Ubuntu – Execute “complex” command in .desktop file (Unity Quicklist)

If you got a URL, just open it using the default web browser:

...
X-Ayatana-Desktop-Shortcuts=Compose

[Compose Shortcut Group]
Name=Compose Mail
Exec=xdg-open 'https://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#compose'
TargetEnvironment=Unity

Or if you like to use a different browser, e.g. Chromium:

Exec=chromium-browser 'https://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#compose'

Chromium also allows you to open the URL in a window without toolbars:

Exec=chromium-browser --app='https://mail.google.com/mail/?shva=1#compose'

Of course this only works if you are already logged in or got a cookie. Else it will only take you to the login page.

Ok, so finaly I find a great solution for this case.

As I said before in a comments, the better solution is to use a script called with the Ayatana shortcut. This is an exemple of Quicklist launcher for gedit. With it you can open a file in gedit or open a file as root in gedit

The part I add in the gedit.desktop file :

X-Ayatana-Desktop-Shortcuts=OpenDoc;OpenDocRoot;

[OpenDoc Shortcut Group]
Name=Open file...
Exec=/path/to/the/script normal-mode
TargetEnvironment=Unity

[OpenDocRoot Shortcut Group]
Name=Open file as root...
Exec=/path/to/the/script root-mode
TargetEnvironment=Unity

Using a script fine is more easier for testing what we want and do some complex things with the quicklist shortcut.

Now this is the code for the script /path/to/the/script (personally I create a script folder in ~/.local/applications/ folder and create the script geditshortcut in it)

#!/bash/bin

case $1 in
normal-mode) gedit $(zenity --title='Open file...' --file-selection);;
root-mode) gksudo -u root -m "Running Gedit as user root allow you to modify some essential files of your system" "bash -c 'gedit \$(zenity --title=\'Open file as user root...\' --file-selection)'";;
esac

Now Drag & Drop the gedit.desktop file to the launcher bar or Unity and enjoy it ;)

That's all folks !!