Re: add downloaded program to menu or run it--how?

[Camaleón <noelamac@gmail.com>]

On Fri, 22 Oct 2010 19:03:17 -0400, Doug wrote:

> On 10/22/2010 05:25 PM, Camaleón wrote:
>> On Fri, 22 Oct 2010 15:11:50 -0400, Doug wrote:
>>
>>
>>> I have downloaded synaptiks using synaptic package manager.  It shows
>>> up as "installed" but it doesn't show on any menu, and I have no idea
>>> how to run it.  (It disables the scratchpad when an external mouse is
>>> connected.  This is much better than the default mode which only
>>> disables the scratchpad while you are typing.)
>>>      
>> As per its webpage:
>>
>> http://synaptiks.lunaryorn.de/index.html
>>
>> It seems that you can add a widget to launch it or going to KDE user
>> settings to configure the touchpad behaviour.
>>
>>
> I'm afraId that I'm snowed by all this.  In the first place, I'm running
> the standard Debian--the Gnome GUI, not KDE.  

Uh? Then why installing a KDE app? I think you can control touchpad in 
GNOME. What are your requirements, disable the touchpad when external 
pointer is present? If yes, that should be configurable:

***
http://live.gnome.org/GPointingDeviceSettings

Touchpad

    * Disable touchpad
    * Disable tapping and scrolling
    * Disable while any other devices are connect.
          o This options is available only if you use with GNOME. 
***

> The file is here.
> Somewhere.  There are a ton of synaptiks files under /usr/share/
> kde4/services, but none are executable, and the filenames don't hint at
> which might work if you chmod'd it.  

"whereis synaptiks" should tell you where to find all the files :-)

> Unix is so obscure.  At least with
> DOS/Windows, you knew if a file ended in .com or .exe you could execute
> it and see what happens.

Ugh, no, MS extensions are one of the most security holes in MS windows 
systems (provided that "known extensions" are hidden by default, I still 
fail to see what's the point of that :-/)
 
> In plain English, how does one get a file from the package manager and
> run it?  What good is the p.m. if it just fills up your disk with stuff
> that you can't execute?
> 
> So, what now?    

You are installing a KDE application that integrates with KDE control 
center (user settings) and can be launched as plasma applet. Not sure how 
to deal with that under GNOME :-?

Try with the GNOME settings first or by using "gpointing-device-settings" 
app), the option you are looking for should be present and tweakeable.

Greetings,

-- 
Camaleón