How do I add a launcher for .sh applications?

I have installed ubuntu (11.04).

I installed phpstorm which is simply an archive for you to extract and shove in your /opt directory.

To run it you would use /opt/PhpStorm-103.243/bin/PhpStorm.sh

In unity I had created a launcher on my desktop.

Now I have installed gnome-3(gnome-shell),

And I have nothing in my desktop.

So how do I run phpstorm quickly? Can I get it to show up in "applications"?

Solution 1:

PhpStorm now has a feature to create a launcher for you. It's available under:

Tools -> Create Desktop Entry...

This will add PhpStorm to the system menu for the current user or for all users. The created launcher is also compatible with Gnome Shell.

Solution 2:

I worked it out :D

In Terminal

gedit ~/.local/share/applications/<Your App Name>.desktop

In gedit

Here you should edit:
You can find more details and more keys in the freedesktop.org docs

[Desktop Entry]
# Define which specification version this entry is using 
Version=1.0
# The application name (eg. "Gnome Terminal", "Firefox")
Name=My Awesome App
# The generic app name (eg. "Terminal", "Web Browser")
GenericName=Awesome App
# The Tooltip
Comment=This app is awesome!
# The command you want to execute
Exec=/path/to/sh/file/file.sh
# Whether the app should run in a terminal window
Terminal=false
# The pretty picture :D
Icon=/opt/PhpStorm-103.243/bin/webide.png
# The type of the desktop entry (Application, Link, or Directory)
Type=Application
# Categoies the app should be in
Categories=Network;WebBrowser;
# Mime types this launcher can open
MimeType=text/html;
# Localized version of the above info
Name[en_NZ]=My Awesome App
GenericName[en_NZ]=Awesome App
Comment[en_NZ]=This app is awesome!

Save the file.
Now your application will show in searches :)

Solution 3:

Alacarte application can help you. You can also find it under "Main Menu". Use the Software Center or

sudo apt-get install alacarte

Just choose a folder (not very important if you have Gnome 3, unless you use some menu extension) and then on the right New Item. Here you can give the new launcher a name and browse to its location. You can also provide a logo by clicking on the logo.

Solution 4:

I'm using the gnome-shell in Ubuntu 11.10 and created my launcher for PhpStorm using the same method in Gnome 3 that I would have used in Gnome 2: I used the Main Menu application.

The application shows up in search and can be added to Favorites without any hiccups.