Differences between revisions 13 and 14
⇤ ← Revision 13 as of 2017-05-05 07:31:45 →
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Editor: CharlesPlessy
Comment: Undo revision 12: GNUStep and Windowmaker are using the Debian menu system, as accurately indicated in revision 11.
← Revision 14 as of 2022-12-17 17:44:13 → ⇥
Size: 1108
Editor: ?ChrisHagar
Comment: Clarified that the Debian menu system was the original
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Debian has two menu systems Debian has two menu systems:
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 * The optional, so called ''Debian menu system'' provides a centralized list of all installed user applications (for which the packager provided a {{{menu}}} entry). It is a documented in the DebianPolicy. Those menu entries are available in most [[WindowManager|window manager]] / [[DesktopEnvironment|Desktop environment]] in Debian ([[KDE]], GNOME, [[GNUStep]], [[Enlightenment]] and [[Windowmaker]], making every application available in every environment). Each application drop a menu entry in {{{/usr/share/menu/}}} and menu manager register to menu by droping an entry in {{{/etc/menu-methods/}}}.  * The original ''Debian menu system'', now optional, provides a centralized list of all installed user applications (for which the packager provided a {{{menu}}} entry). It is a documented in the DebianPolicy. Those menu entries are available in most [[WindowManager|window manager]] / [[DesktopEnvironment|Desktop environment]] in Debian ([[KDE]], GNOME, [[GNUStep]], [[Enlightenment]] and [[Windowmaker]], making every application available in every environment). Each application drop a menu entry in {{{/usr/share/menu/}}} and menu manager register to menu by droping an entry in {{{/etc/menu-methods/}}}.

Debian has two menu systems:

  • The official one is the Freedesktop Desktop Menu Specification, which was adopted as the primary menu in Gnome, KDE, LXDE and others. It is famous for the *.desktop files in /usr/share/applications.

  • The original Debian menu system, now optional, provides a centralized list of all installed user applications (for which the packager provided a menu entry). It is a documented in the DebianPolicy. Those menu entries are available in most window manager / Desktop environment in Debian (KDE, GNOME, ?GNUStep, ?Enlightenment and ?Windowmaker, making every application available in every environment). Each application drop a menu entry in /usr/share/menu/ and menu manager register to menu by droping an entry in /etc/menu-methods/.

In 2014 the Debian technical committee was asked to choose between these two menu systems (741573) and in september 2015 it decided that the preferred menu system is the Freedesktop one.