkinson" <Giles.Atkinson at citrix.com>
> To: "'Genghis Khan'" <genghiskhan at gmx.ca>
> Cc: "xdg at lists.freedesktop.org" <xdg at lists.freedesktop.org>
> Subject: RE: RE: Type=Webapp
>
> Genghis,
> 
> > Please pardon me for being unclear.
> 
> I did not think your posting unclear, but the details need
> to be worked out and described unambiguously before a new
> file sub-type can be added to the spec.  The existing
> specification could use some improvements in this area (see
> below).
> 

Thank you.  It was a note to myself ;-)

> > I have answered to your queries, but, if you may, please
> > elaborate on the following part of your message:
> 
> >> so is it intended purely for the "application" argument of
> >> "xdg-mime default"?  If not, what does it do?
> 
> In my (limited) experience adding a desktop file with a MimeType
> line does not register a new MIME data handler with the Desktop
> system.  In fact it seems to have no effect at all.  I have
> tested KDE, Unity and (IIRC) GNOME.  To add a handler, the
> "xdg-mime default" must be used to associate the MIME type with
> the desktop file.
> 

Yes, indeed so.  Now, I understand what you meant by "xdg-mime".

Webapp launchers are to be included, by user demand, in:
defaults.list
mimeapps.list

> The spec says this about the MimeType key:
> 
> The MimeType key is used to indicate the MIME Types that an
> application knows how to handle. It is expected that for some
> applications this list could become long. An application is
> expected to be able to reasonably open files of these types using
> the command listed in the Exec key.
> 
> There should be no priority for MIME Types in this field, or any
> form of priority in the desktop file. Priority for applications
> is handled external to the .desktop files.
> 
> 
> That suggests that there is no requirement for the key to do
> anything by itself.
> 

Desktop Entry of type Webapp, which is, eventually, a hybrid of
types Application and Link would certainly use "xdg-mime" as it
is with Application type and would behave as a Desktop Entry of
type Application.

> > Indeed, there is no Exec key, only Link key, and such
> > launchers would be activated with a default web browser,
> > similarly to entries of Type=Link.
> 
> >> The meaning of the Link item is unclear.  The spec
> >> defines the %u substitution as handling a URL, but yours
> >> is already in the tail of a URL.
> 
> > Yes, this is because I did not figure of a better way to
> > realize it, so I did it in a similar manner to how it is
> > done within web browsers with what is known as "smart
> > bookmarks".  See http://ptaff.ca/smart/
> 
> My French is not great, but if I interpreted that correctly,
> you are proposing nothing more than a parameterised variant
> of a Link desktop file.

I think so, yes.

> That seems a good idea, but it is not clear that it needs a
> new sub-type.  Have you considered the alternative of
> extending the Link format?
> 

No, I don't think we need to extend the link format, because
it is almost identical to Application type, they are both a
Desktop Entry, but I could be wrong.

> I notice that the current spec does not describe the expected
> behaviour of Link and Directory files at all!
> 

This is not directly related to our issue, am I correct?
What is Directory file?

> Thanks,
> 
> Giles
> 
> 
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Genghis Khan [mailto:genghiskhan at gmx.ca] 
> Sent: 07 January 2016 8:39 AM
> To: Giles Atkinson
> Cc: xdg at lists.freedesktop.org
> Subject: Re: RE: Type=Webapp
> 
> Hello Giles,
> 
> Please pardon me for being unclear.
> 
> I have answered to your queries, but, if you may, please
> elaborate on the following part of your message:
> 
> > so is it intended purely for the "application" argument of
> > "xdg-mime default"?  If not, what does it do?
> 
> See rest of message below.
> 
> > Sent: Wednesday, January 06, 2016 at 5:34 PM
> > From: "Giles Atkinson" <Giles.Atkinson at citrix.com>
> > To: "'Genghis Khan'" <genghiskhan at gmx.ca>, "xdg at lists.freedesktop.org" <xdg at lists.freedesktop.org>
> > Subject: RE: Type=Webapp
> >
> > Genghis,
> > 
> > I think this needs additional explanation.  My guess is that
> > such entries are not expected to be visible (NoDisplay=true),
> > so is it intended purely for the "application" argument of
> > "xdg-mime default"?  If not, what does it do?
> > 
> 
> Yes, mostly, but not exclusively.
> 
> Such entries are mostly to be used with invoking protocols such
> as irc://, sip:, tox:, xmpp: or files such as ODT, TXT etc.
> 
> Yet these entries may also be used as standalone launchers and,
> as such, are to be visible (NoDisplay=false).
> 
> > How do you expect a Desktop File of this type to be activated?
> > What do you expect to happen when such an entry is activated
> > (there is no Exec key)?
> > 
> 
> Indeed, there is no Exec key, only Link key, and such launchers
> would be activated with a default web browser, similarly to entries
> of Type=Link.
> 
> > The meaning of the Link item is unclear.  The spec defines the
> > %u substitution as handling a URL, but yours is already in the
> > tail of a URL.
> > 
> 
> Yes, this is because I did not figure of a better way to realize it,
> so I did it in a similar manner to how it is done within web browsers
> with what is known as "smart bookmarks".  See http://ptaff.ca/smart/
> 
> > Thanks,
> > 
> > Giles
> > 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: xdg [mailto:xdg-bounces at lists.freedesktop.org] On Behalf Of Genghis Khan
> > Sent: 06 January 2016 11:47 AM
> > To: xdg at lists.freedesktop.org
> > Subject: Re: Type=Webapp
> > 
> > This might also be used for editing documents with online
> > word processors or spreadsheet editors etc.
> > 
> > > Sent: Tuesday, January 05, 2016 at 6:43 AM
> > > From: "Genghis Khan" <genghiskhan at gmx.ca>
> > > To: xdg at lists.freedesktop.org
> > > Subject: Type=Webapp
> > >
> > > Hallo,
> > > 
> > > 
> > > I would like to propose a new type of Desktop shortcut.
> > > 
> > > Type=Webapp
> > > 
> > > Instead of having to repeat a Register Protocol Handler
> > > procedure to add a "webapp", I suggest to create a .desktop
> > > file to directory .local/share/applications/ instead of or
> > > in addition to this procedure for two reasons:
> > > 
> > >  1. Not to have to repeat this procedure with every web
> > >     browser.
> > > 
> > >  2. The ability to access a "webapp" with a click on a
> > >     hyperlink in applications that are not web browsers.
> > > 
> > > Referring to API:
> > > window.navigator.registerProtocolHandler(protocol, uri, title);
> > > 
> > > Type=Webapp is mostly, if not solely, intended for
> > > associating web browsers with protocol MIME types.
> > > 
> > > Example Desktop Entry File (KiwiIRC as an example)
> > > 
> > > [Desktop Entry]
> > > Version=2.0
> > > Type=Webapp
> > > NoDisplay=true
> > > Name=KiwiIRC
> > > Comment=Chat over the Internet Relay Chat network
> > > Link=https://irc.freedesktop.org/%u
> > > Icon=kiwiirc
> > > MimeType=x-scheme-handler/irc;
> > > Actions=Nickname;Register;MOTD; #actions might be useful
> > > 
> > > Please post your opinions and thoughts.
> > > 
> > > 
> > > With regards,
> > >   --GK
> > > 
> > 
> 