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What is panel-test-applets for??

I don't know. But if I want to know I type:

$ whatis panel-test-applets

The answer is:

panel-test-applets (1) - display installed applets

I have the man page too, and I can read it:

$ man panel-test-applets

But there is no program with that name.

Maybe the command is not very useful, but is its man page more useful?

Does someone know how to install that program or what is its man page for when you cannot execute the program? I can't even execute the command:

$ panel-test-applets

nor 

$ panel-test-applets --help

which is the only thing its man page talks about!!

Robert Vila
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1 Answers1

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According to Ubuntu Manpage Repository, panel-test-applets displays installed applets in a dialog box and does nothing else.

Q1. Why do I have man pages of commands that don't exist?

panel-test-applets is not a command but a program that is installed and run with gnome-panel which provides the panels for the the GNOME Desktop.

Q2. Maybe the command is not very useful, but is its man page useful?

It's man page provides information about the program and so, YES it is useful.

Q3. Does someone know how to install the command or what is its man page for?

I am not sure which command are you referring to here, besides commands are not installed, but programs are.

If you are asking about installing gnome-panel which also installs panel-test-applets, you can run:

sudo apt-get install gnome-panel
Peachy
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  • `D1. In computing, a command is a directive to a computer program acting as an interpreter of some kind, in order to perform a specific task. Most commonly a command is a directive to some kind of command line interface, such as a shell; S1. panel-test-applets is not a command but a program; S2. I am not sure which command are you referring to here` No? Well, what do you think? I am referring to *panel-test-applets*, obviously. I don't have that _program_ installed, so why do I have the man page installed?. Is that the correct way to have all things? or is it specific for this _program_? – Robert Vila Nov 10 '12 at 03:11
  • ... I just want to know; the question is as simple as that; and I already know what a man page provides. Its man page is in section 1 and I have no program named panel-test-applets according to my system. Is that wrong? – Robert Vila Nov 10 '12 at 03:12
  • panel-test-applets is installed when you install gnome-panel. – Peachy Nov 10 '12 at 05:03
  • You mean the man page is installed? or the program too? If it is the program, could you please tell us where does it live? As I wrote before, I can't find it, etc., etc. – Robert Vila Nov 10 '12 at 06:22
  • `"Q4. If you are asking about installing gnome-panel which also installs panel-test-applets, you can run:..."` No, I didn't ask exactly that, nor only that. I am asking where does the program go, because I can't find it or how can I install it so that I can find it. Or if it is normal not being able to execute the command `panel-test-applet`. Can't you see what I am saying? – Robert Vila Nov 10 '12 at 06:36
  • `$ dpkg-query -S panel-test-applets` outputs this: `gnome-panel: /usr/share/man/man1/panel-test-applets.1.gz gnome-panel-data: /usr/share/gnome-panel/ui/panel-test-applets.ui gnome-panel-data: /usr/share/gnome-panel/ui/panel-test-applets-bonobo.ui` That is all I have installed, and I have the package installed. THE QUESTION IS WHERE IS THAT PROGRAM that I cannot execute from the command line, and for which I have a man page?? – Robert Vila Nov 10 '12 at 06:43
  • what happens when you run `panel-test-applets` from the terminal? – Peachy Nov 10 '12 at 09:21
  • When I type panel-test-applets, the system doesn't find the program because the program does not exist. $ panel-test-applets panel-test-applets: command not found – Robert Vila Nov 13 '12 at 05:39
  • Because as you have been told, it is not a command, it is a program, a program that is run *with* gnome panel. For short, gnome-panel>panel-tests-applets, it is not executed on it's own. – Uri Herrera Nov 13 '12 at 05:55
  • That is not what the man page says. The man page, in *SECTION 1*, says this: NAME panel-test-applets — display installed applets SYNOPSIS panel-test-applets [--help ] DESCRIPTION panel-test-applets display installed applets in a dialog box and does nothing else. OPTIONS --help Display help – Robert Vila Nov 16 '12 at 16:42
  • Just wanted to know the reason why I have it that way. It could be only me or it could be the new normal, though misleading and labyrinthine way to have the information system. – Robert Vila Nov 16 '12 at 16:44
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    *Note*: **Section 1 = Executable programs or shell commands** – Robert Vila Nov 16 '12 at 16:50
  • Have you seen?: `$ type -a panel-test-applets bash: type: panel-test-applets: not found` – Robert Vila Nov 16 '12 at 19:07