Debian Menu System - The menu file

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# Debian Menu System
Chapter 3 - The menu file

## 3.1 Location

Packages-provided menu files should be in `/usr/share/menu/`, unless the menu files are actually executable binaries, in which case they go in `/usr/lib/menu/`. System-local menu files should be in `/etc/menu/`. User-specific menu files should be in `~/.menu/`

## 3.2 Syntax

The format is:

         ?package(package[,package2,...]): \
            field1="value1"\
            field2="value2"\

Here is an example to describe the syntax of such a file:

         ?package(gnumeric):\             specifies what packages need to be installed
                                          multiple requirements should be separated by
                                          comma
           needs="X11"\                   what kind of environment this command expects
           section="Applications/Office"\ in what section this menu entry should be
           title="Gnumeric"\              the title of the menu entry
           command="gnumeric" \           the command to run
           hints="Gnome,Spreadsheets" \   some hints about menu placement.
           icon="/usr/share/pixmaps/gnumeric.xpm"  the path to the icon to use.

A number sign ("#") can be used to include comments. An entry must be terminated by a newline; however you can use a backslash to escape a newline.

Values must be quoted with ", and meta-characters (", backslash, newline) must be escaped with a backslash.

You can include several entries in the same file.

The file must be encoded in 7-bit ASCII. This is necessary to accomodate window managers that do not support 8-bit encodings. However the translations are not limited in encoding.

`?package(...)` contains a comma-separated list of packages that need to be installed for the menu entry to be displayed. That should include the package containing the menu file and any packages necessary to run the command not depended on by the package nor essential. Users can use pseudo-package names starting with "`local.`" which are assumed to be always installed.

The fields `needs`, `section`, `title` and `command` are mandatory. Other fields are optional. Custom fields are supported, so you can add new fields for you own purpose. If a field is specified multiple times in a menu entry, the last instance will be used.

## 3.3 The `title` field

The `title` must follow the following requirements:

1. It must be short. There is an optional `longtitle` field for users that want longer titles.

2. It must be properly capitalized. Use Emacs and not emacs.

3. It must be unique. Two entries must not have the same title.

## 3.4 The `needs` field

The following `needs` are documented for use in the Debian menu.

1. `X11`: if this program runs under X11.

2. `text`: if it runs under a terminal. X11 window managers will spawn an X terminal emulator.

3. `vc`: if it runs under a linux virtual console but not under a X terminal emulator.

4. `wm`: if it is a X11 window manager. The current window manager will exec(2) this program to avoid "Another window manager is running" errors.

A menu manager can use a special `needs` value reflecting the menu manager name for menu entries that must only be displayed in this menu manager. Examples include `fvwm` modules, `dwww` menu entries.

A program like gnuplot which can be run on X11 as well as on a text terminal should not have an extra entry with `needs=X11` with an hard-coded call to an X terminal emulator, because this would defeat the configuration mechanism of menu that allow to choose which window manager is called.

On the other hand, if a program (like `emacs`) can be run as real X application as well as in a terminal, two entries should be listed, otherwise the program will always be run in an `xterm` (or `rxvt`). However, two entries are not allowed to have the same title. The title must be unique.

## 3.5 The `section` field

The `section` field holds a slash-separated list of hierarchical sections components.

The authoritative list of Debian's menu structure is maintained in the Debian Menu sub-policy document which is part of the Debian Policy package. The current menu structure was drafted in 2006 by Linas Zvirblis with input from the debian-devel mailing list.

The menu structure below is included only for convenience and is not authoritative. If it disagrees with the structure in the Debian Menu sub-policy, please send a wishlist bug to the `menu` package.

Packages must be placed in leaf sections. Please do not put your packages into any other sections.

Applications

  Normal applications

  Accessibility

    Tools to aid people with disabilities or for machines lacking usual input devices.

    Examples: gok, yasr, dasher.

  Amateur Radio

    Anything relating to HAM radio.

    Examples: baken, hamsoft, twlog

  Data Management

    Interactive database programs, collection managers, address books, bibliography tools, etc.

    gaby, alexandria, mdbtools

  Editors

    Editors, other than office word processors, for text-based information.

    Examples: ksubtile, nano, hexedit

  Education

    Educational and training softwares.

    Examples: gtypist, gcompris, quiz

  Emulators

    Software that allows you to run non-native software or more than one OS at a time.

    Examples: wine, dosemu, qemu

  File Management

    Tools for file management, archiving, searching, CD/DVD burning, backup, etc.

    Examples: file-roller, mc, baobab

  Graphics

    2D and 3D graphics manipulation software.

    Examples: gimp, inkscape, imagemagick

  Mobile Devices

    Software that allows you to interface with mobile devices (phones, PDAs, etc.).

    Examples: kandy, gnokii, gnome-pilot

  Network

    Network related software. This is a three-level section, do not put entries directly here.

    Communication

      Mail, USENET news, chat, instant messaging, IP telephony, video conferencing software, etc.

      Examples: xchat, gaim, mutt

    File Transfer

      File transfer software such as download managers, FTP clients, P2P clients, etc.

      Examples: amule, gftp, d4x

    Monitoring

      Network monitoring software

      Examples: gip, ettercap, iptstate

    Web Browsing

      Web browsers, tools for offline browsing, etc.

      Examples: elinks, epiphany-browser, webhttrack

    Web News

      Web feed (RSS, Atom, etc.) and podcast aggregators.

      Examples: akregator, kitty, liferea

  Office

    Office suites, word processors, spreadsheets, CRM, ERP, financial sofware, etc.

    Examples: openoffice.org, tinyerp-client, gnucash

  Programming

    IDEs, debuggers, etc.

    Examples: anjuta, gdb, eclipse

  Project Management

    Timetable managers, group task trackers, bug tracking software, etc.

    Examples: planner, bugzilla, gnotime

  Science

    Scientific and engineering-related software.

    Astronomy

      Astronomy-related software.

      Examples: celestia, spacechart, stellarium

    Biology

      Biology-related software.

      Examples: arb, ncbi-tools-x11, seaview

    Chemistry

      Chemistry-related software.

      Examples: chemtool, kalzium, xdrawchem

    Data Analysis

      Software designed for processing, extracting, and presenting generic scientific data.

      Examples: fityk, ygraph, mn-fit

    Electronics

      Circuit design tools, simulators and assemblers for microprocessors, etc

      Examples: geda, gnucap, tkgate

    Engineering

      CAD, UML tools, diagram-drawing and other engineering-related software.

      Examples: tcm, dia, qcad

    Geoscience

      Geoscience-related software.

      Examples: earth3d, qgis, therion

    Mathematics

      Mathematics-related software.

      Examples: gcalctool, snappea, xeukleides

    Medicine

      Medicine-related software.

      Examples: mssstest, gnumed-client, xmedcon

    Physics

      Physics-related software.

      Examples: kxterm, ifrit, paw

    Social

      Social sciences-related software.

      Examples: gnomesword, hanzim, bibletime

  Shells

    Various shells to be used inside a terminal emulator.

    Examples: bash, ksh, zsh

  Sound

    Sound players, editors, and rippers/recorders.

    Examples: beep-media-player, grip, audacity

  System

    System related software.

    Administration

      Administrative and system configuration utilities, also tools for personal user settings.

      Examples: gnome-control-center, configure-debian, gksu

    Hardware

      Tools for manipulating specific hardware, especially non-standard laptop hardware.

      Examples: toshutils, nvclock-gtk, nvtv

    Language Environment

      This section is reserved for language-env as a special case.

    Monitoring

      System information and monitoring tools, log viewers, etc.

      Examples: top, hal-device-manager, gtkdiskfree

    Package Management

      Package managers and related tools.

      Examples: aptitude, deborphan, smartpm

    Security

      Security, cryptography and privacy related software, antiviruses, tools to track and report bugs, etc.

      Examples: gpgkeys, bastille, avscan

  Terminal Emulators

    Graphical terminal emulators.

    Examples: xterm, gnome-terminal, rxvt

  Text

    Text oriented tools like dictionaries, OCR, translation, text analysis software, etc.

    Examples: kdrill, stardict, turkey

  TV and Radio

    TV-in, TV-out, FM radio, teletext browsers, etc.

    Examples: gradio, gatos, alevt

  Viewers

    Software for viewing images, documents and other (non-video) media.

    Examples: gqview, evince, gthumb

  Video

    Video players, editors, and rippers/recorders.

    Examples: istanbul, totem, kino

  Web Development

    Software for web site editing, web programming, and site administration.

    Examples: bluefish, screem, gphpedit

Games

  Games and recreations

  Action

    Games that involve a lot of action and require fast reflexes.

    Examples: xsoldier, supertux, xmoto

  Adventure

    Role playing and adventure games, interactive movies and stories, etc.

    Examples: beneath-a-steel-sky, egoboo, kq

  Blocks

    Tetris-like games involving falling blocks.

    Examples: crack-attack, frozen-bubble, netris

  Board

    Games played on a board.

    Examples: phalanx, xshogi, xboard

  Card

    Games involving a deck of cards.

    Examples: pysol, ace-of-penguins, xpat2

  Puzzles

    Tests of ingenuity and logic.

    Examples: xmpuzzles, sgt-puzzles, enigma

  Simulation

    Simulations of the real world in all detail and complexity.

    Examples: flightgear, torcs

  Strategy

    Games involving long-term strategic thinking.

    Examples: wesnoth, widelands, netpanzer

  Tools

    Server browsers, configurators, editors, and other game-related tools that are not games themselves.

    Examples: xqf, crystalspace

  Toys

    Amusements, eye-candy, entertaining demos, screen hacks (screensavers), etc.

    Examples: xdesktopwaves, xphoon, xpenguins

Help

  programs that provide user documentation

  Examples: debian-reference, apt-howto, dhelp

Screen

  Programs that affect the whole screen.

  Saving

    Tools for blanking the screen. Entries of screen hacks and configuration GUIs should go to other appropriate sections.

    Examples: xscreensaver, xlockmore

  Locking

    Tools for locking the screen.

    Examples: xscreensaver, xlockmore

Window Managers

  X window managers.

  Examples: fluxbox, metacity, waimea

FVWM Modules

  FVWM-based window manager modules. As only modules related to the running window-manager are displayed, do not create subsections for specific window-managers.

  Examples: fvwm, fvwm-gnome, fvwm95

Window Maker

  This section is reserved for wmaker as a special case.

  All wmaker specific entries must go here.

Users wanting to access some menu entries quickly can also put them in the root menu. This is done by using section="/". Package-provided menu entries must never use this feature.

## 3.6 The `command` field

The command field holds the command that should be executed when the menu entry is selected. Commands will be executed with `sh -c` using

         execl("/bin/sh","sh","-c",command)

or the equivalent.

## 3.7 The `icon` field

Please make sure the icons you specify are always available on the system. So, if you want to have an icon with your menu entry, the preferred method is to supply the icon with that package. Icons should generally be installed in the directory `/usr/share/pixmaps`.

Debian package maintainers should ensure that any icons they include for use in the Debian menus conform to the following points:

1. The icons should be in xpm format.

2. The icons may not be larger than 32x32 pixels, although smaller sizes are ok.

3. The background area of the icon should be transparent, if possible.

You can provide both 16x16 and 32x32 pixels icons using the variables icon16x16 and icon32x32 so that the user can configure menu to use one or the other.

If you, as a system administrator, don't like the icons in the menus, simply change the `icon()` function from the file `/etc/menu-methods/menu.h`, and run `update-menus`.

## 3.8 The `hints` field

Hints are used to help menu structure generated menus in a more optimal way. For example:

         ?package(emacs20):\
           needs="x11"\
           hints="Big,Expert,Featureful" \
           section="Applications/Editors"\
           title="Emacs 20"\
           command="/usr/bin/emacs20"\
           icon=/usr/share/emacs/20.3/etc/emacs.xbm

The above hints will tell `menu` to consider grouping `emacs` together with other editors that are marked similar. For example, if `vi` on your system has a hints="Small,Expert" definition, and there are too many entries in the `/Applications/Editors` menu entry, then menu will consider creating a `/Applications/Editors/Expert` submenu, and put both `vi` and `emacs` in it. (Of course, only if you have `hint_optimize=true` in your `/etc/menu-methods/menu.h` file).

## 3.9 Entries for menu sections.

It is possible to add entries for menu sections, but it is not mandatory since section entries are created automatically. However, this allows to specify fields for sections like `icon` and `sort`. The syntax for menu sections entries is the same as for regular entries, the `section` field holding the name of the parent section. For example

         ?package(local.games): needs="text" title="Games" section="/" sort="001"

will sort `Games` first.

## 3.10 Fvwm's task and title bars

The problem with the stuff in the task bar is that all items are displayed all of the time. So, if 1500 Debian packages all were to register a button, the buttons would quickly fill the screen, making the exercise useless. The few applications that are considered important enough to be listed in the task bar usually vary widely on each system, making it impossible to select a ``happy few'' apps that are allowed there on every Debian system. If you (as a local system administrator) want your `fvwm2` to have a few buttons, you can install files for those packages in `/menu/$package`, containing a menu entry like this:

           ?Package(xmball):needs=button\
                         section=Games/Puzzles\
                         icon=path-to-pixmap.xpm\
                         title="Xmball"\
                         command=/usr/games/xmball

Then, do the following:

           cd /etc/menu-methods/
           cp fvwm2 fvwm2button
           vi fvwm2button

and remove all the "supported" entries, adding the one below. For the rest, leave everything the same except those listed below.

           supported
             button="+ Style \"" $title "\" TitleIcon" $icon " Exec "  $command "\n"
           endsupported
           startmenu:   "AddToTitlebar \n"
           endmenu:     "\n"
           submenutitle:""
           mainmenu:
           genmenu:   "buttondefs.hook"

(Of course regular users (not system administrators) can also specify `buttonfiles' in their ~/.menu/ directory).

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Debian Menu System