Working with non Steam games
Table of Contents generated with DocToc
- About
- Creating desktop files
- Workaround for games with several exec options
- Examples
- How-To List
- Reference issues tickets
- Issues
Table of Contents
This page contains useful information for running non-Steam games on SteamOS. Please try to keep this to Linux-native applications and games.
On SteamOS, the "Add Library Shortcut" function should discover .desktop files in these directories:
/home/steam/.local/share/applications
/usr/share/applications
/home/steam/Desktop
Also it needs to be an appropriate .desktop file. Please take special note of the below:
- Exec does not support relative paths, only absolute/full paths or commands in $PATH.
- The Exec= line cannot have spaces
-
Cannot have a configuration line of
NoDisplay=true -
Cannot have a configuration line of
Categories=Settings -
Requires the configuration file to have
Type=Applications
If you must have multiple options to the Exec= line, consider creating a bash script as a "launcher."
Example: "dragonslayerz.sh"
#!/bin/bash
/usr/bin/dragonslayerz --u2 --kazoo --elephant-mode
Move and mark the script executable for the system to be able to use it:
sudo cp dragonslayerz.sh /usr/bin/
sudo chmod +x /usr/bin/dragonslayerz.sh
You would then replace the Exec= line with `Exec=/usr/bin/dragzonslayerz.sh"
[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Name=Retroarch-Src
GenericName=Retroarch-Src
Comment=Retroarch-Src launcher
Exec=retroarch-launch.sh
Icon=/home/steam/Pictures/retro-arch-src-logo.png
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Categories=Game
Actions=Fullscreen;Standalone;
As another example, here is the "Return to Steam" desktop-mode shortcut:
[Desktop Entry]
Name=Return to Steam
Comment=Exit desktop mode
Exec=/usr/bin/returntosteam.sh
Icon=steam
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Categories=Network;FileTransfer;Game;
MimeType=x-scheme-handler/steam;
If you have a case where you are not seeing this behavior or you think this behavior needs to change, please open an issue ticket with all the details. (including the .desktop file)
