brain-dump/ux-stuff/dock-shortcuts

Dock Shortcuts on Linux Desktop Environments

Custom dock shortcuts for targets that aren't applications. These instructions are for desktop environments using Gnome Shell v3.22.3+

Aside from normal applications in my dock launcher, I like to link specific Firefox profiles, as well as a file manager/nautilus shortcut to my Git folder.

Custom Nautilus Folder Launcher

Open a particular folder in Nautilus file manager.

1. Add git.desktop (as seen in this repo directory) to ~/.local/share/applications/
2. Then, go to Applications (location varies depending on your setup) > search for git
3. Right click > Add to favorites

Now when you click the Git folder icon in the dock, it automatically goes to the Git directories: /storage/git

In git.desktop, modify the following to suit your environment:

Exec=/usr/bin/nautilus --new-window /storage/git

As well as Title, Name, Icon etc.

Custom Firefox Shortcut Launcher

This achieves the same as launching a new profile from about:profiles - but is much quicker.

1. Create your new profile in about:profiles if you haven't already
2. Add firefox-esr-browswing.desktop (as seen in this repo directory) to ~/.local/share/applications/
3. Then, go to Applications (location varies depending on your setup) > search for browsing
4. Right click > Add to favorites

In firefox-esr-browsing.desktop, modify the following to suit your environment:

Exec=/usr/lib/firefox-esr/firefox-esr %u -P browsing

As well as Title, Name, Icon etc.