Type=Webapp

piegames piegames at darmstadt.ccc.de
Tue Sep 22 13:37:12 UTC 2020 

You propose to add `Type=Webapp` to the desktop entry specification.
Thus, please provide the exact semantics of you proposal, ideally in a
way that is easy to understand for someone who has read the spec
instead of the mail backlog.

>From what I understand about your proposal though, it seems to me that
you want semantics that are similar to `Terminal=true` but for web
applications. You might want to evaluate solutions that work similarly
to terminal applications and thus won't require a new desktop entry
`Type`.

Regards,
piegames

On Mon, 2020-09-21 at 21:59 +0300, Genghis Khan wrote:
> Friends, good evening
> 
>   Allow me to begin and state, that no matter how big an operation is
> and no matter which industry (i.e. Computing, Entertainment etc.), it
> appears that we ALWAYS HAVE TO make Trials & Errors in order for us
> to
> observe and see what we want for our audience, even in times we don't
> trust our own judgement.
> 
>   I have stumbled upon an ArchLinux package[0] made specifically for
> a
> WebApp called Converse.js[1] by XMPP community members.
> 
>   That package deploys Epiphany (A GNOME web browser) and npm (A
> package manager for javascript).
> 
>   Regardless of what anyone thinks of the planning of that
> WebApp-specific-package, I think it might be a good call for
> considering Type=Webappn in .desktop launchers.
> 
> [0]: https://aur.archlinux.org/packages/conversejs-epiphany-git/
> [1]: https://conversejs.org/
> 
> Kind regards,
>   --GK
> 
> On Sat, 23 Jan 2016 12:45:52 +0100
> "Genghis Khan" <genghiskhan at gmx.ca> wrote:
> 
> > > Sent: Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at 8:43 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: RE: Type=Webapp
> > > 
> > > Genghis,
> > > 
> > > I think it is not completely defined yet, as the handling of
> > > parameters may be more complex than it looks.  Since the desktop
> > > file will be claiming one or more URI schemes, it must be able to
> > > handle complete URIs of those schemes.  But your original
> > > proposal
> > > was to handle URI fragments, and format them into a template URI.
> > > The template for complete URIs may need to be different to that
> > > for
> > > fragments.  I think that could be handled by allowing multiple
> > > Link
> > > lines with different substitution keys:
> > > 
> > >  [Desktop Entry]
> > > Version=1.1
> > > Type=Link
> > > NoDisplay=false
> > > Name=KiwiIRC
> > > Comment=Chat over the Internet Relay Chat network
> > > Link=https://irc.freedesktop.org/server/%u
> > > Link=https://irc.freedesktop.org/handle/%s
> > > Icon=kiwiirc
> > > MimeType=x-scheme-handler/irc;
> > > Actions=Nickname;Register;MOTD; #actions might be useful
> > > 
> > > Here '%s' is a fragment substitution.  The desktop software must
> > > parse the string it is given to see if it is a valid URI for a
> > > scheme that the Desktop File claims.  If so, it looks for a Link
> > > line with %u substitution.  Othersise it looks for one with %s.
> > > 
> > > It would also be good to handle ordinary MIME types and file
> > > data.
> > > But I think that will require a new spec for a method to pass a
> > > URI
> > > and file(s) to a browser, with the files becoming default uploads
> > > if
> > > the page requests them.
> > > 
> > > Does this make sense?
> > > 
> > 
> > I don't know.
> > 
> > I suggest to open a bug report for enhancement, and discuss
> > everything
> > on the bug tracker.
> > 
> > > Giles
> > > 
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: Genghis Khan [mailto:genghiskhan at gmx.ca]
> > > Sent: 11 January 2016 6:21 AM
> > > To: Giles Atkinson
> > > Cc: xdg at lists.freedesktop.org
> > > Subject: Re: RE: RE: RE: Type=Webapp
> > > 
> > > Please ignore my last post.
> > > This is what Type=Link already provides.
> > > 
> > > Giles, would you like to send an enhancement request to the
> > > bug tracker?
> > > 
> > > > Sent: Saturday, January 09, 2016 at 2:08 PM
> > > > From: "Genghis Khan" <genghiskhan at gmx.ca>
> > > > To: "Giles Atkinson" <Giles.Atkinson at citrix.com>
> > > > Cc: "xdg at lists.freedesktop.org" <xdg at lists.freedesktop.org>
> > > > Subject: Re: RE: RE: RE: Type=Webapp
> > > > 
> > > > 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.
> > > > 
> > > 
> > > Type=Link already does it.
> > > 
> > > > > > > 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
> > > > > > > > 
> > > > _______________________________________________
> > > > xdg mailing list
> > > > xdg at lists.freedesktop.org
> > > > http://lists.freedesktop.org/mailman/listinfo/xdg
> > > > 
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