Desktop Entry Specification: Add new ExecArg key

Manuel Schneider manuelschneid3r at gmail.com
Tue Jul 16 15:06:39 UTC 2024


I commented <https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/terminal-wg/specifications/-/merge_requests/3#note_2490069> on the PR. I copy it for the mailing list here: 

To get an impression of the current state check the hard coded list of exec args of popular terms <https://github.com/albertlauncher/albert/blob/6783257df7e15dcfbae49d03023414b7c3692dbd/src/app/terminalprovider.cpp#L120-L150> I (try to) maintain for albert launcher. -e is indeed common for a majority of terminals.

I guess that this -e majority just emerged out of the absence of a real standard with the common focal point of the ancient xterm interface. Nothing that was ever really thought out.

I think we should not default to -e despite being quasi standard. I think that we should not default at all. Some terminals don't support command execution. We have to handle this.

Imho the absence of the ExecArgs should indicate that the terminal does not support command execution. This is compatible with existing desktop entries. ExecArgs should be allowed to exist but be empty, which will fit the foot and kgx interface.

Generally defaulting to anything would define an arbitrary standard terminal command execution interface. Nothing sophisticated. Nothing terminal developers should be imposed on.

Imho the self-reporting of the command execution interface in the desktop entry is a feature on its own. A standard (your proposal) could then build on top of it. Later fancy extensions on how to collate windows under X or Wayland can be discussed. They are rather opinionated and hinder the realization of the former, rather simple and objectively useful ideas.

Also I wonder if this PR makes sense at all in the terminal-wg. These proposals are not related to terminal standards. It is rather a general desktop environment thing. Especially since I skimmed through #24 <https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/terminal-wg/specifications/-/issues/24> and none of the admins left a comment in the past 5 years. Shouldn't it go to https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xdg/xdg-specs?
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