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lubuntu 20.04 Alacarte menu editor doesn't work for me. The changes I make are not saved, or not as I make them. For example, I added a link to alacarte itself in the main menu, but the link appeared in the Other submenu. Same thing with any other app links I create; they all end up in Other. Code::Blocks, I created a folder C++ under Programming and put the CB link there, but it appeared directly under Programming. Also, invoking Alacarte from the menu doesn't work; only typing its name in a terminal does, and I get a message,

[code] Gtk CRITICAL: 28:13:52.528: gtk accel label set accel closure : assertion 'gtk accel group from accel closure (accel closure) != NULL' failed [/code]

Which, as a programmer myself I recognize as an assert that should not be present in software compiled for release. Anyways, maybe lubuntu is forcing its will on the menu... I suspect it's some bad setting; maybe it's accessing the wrong menu file. But the program has NO preferences or settings of any kind. Any idea how to make it work? Sorry I can't figure out the text formatting here.

EDIT: I've just been informed I'm running an incompatible program. I honestly have no idea what qt5 is, or LXQt for that matter. I assumed anything Synaptic showed me would work in my system. I guess this changes my question to ... how do I edit my menu?

DanW58
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    You've got me confused, `alacarte` (https://packages.ubuntu.com/focal/alacarte) is a GNOME menu editor, GNOME being GTK3 based; where as Lubuntu is LXQt is Qt5 based so has nothing at all to do with GTK3. LXQt can set GTK3 themes only (see appearance in (https://manual.lubuntu.me/stable/search.html?q=gtk3&check_keywords=yes&area=default) but you've got me confused by your post. – guiverc Jul 13 '20 at 01:33
  • Thanks. Edited the question. – DanW58 Jul 13 '20 at 02:07
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    End user programs use libraries, GNOME & GIMP share a *toolkit* called GTK (originally GTK+ to represent GIMP+GNOME). LXQt uses Qt (version 5) or the Q *toolkit* as is found in Android phones, many windows programs. It's a library/toolkit system that is part of the software stack between end-user programs and the base operating system. As a *programmer* I assumed you'd realize the theory of software stacks sorry, but by using the wrong stack the changes made for GTK have ~no influence at all on Qt based systems like LXQt, KDE or other Qt based programs. – guiverc Jul 13 '20 at 02:09
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    Lubuntu 20.04 LTS uses the LXQt desktop, use `neofetch` to get some details, or `lxqt-about --version`. `synaptic` is a GTK program, so was included in Lubuntu releases that used LXDE (or GTK2; GNOME is GTK3), but it was replaced with `muon` as it's Qt based and thus more efficient. They'll both run equally (`synaptic` just needing more RAM as it cannot use libraries already in your memory so additional ones are loaded), but the changes they make impact packages on your disk/system, so the results are equal. – guiverc Jul 13 '20 at 02:15
  • As a programmer I loved algorithms and solving intricate problems, but hated libraries. I was once working on a 3d engine and I wrote the whole vector, matrix and quaternion thing from scratch because I could not stand libraries. Right now I feel like writing a menu editor, maybe in assembler... – DanW58 Jul 13 '20 at 02:18
  • Currently there is no Qt based app to change a LXQt menu (see https://github.com/lxqt/lxqt/issues/255), so it's all changes made via editor to files on your system manually... – guiverc Jul 13 '20 at 02:18
  • Too many acronyms, I'm totally lost. Are you saying I should be using muon rather than synaptic? – DanW58 Jul 13 '20 at 02:24
  • Okay, this is going to be my first job, then: write a qt menu editor. – DanW58 Jul 13 '20 at 02:26
  • Because `muon` is more efficient with your memory, that's why it's recommend and thus included by default. If you've got memory/RAM to spare you're welcome to use `synaptic` as it's known to you as it's your choice (ie. I mentioned the result was the same anyway). Synaptic uses GTK3 libs meaning they need to be loaded into memory prior to use, `muon` requires Qt5 libs (already in memory as used by the LXQt desktop)... – guiverc Jul 13 '20 at 02:26
  • :) on Qt Menu editor idea.... If you need help, I'll suggest the #lubuntu( or -devel) channel on IRC (freenode), or via Telegram. (https://lubuntu.me/links/ ; a *bot* links IRC with telegram). LXQt is found on OFTC (https://lxqt.github.io/) – guiverc Jul 13 '20 at 02:28
  • What about debian "menu"? I'm not sure how to tell if it uses qt5 or gtk3 or what... – DanW58 Jul 13 '20 at 05:29

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