[08:42] <aruns> Hi.
[08:43] <aruns> I installed QT Creator as I was looking to get some practice making apps for the Ubuntu platform.
[08:43] <aruns> But is it better to install the actual SDK package itself?
[08:44] <mcphail> aruns: without installing the SDK, you're not going to get all the QML components you'll need for specific ubuntu apps
[08:45] <aruns> Hi, server seems to have restarted for me.
[08:45] <aruns> Anyway, I installed QT Creator as was looking to get some experience developing small apps for the Ubuntu platform as practice.
[08:46] <aruns> Is it better to install the actual SDK package itself, or will QT Creator be a good starting point for someone who hasn't developed for the Ubuntu / Ubuntu Touch platforms before?
[08:49] <mcphail> Install the SDK. You can create applications with vanilla Qt Creator, but if you want the specific Ubuntu components the best way is via the SDK. Follow the URL in the /topic
[09:05] <aruns> mcphail: I ran that command and it said 'Insufficient arguments for command'
[09:05] <aruns> Is there an argument I need to append to the command?
[09:07] <aruns> I also did slash topic ubuntu-app-devel
[09:07] <aruns> It said the following: You're not a channel operator: #ubuntu-app-devel
[16:12] <raymod2> Hi, guys.  I was told by someone in #ubuntu that there is no equivalent to the Windows installer in Ubuntu.  Can I get confirmation of that?
[16:13] <raymod2> Specifically what I am looking into is modifying default file assocations, modifying file type icons, adding application links to the user's desktop or favorites list, etc.
[16:15] <raymod2> I have tried doing this in the postinst script of my .deb package and it works when the user runs 'dpkg -i foo.deb' because, although it runs as root, it inherits the user's $HOME.
[16:15] <raymod2> However, it doesn't work when the user installs the .deb from the GUI (Ubuntu Software Center).
[16:26] <raymod2> appdevs
[16:31] <JanC> you should never mess in a user's $HOME
[16:32] <raymod2> JanC - why not?
[16:33] <raymod2> This seems to be common practice on Windows.
[16:33] <raymod2> Expected and desired.
[16:34] <raymod2> Most users don't know how to change file type icons and default file associations.
[16:34] <JanC> you can change default file associations system wide
[16:34] <raymod2> How?
[16:35] <raymod2> I tried 'xdg-mime default ...' but it was written only to touch $HOME.
[16:36] <JanC> https://specifications.freedesktop.org/desktop-entry-spec/latest/
[16:37] <raymod2> The foo.desktop file allows you to specify your application can handle a mime type but not to make your application the default for that mime type.
[16:38] <raymod2> I've already got 'MimeType=text/csv;' in my .desktop file.
[16:39] <raymod2> All that spec says is this:
[16:39] <raymod2> "There should be no priority for MIME Types in this field, or any form of priority in the desktop file. Priority for applications is handled external to the .desktop files."
[16:47] <JanC> and https://specifications.freedesktop.org/mime-apps-spec/latest/
[16:48] <JanC> in any case, you don't want to overwrite a user's choices (remember you don't really know what users will/want to use your application
[16:49] <JanC> )
[17:00] <JanC> to set the default, you can also do that when a user runs an application for the first time (after asking the user, of course)
[17:00] <JanC> to set the user default
[17:06] <raymod2> Is that the standard way?  On Windows they usually have a settings page in the installer which allows the user to choose not to change the edfault file association.
[17:06] <JanC> .deb packages are installed by a system user/system service, there is no "user" really
[17:07] <JanC> and actually, on Windows it's also often not the user who installs software
[17:07] <raymod2> But the user initiates package installation through Ubuntu Software Center.
[17:08] <raymod2> (or the command line)
[17:08] <JanC> on the commandline you run apt-get as root, not as the user
[17:08] <raymod2> True about Windows.  Sometimes the administrator installs applications on behalf of the users.  I find that a bit annoying actually.  :)
[17:10] <raymod2> And the reason I am annoyed is related to the things I am asking about here.  The unwanted applications have icons on the desktop, they take over default file associations, etc. and I may not want that.
[17:11] <JanC> that's because they mess with your personal settings  :)
[17:14] <raymod2> On the other hand, when *I* install an application I appreciate it when the installer handles details like default file associations, file type icons, and desktop links.  It is tedious to do this manually after installing an application.
[17:14] <JanC> like I said, your application can do it when run by the user
[17:15] <JanC> and you can install applications in a user's $HOME too, just not with APT/dpkg/.deb  :)
[17:15] <raymod2> How?
[17:17] <raymod2> Doing these things the first time the user runs my application is problematic because part of the reason I want to do these things is to make it easier for the user to find my application.  Hence the desktop shortcut, favorites list, etc.
[17:17] <JanC> there isn't really a default way currently
[17:18] <raymod2> It's not the best experience when your user installs your application and then scratches his head and says "Now what?"  Now he has to go hunting for the application to run it.
[17:20] <JanC> that's why software center added applications to the launcher; but I'm not sure if the new one in 16.04 does that
[17:20] <JanC> added newly installed applications there
[17:22] <JanC> not all desktop environments have the concept of a "desktop" BTW  :)
[17:37] <raymod2> Thanks for the insights, Jan.
[17:37] <JanC> raymod2: http://appimage.org/ is one way to "install" applications in a user's $HOME (but I have never used it)
[18:30] <raymod2> JanC - out of curiosity I tried creating /usr/share/applications/mimeapps.list to change the system file association default but it didn't work!
[18:30] <raymod2> Thus it seems that Ubuntu violates the XDG spec.
[18:30] <raymod2> https://specifications.freedesktop.org/mime-apps-spec/latest/ar01s04.html
[20:22] <draymod2> Is it true that Ubuntu doesn't follow the freedesktop spec?