Re: Desktop Entry Specification: Add new ExecArg key

Manuel Schneider <[email protected]> Tue, 16 Jul 2024 17:06:39 +0200
Newsgroups gmane.linux.xdg.devel
Message-ID <[email protected]>
--Apple-Mail=_0749C769-2536-4B4F-80B2-FAF796E2B2A6
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Type: text/plain;
	charset=us-ascii

I commented =
<https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/terminal-wg/specifications/-/merge_request=
s/3#note_2490069> on the PR. I copy it for the mailing list here:=20

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/6783257df7e15dcfbae49d03023=
414b7c3692dbd/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?=

--Apple-Mail=_0749C769-2536-4B4F-80B2-FAF796E2B2A6
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Type: text/html;
	charset=us-ascii

<html><head><meta http-equiv=3D"content-type" content=3D"text/html; =
charset=3Dus-ascii"></head><body style=3D"overflow-wrap: break-word; =
-webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;">I&nbsp;<a =
href=3D"https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/terminal-wg/specifications/-/merge_=
requests/3#note_2490069">commented</a>&nbsp;on the PR. I copy it for the =
mailing list here:&nbsp;<div><br></div><blockquote style=3D"margin: 0 0 =
0 40px; border: none; padding: 0px;"><div>To get an impression of the =
current state check the hard coded<a =
href=3D"https://github.com/albertlauncher/albert/blob/6783257df7e15dcfbae4=
9d03023414b7c3692dbd/src/app/terminalprovider.cpp#L120-L150"> list of =
exec args of popular terms</a>&nbsp;I (try to) maintain for albert =
launcher. -e is indeed common for a majority of =
terminals.</div><div><br></div><div><div>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.</div></div><div><div><br></div></div><div><div>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.</div></div><div><div><br></div></div><div><div>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.</div></div><div><br></div><div><div>Generally defaulting to =
anything would define an arbitrary standard terminal command execution =
interface. Nothing sophisticated. Nothing terminal developers should be =
imposed on.</div></div><div><br></div></blockquote><div>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.</div><div><br></div><div>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&nbsp;<a =
href=3D"https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/terminal-wg/specifications/-/issues=
/24">#24</a>&nbsp;and none of the admins left a comment in the past 5 =
years.&nbsp;Shouldn't it go =
to&nbsp;https://gitlab.freedesktop.org/xdg/xdg-specs?</div></body></html>=

--Apple-Mail=_0749C769-2536-4B4F-80B2-FAF796E2B2A6--