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Add instructions for installing Linux desktop icons and integration #104718

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Bill-Spitzak wants to merge 2 commits from Bill-Spitzak/blender-manual:main into main
pull from: Bill-Spitzak/blender-manual:main
merge into: blender:main

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Bill-Spitzak commented 2024-02-27 00:08:26 +01:00
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Note that these instructions are based on my own experiements and on
searching the Gnome and freedesktop.org online instructions. I was
unable to figure out any rule for placing icon files. These should
be tested on other Linux versions and the instructions improved.
However this is still a lot better than what existed previously.

I also changed the recommended install location to /opt to avoid
conflicts with packaged software.

Note that these instructions are based on my own experiements and on searching the Gnome and freedesktop.org online instructions. I was unable to figure out any rule for placing icon files. These should be tested on other Linux versions and the instructions improved. However this is still a lot better than what existed previously. I also changed the recommended install location to /opt to avoid conflicts with packaged software.
Bill-Spitzak added 1 commit 2024-02-27 00:08:27 +01:00
ee14304a4c Add instructions for installing Linux desktop icons and integration 
Note that these instructions are based on my own experiements and on
searching the Gnome and freedesktop.org online instructions. I was
unable to figure out any rule for placing icon files. These should
be tested on other Linux versions and the instructions improved.
However this is still a lot better than the instructions that
existed previously.

I also changed the recommended install location to /opt to avoid
conflicts with packaged software.
Bill-Spitzak changed title from Add instructions for installing Linux desktop icons and integration to WIP: Add instructions for installing Linux desktop icons and integration 2024-02-28 05:53:55 +01:00
Bill-Spitzak changed title from WIP: Add instructions for installing Linux desktop icons and integration to Add instructions for installing Linux desktop icons and integration 2024-02-28 05:54:15 +01:00
Bill-Spitzak force-pushed main from ee14304a4c to cfa8c9aa42 2024-03-01 00:27:34 +01:00 Compare
Bill-Spitzak requested review from Campbell Barton 2024-03-01 00:31:16 +01:00
Bill-Spitzak requested review from Aaron Carlisle 2024-03-01 00:31:17 +01:00
Bill-Spitzak commented 2024-03-01 00:33:08 +01:00
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I took a guess who I should say is a reviewer based on who did recent edits to the linux.rst file.

I took a guess who I should say is a reviewer based on who did recent edits to the ``linux.rst`` file.
G. Solis reviewed 2024-03-02 02:00:49 +01:00
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These instructions have been long due, so thanks for that.

Overall I think, however, that calling the page "Installing freedesktop.org icons" is underselling it. You've given instructions on how to:

  • Extract the files to an appropriate place
  • Create a version-independent symlinked folder for the "current" blender version.
  • Make it possible to run blender from the terminal
  • Register blender as a desktop application
  • Make the desktop icon work
  • Associate blender with .blend files
  • Make thumbnails work.

all of which are valuable guidance for unexperienced linux users. Not only that, but the intersection of users that know what "freedesktop" is but don't know how how to do the things listed here is rather small.

With that in mind, and considering it's only been tested on your machine, I'd suggest renaming it as an "Example install" or "Suggested installation steps".

These instructions have been long due, so thanks for that. Overall I think, however, that calling the page "Installing freedesktop.org icons" is underselling it. You've given instructions on how to: - Extract the files to an appropriate place - Create a version-independent symlinked folder for the "current" blender version. - Make it possible to run `blender` from the terminal - Register blender as a desktop application - Make the desktop icon work - Associate blender with `.blend` files - Make thumbnails work. all of which are valuable guidance for unexperienced linux users. Not only that, but the intersection of users that know what "freedesktop" is but don't know how how to do the things listed here is rather small. With that in mind, and considering it's only been tested on your machine, I'd suggest renaming it as an "Example install" or "Suggested installation steps".
manual/getting_started/installing/linux.rst Outdated
@ -13,3 +13,3 @@
Download the Linux version for your architecture and decompress the file to the desired location
(e.g. ``~/software`` or ``/usr/local``).
(e.g. ``/opt`` or ``~/software``).
G. Solis commented 2024-03-02 01:55:40 +01:00
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To be fair, /usr/local is a pretty popular location as well.

To be fair, `/usr/local` is a pretty popular location as well.
Bill-Spitzak marked this conversation as resolved
manual/getting_started/installing/linux_freedesktop.rst Outdated
@ -0,0 +6,4 @@
Exactly where to place icons varies depending on the Linux distribution and the
desktop environment theme. These instructions worked for Pop!_OS, an Ubuntu
spinoff. In general you should search for similar files in order to figure out what
directory to place the icons in. Text you may have to change is in red.
G. Solis commented 2024-03-02 01:06:56 +01:00
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I can't see anything in red. Are the parts supposed to be in red the ones inside single-quotes?

I can't see anything in red. Are the parts supposed to be in red the ones inside single-quotes?
Bill-Spitzak commented 2024-03-03 23:01:05 +01:00
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For me the stuff in single quotes is red. If this is not true for everybody, I'm not sure what can be done. Possibly just not do anything except say outside the box that some of the text might change. Did it produce any kind of formatting for you?

For me the stuff in single quotes is red. If this is not true for everybody, I'm not sure what can be done. Possibly just not do anything except say outside the box that some of the text might change. Did it produce any kind of formatting for you?
Bill-Spitzak commented 2024-03-03 23:48:28 +01:00
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I gave up on highlighting it.

I gave up on highlighting it.
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manual/getting_started/installing/linux_freedesktop.rst Outdated
@ -0,0 +16,4 @@
.. code-block:: sh
sudo mkdir /opt
G. Solis commented 2024-03-02 00:09:35 +01:00
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Is this necessary? If so, perhaps it'd better be addressed in the preceding text ("if you happen not to have /opt, then you're free to create it/use the appropriate folder for your setup.").
It'd be confusing for a newbie to start the tutorial getting an error on the first command (and it's going to happen to almost(?) every user that tries it).

Is this necessary? If so, perhaps it'd better be addressed in the preceding text ("*if you happen not to have `/opt`, then you're free to create it/use the appropriate folder for your setup.*"). It'd be confusing for a newbie to start the tutorial getting an error on the first command (and it's going to happen to almost(?) every user that tries it).
Bill-Spitzak commented 2024-03-03 23:02:38 +01:00
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Can also put in -p similar to your suggestion for fixing the symbolic links.

Can also put in ``-p`` similar to your suggestion for fixing the symbolic links.
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manual/getting_started/installing/linux_freedesktop.rst Outdated
@ -0,0 +25,4 @@
.. code-block:: sh
sudo rm /opt/blender
sudo ln -s blender-'4.0.2-linux-x64' /opt/blender
G. Solis commented 2024-03-02 00:13:54 +01:00
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You can substitute the existing link in a single command, with ln's -Tf flags:
sudo ln -sTf blender-'4.0.2-linux-x64' /opt/blender
instead of manually removing /opt/blender, which is going to yield an error in the probable case that it doesn't exist.

You can substitute the existing link in a single command, with `ln`'s `-Tf` flags: `sudo ln -sTf blender-'4.0.2-linux-x64' /opt/blender` instead of manually removing `/opt/blender`, which is going to yield an error in the probable case that it doesn't exist.
Bill-Spitzak marked this conversation as resolved
manual/getting_started/installing/linux_freedesktop.rst Outdated
@ -0,0 +32,4 @@
.. code-block:: sh
sudo ln -s /opt/blender/blender /usr/bin/blender
sudo ln -s /opt/blender/blender-thumbnailer /usr/bin/blender-thumbnailer
G. Solis commented 2024-03-02 00:16:34 +01:00
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Should this step be placed somewhere else?

Should this step be placed somewhere else?
Bill-Spitzak commented 2024-03-03 23:05:17 +01:00
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I probably should change the text to "make the commands in the blender installation work from the command line". I was concerned that there may be more than these two in the future, and that putting all the similar commands next to each other is better.

I probably should change the text to "make the commands in the blender installation work from the command line". I was concerned that there may be more than these two in the future, and that putting all the similar commands next to each other is better.
Bill-Spitzak marked this conversation as resolved
manual/getting_started/installing/linux_freedesktop.rst Outdated
@ -0,0 +48,4 @@
.. code-block:: sh
sudo ln -s /opt/blender/blender.svg /usr/share/icons/'hicolor/'scalable/
G. Solis commented 2024-03-02 00:47:47 +01:00
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I guess everything under /usr/share/icons/ is freedesktop-compliant, but based on what other apps on my machine do, I'd go one level further still: /usr/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/apps/.

I guess everything under `/usr/share/icons/` is freedesktop-compliant, but based on what other apps on my machine do, I'd go one level further still: `/usr/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/apps/`.
Bill-Spitzak commented 2024-03-03 23:07:27 +01:00
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Yes looks like a good idea, and it works for me.

Yes looks like a good idea, and it works for me.
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manual/getting_started/installing/linux_freedesktop.rst Outdated
@ -0,0 +52,4 @@
**Check if the "mime type" exists**
This may be true of any modern Linux install.
G. Solis commented 2024-03-02 00:53:18 +01:00
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"This may be true"? Perhaps "This should work in any modern..."

"This may be true"? Perhaps "*This should work in any modern...*"
Bill-Spitzak marked this conversation as resolved
manual/getting_started/installing/linux_freedesktop.rst Outdated
@ -0,0 +58,4 @@
:emphasize-lines: 2
mimetype foo.blend
foo.blend: application/x-blender
G. Solis commented 2024-03-02 00:59:31 +01:00
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The formatting makes it seem like this is another command, not an output from the previous command. You could put the prompt sign $ before every command, or write about the expected output here in text, out of the code-block, or something else. I'd favour the first option.

The formatting makes it seem like this is another command, not an output from the previous command. You could put the prompt sign `$` before every command, or write about the expected output here in text, out of the code-block, or something else. I'd favour the first option.
Bill-Spitzak marked this conversation as resolved
manual/getting_started/installing/linux_freedesktop.rst Outdated
@ -0,0 +97,4 @@
/usr/share/icons/'Pop/'scalable/mimetypes/application-x-blender.svg
sudo update-icon-caches /usr/share/icons/'Pop/'
**Make thumbnails work for .blend files**
G. Solis commented 2024-03-02 01:39:02 +01:00
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Is this needed? Mine seem to have worked out-of-the-box.

Is this needed? Mine seem to have worked out-of-the-box.
Bill-Spitzak commented 2024-03-03 23:14:21 +01:00
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I needed it but maybe you had something left over from a previous blender install, or it comes already setup on some systems? Also once a thumbnail is created it seems to stay around even if you remove the thumbnailing setup.

Probably should change the text to say "do this if thumbnails don't work".

I needed it but maybe you had something left over from a previous blender install, or it comes already setup on some systems? Also once a thumbnail is created it seems to stay around even if you remove the thumbnailing setup. Probably should change the text to say "do this if thumbnails don't work".
Bill-Spitzak marked this conversation as resolved
Bill-Spitzak added 1 commit 2024-03-04 00:01:12 +01:00
G. Solis commented 2024-03-05 14:14:15 +01:00
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Blender 4.1 is coming in two weeks, and the blender devs are focused on that at the moment. I've reached out to them in the chat (#docs, in blender.chat) and @blendify assured me he is aware of this PR and hopes to get to it soon.

Blender 4.1 is coming in two weeks, and the blender devs are focused on that at the moment. I've reached out to them in the chat ([#docs, in blender.chat](https://blender.chat/channel/docs)) and @blendify assured me he is aware of this PR and hopes to get to it soon.
Campbell Barton commented 2024-04-03 14:18:51 +02:00
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@Bill-Spitzak thanks for looking into this, a few notes:

  • Much of these instructions seems like something we could automate, for example, setting up the file association & thumbnailer would be nicer to have something similar to windows --register and --register-allusers, which would setup file associations & create a desktop file.

  • I'm not so keen on recommending users link files directly into /usr/, nowadays ~/.local/ is often used for user-local executable, mime types, desktop files etc. This also removes the need to use sudo for most/all commands.

Even though it would be good to have blender --register working, it's not a good reason to block this PR, I'll note some minor requests inline.

@Bill-Spitzak thanks for looking into this, a few notes: - Much of these instructions seems like something we could automate, for example, setting up the file association & thumbnailer would be nicer to have something similar to windows `--register` and `--register-allusers`, which would setup file associations & create a desktop file. - I'm not so keen on recommending users link files directly into `/usr/`, nowadays `~/.local/` is often used for user-local executable, mime types, desktop files etc. This also removes the need to use sudo for most/all commands. ---- Even though it would be good to have `blender --register` working, it's not a good reason to block this PR, I'll note some minor requests inline.
Campbell Barton requested changes 2024-04-03 14:37:49 +02:00
Dismissed
manual/getting_started/installing/linux.rst
@ -12,16 +12,15 @@ Install from blender.org
========================
Download the Linux version for your architecture and decompress the file to the desired location
Campbell Barton commented 2024-04-03 14:20:55 +02:00
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Use a comma instead of multiple or's.

(e.g. ``/opt``, ``~/software`` or ``/usr/local``).
Use a comma instead of multiple or's. ``` (e.g. ``/opt``, ``~/software`` or ``/usr/local``). ```
manual/getting_started/installing/linux_example_install.rst
@ -0,0 +3,4 @@
Linux example install of downloaded Blender
*******************
The following commands sucessfully installed the downloaded 4.0.2 version of Blender
Campbell Barton commented 2024-04-03 14:23:00 +02:00
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References to exact blender versions and spesific distributions should be avoided.

If you want to note this it can be added in a comment which isn't included in the output.

.. Developer note:

   The following commands sucessfully installed the downloaded 4.0.2 on POP!_OS version 123.
References to exact blender versions and spesific distributions should be avoided. If you want to note this it can be added in a comment which isn't included in the output. ``` .. Developer note: The following commands sucessfully installed the downloaded 4.0.2 on POP!_OS version 123. ```
manual/getting_started/installing/linux_example_install.rst
@ -0,0 +34,4 @@
.. code-block:: sh
sudo ln -s /opt/blender/blender /usr/bin/blender
Campbell Barton commented 2024-04-03 14:24:01 +02:00
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Prefer ~/.local/bin over /usr/bin.

Prefer `~/.local/bin` over `/usr/bin`.
manual/getting_started/installing/linux_example_install.rst
@ -0,0 +43,4 @@
.. code-block:: sh
sudo ln -s /opt/blender/blender.desktop /usr/share/applications/
Campbell Barton commented 2024-04-03 14:26:37 +02:00
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Prefer ~/.local/share/applications/ over /usr/share/applications/.

Prefer `~/.local/share/applications/` over `/usr/share/applications/`.
manual/getting_started/installing/linux_example_install.rst
@ -0,0 +51,4 @@
.. code-block:: sh
sudo ln -s /opt/blender/blender.svg /usr/share/icons/hicolor/scalable/apps/blender.svg
Campbell Barton commented 2024-04-03 14:27:16 +02:00
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Prefer ~/.local/share/icons over /usr/share/icons

Prefer `~/.local/share/icons` over ` /usr/share/icons`
manual/getting_started/installing/linux_example_install.rst
@ -0,0 +75,4 @@
Put the following into ``/usr/share/mime/packages/Overrides.xml``:
.. code-block:: xml
Campbell Barton commented 2024-04-03 14:34:59 +02:00
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This seems like something Blender should bundle, then it can be installed via:

xdg-mime install x-blender.xml

Arch Linux for e.g. includes an x-blender.xml, so I assume we could bundle this too.

This seems like something Blender should bundle, then it can be installed via: ``` xdg-mime install x-blender.xml ``` Arch Linux for e.g. includes an `x-blender.xml`, so I assume we could bundle this too.
Bill-Spitzak commented 2024-04-05 10:19:35 +02:00
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My system also already contained the .blend file mime type, but no icon for it. I just copied these instructions from a web page about adding mime types, do not know for certain if they work. I do not know enough about how to cleanly remove things (there seem to be cache files) in order to be able to actually test if this stuff works.

My system also already contained the .blend file mime type, but no icon for it. I just copied these instructions from a web page about adding mime types, do not know for certain if they work. I do not know enough about how to cleanly remove things (there seem to be cache files) in order to be able to actually test if this stuff works.
manual/getting_started/installing/linux_example_install.rst
@ -0,0 +96,4 @@
.. code-block:: sh
sudo ln -s /opt/blender/blender-symbolic.svg \
Campbell Barton commented 2024-04-03 14:36:54 +02:00
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This seems pop-os spesific, if we give instructions for a spesific distro I would rather use one of the main-stream Linux distros Ubuntu/Debian/Redhat for e.g.

This seems pop-os spesific, if we give instructions for a spesific distro I would rather use one of the main-stream Linux distros Ubuntu/Debian/Redhat for e.g.
Bill-Spitzak commented 2024-04-05 10:21:03 +02:00
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All I know is I had to try several directories before they appeared If anybody can decipher freedesktop.org's rules it would help. Would like something like "put it in $XDG_SECRET_DIRECTORY/scalable/blend.svg but have not found anything like that.

All I know is I had to try several directories before they appeared If anybody can decipher freedesktop.org's rules it would help. Would like something like "put it in `$XDG_SECRET_DIRECTORY/scalable/blend.svg` but have not found anything like that.
manual/getting_started/installing/linux_example_install.rst
@ -0,0 +108,4 @@
Thumbnails may already be working, try saving a ``.blend`` file and then looking
at it in the files application. If not this should make them work:
Put the following into ``/usr/share/thumbnailers/x-blender.thumbnailer``:
Campbell Barton commented 2024-04-03 14:37:37 +02:00
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~/.local/share/thumbnailers can be used here.

`~/.local/share/thumbnailers` can be used here.
Campbell Barton commented 2024-04-05 05:04:47 +02:00
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Submitted a WIP patch to handle some of these operations via blender --register blender/blender!120283.

Submitted a WIP patch to handle some of these operations via `blender --register` blender/blender!120283.
Campbell Barton requested changes 2024-04-18 04:48:09 +02:00
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Since blender/blender@9cb3a17352, blender --register can be used, replacing many of the commends from the document.

Requesting changes to simplify text to remove commands now handled by register.

Since blender/blender@9cb3a17352bd7ed57df82f35a56dcf0af85fbf03, `blender --register` can be used, replacing many of the commends from the document. Requesting changes to simplify text to remove commands now handled by register.
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