[GNC] create desktop icons for GNC 4.9 Flatpak on Ubuntu

[Geert Janssens]

I have had a bit more time to play with this.

I have set up an Ubuntu 20.04LTS VM, installed flatpak and installed the 
current gnucash flatpak from flathub.org.

I then first tested to see if I could use that to open an existing test book 
as follows (on the command line):

flatpak run org.gnucash.GnuCash /home/janssege/testfile.gnucash

That worked fine.

So next I created a desktop file /home/janssege/Desktop/Dad.desktop
with this contents:

[Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Terminal=false
Exec=flatpak run org.gnucash.GnuCash /home/janssege/testfile.gnucash
Name=GnuCash 4.9 FLATPAK Dad
Comment=Manage home and small business accounts
Icon=/var/lib/flatpak/app/org.gnucash.GnuCash/x86_64/stable/active/files/
share/gnucash/pixmaps/gnucash-icon.ico

Note that at this point the icon on my desktop still shows a generic gear icon 
and double-clicking it won't do anything. That only changes **after** I use 
RightClick->Allow Launching.

Jeffrey, you never explicitly confirmed you have effectively right-clicked the 
destktop file and selected "Allow launching".  I only find you mention 
"execute permissions are correctly set". So I did the test and made a second 
desktop file in which I only corrected the execute permissions but don't use 
the "Allow Launching" option. This second desktop icon will still not run 
gnucash on double-click, nor will it change icon. It remains the generic gear 
icon.

So to me that suggests having execute permissions is not sufficient on Ubuntu 
20.04 LTS. You do need to use the menu item "Allow Launching".

Anyway, with that out of the way double-clicking the icon on the desktop will 
run gnucash and it will open my testfile.

So for the final test I mounted a USB drive named 'MAC DRIVE' with my test 
file on it and changed the desktop file's exec line to

Exec=flatpak run org.gnucash.GnuCash /media/janssege/'MAC DRIVE'/
testfile.gnucash
(all in a single line)

That launches gnucash without any issues, opening testfile.gnucash from my USB 
stick.

At no point did it create log files on the desktop, nor did I ever have to use 
flatpak override to give flatpak permissions to read/write the USB drive.

So we're probably chasing the wrong tails here.

Jeffrey, at this point my most important suggestion would be to use the "Allow 
Launching" menu option. If that doesn't work still, I think it's best you send 
us a link a few screenshots (for example on ImgUr, Google drive, 
Nextcloud,...) showing the icon on your desktop, the contents of the desktop 
file, the error messages that appear and so on. We may be assuming things that 
get lost in words but show up on images.

Regards,

Geert

Op zaterdag 2 april 2022 07:24:52 CEST schreef Jeff:
> Step 1 and 2 work.  The rest does not work.  I still get the no suitable
> backend error.  It has to be a compatibility issue with Flatpak and my
> computer.
> 
> > Ha! Best of luck with the keyboard! Check into (Ubuntu) Settings >
> > Universal Access > Typing > Screen Keyboard.
> > 
> > This will pop-up an on-screen keyboard when a typing field has focus.
> > That's not the best workaround, but it will help a bit.
> > 
> > -----
> > 
> > As for GnuCash, what about the USB access info from the Wiki?
> > 
> > If you've never gotten the flatpak to work right, I'd suspect that is
> > the issue.
> > 
> > So try this in order from a terminal:
> > 
> > 1. sudo flatpak override org.gnucash.GnuCash
> > --filesystem=$PATH_TO_USB_DRIVE
> > 
> > (that is all one line)
> > 
> > 2. flatpak run org.gnucash.GnuCash /media/jeffrey/'Mac
> > Drive'/Ledgers/Dad/Dad.gnucash
> > 
> > (again all one line)
> > 
> > If that works, close GnuCash and try clicking your desktop shortcut
> > again. You should be good to go.
> > 
> > If that doesn't work, try moving a copy of the file to your Home
> > folder, then trying from a terminal:
> > 
> > flatpak run org.gnucash.GnuCash /home/jeffrey/Dad.gnucash
> > 
> > If that doesn't work either, something else is wrong.
> > 
> > Regards,
> > Adrien
> > 
> > On 3/31/22 1:46 AM, Jeff wrote:
> >> Pardn any unreadable wrds, my cockatu decided my keybard was a ty,
> >> and I have yet t find all f the pieces  nd mae them all work at th
> >> riht time. I am ging after a new kybrad tda Adrein. prir t mving t
> >> flatPak installs I never had a prblem with upgrades r installs. 
> >> Desktp icns dn't seem t be an issue with anything except Flatpak.
> >> 
> >> I'll cmplain but the failure t be able t build frm surce later. But I
> >> am begging t suspect the 2 issues are related n my netwrk.
> > 
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