KAppFinder: System Menu Update Tool

Novell Cool Solutions: Feature
By Scott M. Morris

Digg This - Slashdot This Posted: 21 Sep 2005

Applies to:

• Platforms using KDE

SUSE Linux is great. It's so easy to install software. YAST does a great job of resolving all of the package dependencies for you. Sometimes, however, the application you install doesn't show up anywhere in the K Menu. This is easy to fix with a tool called KAppfinder. Let's take a look at this cool tool.

First, let's make sure you have it installed. Open up YAST and search for the package called kdebase3-extra. When it comes up in the right pane, tick the checkbox next to it. Then, click ACCEPT:

Now, let's run it. In the K Menu, go to UTILITIES, then DESKTOP, and finally click on MENU UPDATING TOOL. The nice, plain KAppfinder window will appear:

First, we need to scan, as evidenced by the SCAN button being the only productive button available. Go ahead and click that. KAppfinder then goes and searches for installed applications that could be added to the K Menu. Once you've located the application(s) you wish to have added to the K Menu, tick the checkbox next to them:

When you've selected all of the applications you wish to add to the K Menu, click APPLY. KAppfinder then applies the settings, adding your application(s) to the K Menu. It may also show you a box telling you what it did. When all of this is finished, you can close the window. You should now be able to see the application available from the K Menu. In this case, I added Thunderbird, which we can now see is in the K Menu:

Having great apps installed is a snap with SUSE Linux. If they don't show up in the K Menu, KAppfinder may just be what the doctor ordered to make them show up.

Reader Comments

• This page does not give you an alternate routine if Kappfinder is not found in the files or if KDEbase3-extra is missing.
• Cannot find kdebase3-extra anywhere on the DVD. Description on Suse site of the package and the info that it isn't needed. How do I use KDE to start e.g. seamonkey or new firefox instead of command lines?
• it's great
• in YAST (SuSE 9.3), searching for kappfinder return no result. I have to search for kdebase3-extra.

Novell Cool Solutions (corporate web communities) are produced by WebWise Solutions. www.webwiseone.com