Can't add app launcher to panel

[raph82]

In Cinnamon 2.6.13 / Linux Mint 17.2 Rafaela (fresh installation), trying to add a launcher fails without any message. Always reproducible by either way:

1. right-click on any icon of the panel-launcher applet > Add. Fill the name and command fields and click Confirm. Nothing happens.
2. Open the Menu, browse a category then right-click an icon of the right-hand pane > Add to panel. Nothing happens.

Multiple users have confirmed it.

[Vahan86]

I have the same issue. Please fix it. Thanks.

[eGit]

Same here. Cinnamon 17.2.

Please FIX!

[eGit]

When will this fix be delivered via the official Mint Update process?

[mtwebster]

We're fairly close to a new release anyhow, and this has an easy workaround, that we may just wait.

The workaround:

Easy version:

Remove the applet, re-add it. You should now be able to add new launchers via any method (the menu or right-click->add). Just be certain that if you make a custom one, be sure to explicitly pick an icon for it by clicking the picture in the dialog, and using the file chooser.

Hard version (but can preserve your existing configuration):

1. Navigate to ~/.cinnamon/configs/panel-launchers@cinnamon.org
2. There will be one or more files called *number*.json
3. Open the file up - if you had more than one file, find the right one by checking the names that are in the value field of launcherList.
4. Look for entries called cinnamon-custom-launcher-1.desktop and remove those lines. The panel launcher applet should reload automatically and display the remaining entries correctly. Be careful with JSON syntax - if you end up removing the last item in that list, make sure to also remove the comma (,) on the preceding line

The problem was that failing to select a custom icon when creating a custom launcher was breaking the load routine in the applet, so any launchers defined after that bad one would never get loaded either.

[eGit]

And without the workaround...if we just wait for the new release...will it all work again without any workarounds?

[mtwebster]

Yes

[Florimel]

Did you already put this fix in the official update distributed to Cinnamon installs out there?
When will you do it?

I run Linux Mint 17.2 with all updates and still the bug is there for me :(

[JosephMcc]

The fix is in Cinnamon 2.8+ and will be in Mint 17.3

[terentz]

In Mint 17.3 I can't modify the 'type' of application when creating an application launcher, nor when I modify it's properties. The drop-down, familiar in previous versions, has disappeared from the launcher-creator-popup. If I try to add it using alacarte/main menu, I cannot add it to the 'Programming' menu, only the 'Other' menu. :(
And going old school with the .desktop file isn't working at all. Disappointing. Please fix
To be sure though, yes I can create a link on the desktop by right-clicking.

[mtwebster]

Right click anywhere on the panel launcher applet (even over some other icons) and click '+ Add'

That should bring up a small dialog where you can create a custom launcher.

If you instead wish to add a launcher for something in the menu, you can right-click the item in the menu, and click '+ Add to panel'

It sounds like you're attempting to add whole new instances of the panel launcher applet, rather than add individual items to an existing one.

[mtwebster]

I can't reproduce this, is it the stock menu you're using? (menu@cinnamon.org)

[smurphos]

#8390

[mtwebster]

All I can really suggest to try is wiping your applet-related settings -

This will reset your currently enabled applets (back to stock configuration):

gsettings reset org.cinnamon enabled-applets

and this will clear out your existing applet settings:

rm -rf .cinnamon/configs

then restart cinnamon (Alt-F2, r), and see if this is still a problem.

[smurphos]

@mtwebster - this issue I linked above outlines how to easily reproduce @alkaris 's symptoms.

Basically, if you have an empty panel and either add a GWL or a panel launcher applet or just use add to panel from the menu, add to panel from the menu is buggy until after a Cinnamon restart.