[Bug 1251635] Re: drop version numbers from users' .desktop file names

[Gerry Boland]

My objection to the version number in the desktop file is due to the
fact it does not respect existing desktop file behaviour that unity7 and
other existing shells rely upon.

Those shells watch (via inotify) the desktop file directories and
monitor file changes and removals. If a file is changed, the shell re-
reads it - this is perfect for app updates to be reflected in the shell
immediately - requiring no direct communication between update process
and the shell. If a file is removed, shell can assume the application
was removed and act accordingly.

With a version string in the desktop file name, the above mechanism will
not work. If a click package updates, it will appear to unity7 that the
application was actually removed.

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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1251635

Title:
  drop version numbers from users' .desktop file names

Status in “click” package in Ubuntu:
  Confirmed

Bug description:
  The version number in click .desktop file in users'
  ~/.local/share/applications cause issues on different levels for
  apparently no advantage.

  Every time you want to find a .desktop file for an app, you either
  need to store the whole file name, with the version number (which
  breaks on app upgrades, unless you react to it somehow), or find a
  matching .desktop file based on the developer / app id and hookname
  every time. App upgrades / removals are tricky unless we start
  reacting to signals from the click system itself.

  Since in users' realms there can only be one version of an app
  installed at any given time, it feels like exposing this complication
  there is unnecessary.

  What do you think?

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