The Applications menu picks up on desktop entries located in /usr/share/applications (plus other locations).
If the Exec line of a desktop entry is of the form Exec=pkexec <executable-name-here> then attempting to launch the application from the Applications menu does not work.
Some applications such as Timeshift install a desktop entry which calls pkexec. For example, the Timeshifts desktop entry has the line:
Exec=pkexec timeshift-gtk
Now I agree that desktop entries probably shouldn't use pkexec like this, however, it should still be supported by the Applications menu because it is not uncommon.
Note that double-clicking the Timeshift desktop entry from the Nemo file manager launches Timeshift correctly. (The elementary OS Files file manager does not support launching applications by double-clicking the desktop entry it seems.)
Steps to Reproduce
Create a file Example.desktop with the following contents:
Again, I agree that this is not the best way to use pkexec but it should work regardless. I am using io.elementary.photos only for the example (I do know that Photos shouldn't be ordinarily used with pkexec).
Copy this file to /usr/share/applications. You will now see an application named "Example" in the Accessories category of the Applications menu.
If you click it, then an icon will appear in the dock and then disappear a few seconds later. You will not get the pkexec prompt to ask you for your password.
Now if you change the line:
Exec=pkexec io.elementary.photos
to
Exec=io.elementary.photos
and then go back to the Applications menu, this time Photos will launch as usual. So it was the pkexec entry that caused the issue.
Expected Behavior
The Applications menu should support desktop entries with Exec lines such as
Exec=pkexec timeshift-gtk
This should launch the user/password prompt as usual:
What Happened?
The Applications menu picks up on desktop entries located in
/usr/share/applications(plus other locations).If the
Execline of a desktop entry is of the formExec=pkexec <executable-name-here>then attempting to launch the application from the Applications menu does not work.Some applications such as Timeshift install a desktop entry which calls
pkexec. For example, the Timeshifts desktop entry has the line:Now I agree that desktop entries probably shouldn't use
pkexeclike this, however, it should still be supported by the Applications menu because it is not uncommon.Note that double-clicking the Timeshift desktop entry from the Nemo file manager launches Timeshift correctly. (The elementary OS Files file manager does not support launching applications by double-clicking the desktop entry it seems.)
Steps to Reproduce
Create a file
Example.desktopwith the following contents:Again, I agree that this is not the best way to use
pkexecbut it should work regardless. I am usingio.elementary.photosonly for the example (I do know that Photos shouldn't be ordinarily used withpkexec).Copy this file to
/usr/share/applications. You will now see an application named "Example" in the Accessories category of the Applications menu.If you click it, then an icon will appear in the dock and then disappear a few seconds later. You will not get the pkexec prompt to ask you for your password.
Now if you change the line:
to
and then go back to the Applications menu, this time Photos will launch as usual. So it was the
pkexecentry that caused the issue.Expected Behavior
The Applications menu should support desktop entries with
Execlines such asThis should launch the user/password prompt as usual:
OS Version
6.x (Odin)
Software Version
Latest release (I have run all updates)
Log Output
No response
Hardware Info
No response