Exec must be without quotes in app.desktop file

[532910]

I'm using riot-web from https://riot.im/packages/debian
It's impossible to run it from menu, as Exec="/opt/Riot/riot-web"
Must be without quotes: Exec=/opt/Riot/riot-web

@t3chguy in element-hq/element-web#6421 says it's your issue

[trevj]

FYI, this breaks setAsDefaultProtocolClient on Linux, at least with AppImage:
https://electronjs.org/docs/api/app#appsetasdefaultprotocolclientprotocol-path-args

The reason is that xdg-settings cannot handle .desktop files with double quotes in the Exec line. Weird, though I think it's legal:
https://standards.freedesktop.org/desktop-entry-spec/desktop-entry-spec-latest.html#exec-variables

I put together a minimal app to reproduce:
https://github.com/trevj/setasdefaultprotocolclient-repro

How to run...

• Build:
  • git clone the repo
  • cd to the repo's root
  • yarn install
  • yarn package
• Run:
  • add some temp folder to your path, e.g. mkdir ~/tmp && export PATH=~/tmp:$PATH
  • copy the AppImage here, e.g. cp <path to repo>/dist/*.AppImage ~/tmp/
  • from a terminal, run the app and say yes to "integrate with the system"
  • there will be an error on the terminal: a protocol handler could not be added
  • edit the app's .desktop file (usually ~/.local/share/applications/appimagekit-setasdefaultprotocolclient-repro.desktop) and remove the double quotes from the Exec= line
  • run the app again - this time, there should be a message on the terminal confirming that a protocol handler was set
  • try to open a URL with this custom protocol, e.g. xdg-open setasdefaultprotocolclient-repro://bob - after a moment, a "hello!" message should appear on the terminal

That's a lot of steps to reproduce...are you open to a one-liner pull request? :-)

[eigenform]

It seems like xdg-mime doesn't like double-quotes - this apparently happens with our AppImage also.

[JonnyHaystack]

I've opened an issue with xdg-utils because it seems like this behaviour is bugged on that end https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xdg/xdg-utils/issues/151

[develar]

Well, without double quotes, desktop file will be invalid, because spaces must be escaped.

So, if this issue is important for you, consider using snap — it is the most recommended and user-friendly Linix packaging format (as I can say). (also, consider to distribute using snap store, and not via manual downloading).

[develar]

Fixed in 21.0.1

[532910]

I confirm it's fixed and works fine.