Type=Webapp

[Genghis Khan]

Giles,

Below is a note I forgot to add in my last message.

> Sent: Thursday, January 07, 2016 at 7:57 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: RE: Type=Webapp
>
> Genghis,
>
> >> 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.
>
> What I mean is that I think the "Type=Webapp" is not needed,
> and your example could look like this.
>
> [Desktop Entry]
> Version=1.1
> Type=Link
> 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
>
> So what would be added is the new key "Link" that defines a
> URI with substitution(s).The Desktop file could also contain
> the "URL" key, to specify a separate URI to be used when no
> parameter is passed. And Link type Desktop files can now
> have Actions, with their own Link and URL keys.
>

I do not know how to realize it in the est way, but please take
into consideration, if you did not, that one might want to use
a Webapp to handle a protocol (e.g. feed: for RSS feeds) where
we use NoDisplay=true, and also to use a Webapp as is, which is
a case where we *would not* use NoDisplay=true.

Examples: Chat clients and Feed Readers (TinyTinyRSS).

Sometimes, I would want to subscribe to a feed with TinyTinyRSS,
and sometimes, I would want to check for news updates.

> >> 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?
>
> Yes, I think so.
>
> > What is Directory file?
>
> A special type of Desktop file. I think it is used only with the
> XDG Menu spec.
>
> Giles
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Genghis Khan [mailto:genghiskhan at gmx.ca]
> Sent: 07 January 2016 3:55 PM
> To: Giles Atkinson
> Cc: xdg at lists.freedesktop.org
> Subject: Re: RE: RE: Type=Webapp
>
> 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
> > > >
> > >
> >
>