JavaFIBS - LINUX - how to create a Menu Shortcut

[Ragtime]

how to CONFIGURE A LAUNCHER TO JavaFIBS Backgammon Client in Linux MInt/Ubuntu

Tested and working on Mint 18+, should work on UBUNTU

Apparently, a number of Linux JavaFIBS users have difficulties doing this.
Also, not many "specific" info can be found about it, so I thought it would be useful to write a couple of lines.
NOTE: this procedure can be used in a similar way for other applications, as well.
____________________________________________________

The following will work assuming you placed the folder containing the application ("JavaFIBS2001")
in your "home" folder; just replace "YOURUSERNAME" with... your user name.
If not, paths must be edited accordingly.

First you need to rename
"JavaFIBS_1009_J13.jar" or "JavaFIBS_1009_J15.jar"
(one of the two, at your choice), contained in the "JavaFIBS2001" folder, as

JavaFIBS.jar

(I suggest you duplicate the original file, then rename it, keep the original)
____________________________________________________

Then:

1.- create a new launcher on the desktop
(right click on desktop, "create new launcher here", do not "put in start menu" when asked)

2.- give initially "java -jar JavaFIBS.jar" (no quotes) as command, so that it is accepted

3.- Right click launcher and edit content (open with - gedit)

4.- Overwrite all launcher content with the following lines:

[Desktop Entry]
Comment=FIBS Backgammon Client
Name=JavaFIBS
Path=/home/YOURUSERNAME/JavaFIBS2001
Exec=java -jar JavaFIBS.jar
Type=Application
Icon=/home/YOURUSERNAME/JavaFIBS2001/images/boardwin.gif

--> Hit SAVE <--
____________________________________________________

NOTES about commands:
Comment=(comment of your choice)
Name=(name of your choice)
Path=(path where the folder program is located, replace "YOURUSERNAME")
Exec=(startup command)
Type=Application
Icon=(launcher icon, change path and icon as preferred/needed)
____________________________________________________

5.- Place launcher in the

/home/YOURUSERNAME/.local/share/applications

folder (copy/move, your choice).

After that, it will appear in the Start Menu as "others"

6.- use the menu configuration utility to move the launcher to the "games" category.
(right-click menu icon, configure, menu tab, open menu editor, cut & paste)

Close everything, done.
____________________________________________________

The JavaFIBS launcher will now appear in your start menu under "Games", along with its icon.

Have fun

[Ragtime]

NOTE 1:

.local/share/applications

is a hidden folder.

In order to see it in the explorer, you have to set it to show hidden files/folders (right click anywhere in the explorer /show hidden)


NOTE 2:

be sure you have Java installed in your system or the program won't work and you'll receive an error message.

to check, open terminal and type:

java -version

the installed version should appear.
If it shows anything other than "version (number, blablabla)", you don't have java installed.

to install java runtime, open terminal and type:

sudo apt-get install openjdk-8-jre -y

(copy/paste from here)

then repeat check version step.
the current version installed should now appear

(i.e. "openjdk version 1.8.0_151")

after that, everything should run just fine.