GNOME is removing the tray icon

[rugk]

From version 3.26 the Gnome Project decided to get rid of the system tray as they felt it not useful anymore. https://blogs.gnome.org/aday/2017/08/31/status-icons-and-gnome/

The [current] Fedora and Ubuntu Releases […] already contain this Gnome version.

More resources:

• https://blogs.gnome.org/aday/2017/08/31/status-icons-and-gnome/
• https://developer.gnome.org/SearchProvider/
• https://developer.gnome.org/gio/stable/GNotification.html
• https://wiki.gnome.org/Initiatives/StatusIconMigration/Guidelines
• https://doc.qt.io/qt-5/qsystemtrayicon.html#isSystemTrayAvailable

(copied from Nitrokey/nitrokey-app#274)

[abitrolly]

So, what is the replacement?

[rugk]

See the docs I've linked. E.g. cloud services could use some special APIs for them (which are integrated into Nautilus). Or, generally, the urge to use specific APIs for the use case. In this case, here, Nautilus integration would maybe be useful…(?)

[abitrolly]

So this is not actionable?

[rugk]

What do you mean by that?

Of course Nautilus integration is actionable, but don't ask me for the details. Or any other API or whatever way you'll come up with avoiding the tray icon.

[abitrolly]

Without details there is nothing could be done. No action is possible.

[rugk]

Boah… come on. I am just a user of this application. I have no idea how to fullfill it and I am not a dev in this area.
I just wanted to make you aware of the problem, and offer some ideas/tips on what you can do. I have provided you links to how other services did it, and some links to documentation about the whole thing.
There is nothing more I can provide. Some developers/other community members may jump in and develop/discuss ideas or do something…

[abitrolly]

Thanks for the links, of course, but being dev doesn't mean one has more time to understand how to deal with GNOME notifications area. Pasting simple example that compiles and demonstrates the concept may help someone to integrate it with Nitroshare.

[rugk]

So what?
The example I can give is:

These (tray) icons are depreciated and only shown, because I have the topicons plus extension installed.
So you basically cannot use them. You may not use any such icons, it is not intended to be used by an application running on GNOME, because they have less value and proper APIs should be used.

Alternatives:

• desktop notificationsn
• file manager (Nautilus) integration; example: right-click -> Send file
• more????

Example from NextCloud: https://blog.juliushaertl.de/index.php/2017/08/28/gsoc-final-report/

[abitrolly]

Okay. Let's go with Desktop Notifications first. How to make Nitroshare report there that it is running?

[rugk]

GNOME principle: Don't. E.g. music players can still be running when closed, they just use the API so they can be controlled from the user via some ways or another.
It's totally unnecessary to constantly show an icon for any application that is running in the background. I guess that's a principle one has inherited from Windows, but it is actually not useful when you think about it. You only need to control or quit the application…

[nathan-osman]

Note: NitroShare has an HTTP API accessible to local applications running under the user's account that can be used for status and controlling the application in case that helps.

[abitrolly]

With receiving files it is not a problem to leave Nitroshare running in background, but how to find Nitroshare in GNOME when user needs to send something?

[rugk]

Right click on a file -> Share with Nitrokey or similar is the UI flow I'd suggest and have already mentioned earlier.

[haevalencia]

With receiving files it is not a problem to leave Nitroshare running in background, but how to find Nitroshare in GNOME when user needs to send something?

In addition to what @rugk says, you can open the application directly and select the device to send the file to. I think that here you can follow the example of how Teleport works.

[haevalencia]

What is discussed here can be useful. Maybe @csoriano1618 can help with his advice.

[csoriano1618]

Thanks for bringing this up @haevalencia. I think the advice in telegramdesktop/tdesktop#3830 could be applied here too.

Let me know if I can be of any help!