Application Menu

Contents

Menu structure

Different OS versions have different menu structure.

Menu file

A Menu file describes how shortcuts are shown in the menu.

.desktop files

The application entries in the Application menu are generated from .desktop files that are added when an application is installed.

The syntax for .desktop -files can be found in article Desktop file format

Maemo 5

Folder rearrangment can be done by editing the file found in:

/etc/xdg/menus/hildon.menu

The <Filename> tags in the <Include> section set the menu items, editing them will result in the menu being changed. Adding more Menu sections will add additional folders.

Releases before PR1.2

In releases of Maemo 5 prior to PR1.2, note that the "Applications" menu is the "More..." folder, and it is set to contain every application that is not shown by other menus, therefore it is recommended to keep it for using recently installed apps.

Apmefo

Apmefo Presently in extras-devel. Automates the process of creating folders in the application menu by editing hildon.menu.

OS 2008 and older

The Application menu is Maemo's version of the Windows Start menu. It is made up of folders which contain all of your installed applications.

Menu structure

By default, the menu is made up of 6 folders which contain all of your installed applications: My selection, Internet, Communication, Utilities, Settings, and Extras. You can rearrange these applications, and create, rename and delete folders in the "Panels" control panel.

Advanced users can also edit the XML menu file directly. This is not recommended, as careless editing can damage the menu to the point where it no longer works. The XML file name is:

~/.osso/menus/applications.menu

Alternatives

There are a number of alternatives to the Application menu for launching applications. They are all available in Extras.

Personal Launcher

Personal Launcher is a desktop applet that is visible from your home screen. You can add application (and command) shortcuts to it for one-tap access to your favorite programs.

Personal Menu

Personal Menu is very similar to Personal Launcher, except it's a menu instead of a desktop applet. This makes it a more direct replacement for the Application menu.

See also