Hello

I just installed Mint 21.2 xfce onto an old laptop, and installed three new apps (Avidemux, Falkon browser and VLC). However, I decided I would prefer the LXDE desktop so installed this using Synaptic Package Manager.

I realise LXDE comes with its own version of certain apps, however when I choose LXDE at the login screen, once into LXDE Avidemux, VLC and Falkon have all disappeared from the menus like they were never installed. They do not even appear when I "search applications".

When I switch back to xfce on the login screen, they reappear as normal. Are they hidden on the hard drive somewhere and can be located and referenced in the LXDE menus?

Thank you for any advice you can give.

Steve

They just need to be added to the LXDE menu, not sure how, as I don't use it, but there will be something in the menu structure somewhere...

In a terminal, you might be lucky just running update-menu.

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I suspect a flatpack version of the apps was installed.
login to the xfce desktop, in the xfce menu right-click the app, click on "edit the application"
make a note of the command and any other information that might be relevant.
logout, login to lxde, accessories>menu editor
add an entry for the app with information obtained from the xfce application launcher.

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You appear to be correct - if I use xfce's Application Finder to locate Avidemux, Falkon or VLC, I get something like:

/usr/bin/flatpak run --branch=stable --arch=x86_64 --command=avidemux3_qt5 --file-forwarding org.avidemux.Avidemux @@ %f @@

... always mentioning "flatpak" somewhere. I installed them using Software Manager and it appeared the Flatpak version was the only one available. Also, when I use a terminal and type "whereis VLC", it just displays "VLC:" and no paths afterwards.

For future reference, is it a bad idea to use Software Manager to install apps and I should locate the .deb files on the web and use them instead? Or do sudo apt-get install in a terminal? And would it be a good idea for me to uninstall VLC, Avidemux and Falkon as flatpak versions and re-install them using a different method?

And with LXDE... do I still create menu entries manually for each of these flatpak apps, pasting in the full command line for each one? Or will flatpak apps not work in a different desktop from which they were installed?

Thank you for any information you can give.

Steve

In menu editor highlight the category where you want the launcher, click the plus button in the top left hand-corner to add a new launcher, fill out the information, click the icon beside the plus button at the top to save. logout, log back in lxde

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It is best to use your distribution's repositories to install aps. The repository is a collection of compatible packages. If you don't use the repository to obtain your aps you can end up in dependency hell. While you are using the repository then whether you use the Software Manager or apt-get is simply a matter of convenience.

If you can locate an ap package only someplace outside the repository then I suggest that you use the command line apt-get and dpkg commands. Using foreign packages can get complicated and you might need some of the more esoteric apt-get and dpkg commands.

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linux mint software manager has the choice of either flatpak or package to install for each of the apps the op installed. The flatpaks have a higher rating in the software manager.

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Thanks to everyone for their help on this thread.