Document adding md-manuscript to the XFCE menu

Add an XFCE section to the install guide covering Whisker Menu
favourites (right-click → Add to Favorites), panel/desktop launcher
alternatives, and menu-refresh commands. Fold XFCE equivalents into the
on-screen keyboard, HiDPI, and X11 tips, and add a troubleshooting row.

Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.8 <noreply@anthropic.com>
This commit is contained in:
landon
2026-07-26 15:29:31 -05:00
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# Installing md-manuscript on a Surface tablet (Debian 12 "Bookworm") # Installing md-manuscript on a Surface tablet (Debian 12 "Bookworm")
These steps build the app from source and set it up for touch use on a Microsoft These steps build the app from source and set it up for touch use on a Microsoft
Surface running Debian 12 with the GNOME desktop. You do **not** need the Surface running Debian 12. They assume the **GNOME** desktop, with **XFCE**
equivalents called out where they differ (see *[Add md-manuscript to the XFCE
menu](#add-md-manuscript-to-the-xfce-menu)*). You do **not** need the
`linux-surface` custom kernel for this app — any working Debian 12 desktop is `linux-surface` custom kernel for this app — any working Debian 12 desktop is
fine. fine.
@@ -85,8 +87,9 @@ hardware. The result is `~/md-manuscript/target/release/md-manuscript`.
## 4. Install the binary and a launcher ## 4. Install the binary and a launcher
Put the binary on your `PATH` and add a GNOME app entry so it appears in the Put the binary on your `PATH` and add a desktop app entry so it appears in your
Activities/app grid and can be pinned to the dash (handy for touch): applications menu (GNOME app grid / XFCE Whisker Menu) and can be pinned for
touch:
```sh ```sh
# 4a. Binary # 4a. Binary
@@ -121,6 +124,49 @@ You can now launch **md-manuscript** by tapping its icon, or run
--- ---
## Add md-manuscript to the XFCE menu
XFCE reads the same `~/.local/share/applications/md-manuscript.desktop` launcher
from step 4, so the app already appears under **Office** in the applications
menu. To pin it as a favourite:
**Whisker Menu (Favourites).** The Favourites feature lives in the *Whisker
Menu* (the modern XFCE menu), not the classic *Applications Menu* plugin. Open
the Whisker Menu, type `md-manuscript` (or find it under *Office*), then
**right-click it → "Add to Favorites."** It moves to the Favourites column at the
top-left of the menu, where you can right-click to reorder or remove it.
If your panel still has the classic *Applications Menu* (which has no
favourites), install and switch to Whisker:
```sh
sudo apt install -y xfce4-whiskermenu-plugin
```
then right-click the panel → *Panel → Add New Items… → Whisker Menu* (and remove
the old menu plugin).
**Panel launcher (alternative).** To place it directly on the panel: right-click
the panel → *Panel → Add New Items… → Launcher → Add*, then right-click the new
launcher → *Properties*, press ****, and pick **md-manuscript** from the list.
**Desktop icon (alternative).** Copy the launcher onto the desktop:
```sh
cp ~/.local/share/applications/md-manuscript.desktop ~/Desktop/
```
(right-click it → *Allow Launching* the first time, if prompted).
If it doesn't show up in the menu, refresh the database and restart the panel:
```sh
update-desktop-database ~/.local/share/applications 2>/dev/null || true
xfce4-panel -r
```
---
## 5. First run ## 5. First run
1. In the top bar, set **Workspace** (default `~/Manuscript`) and tap **Open** 1. In the top bar, set **Workspace** (default `~/Manuscript`) and tap **Open**
@@ -143,15 +189,19 @@ You can now launch **md-manuscript** by tapping its icon, or run
## Surface-specific tips ## Surface-specific tips
**On-screen keyboard (detached from Type Cover).** **On-screen keyboard (detached from Type Cover).**
GNOME Settings → *Accessibility* → *Typing* → turn on **Screen Keyboard**. It GNOME Settings → *Accessibility* → *Typing* → turn on **Screen Keyboard**; it
pops up automatically when you tap a text field. For terminal-heavy setup you may pops up automatically when you tap a text field. XFCE has no built-in one — install
find it easier to attach the keyboard for the one-time install. `onboard` (`sudo apt install -y onboard`) and start it manually. For a
terminal-heavy setup you may find it easier to attach the keyboard for the
one-time install.
**HiDPI / tiny or huge UI.** **HiDPI / tiny or huge UI.**
Surface screens are very high resolution. The app follows the desktop's scale Surface screens are very high resolution. The app follows the desktop's scale
factor, so set it once in GNOME Settings → *Displays* → **Scale** (enable factor, so set it once in GNOME Settings → *Displays* → **Scale** (enable
*Fractional Scaling* if you want values like 150%/175%). If you run under X11 and *Fractional Scaling* if you want values like 150%/175%). On XFCE, use *Settings →
the size is still off, launch with an explicit factor: Appearance → Fonts → Custom DPI* and/or *Settings → Display*, or raise `Xft/DPI`
in *Settings Editor*. Because XFCE runs on X11, you can also launch with an
explicit factor (this works on GNOME-under-X11 too):
```sh ```sh
WINIT_X11_SCALE_FACTOR=1.75 md-manuscript WINIT_X11_SCALE_FACTOR=1.75 md-manuscript
``` ```
@@ -168,6 +218,8 @@ login screen, or force X11 for one launch:
```sh ```sh
WINIT_UNIX_BACKEND=x11 md-manuscript WINIT_UNIX_BACKEND=x11 md-manuscript
``` ```
XFCE is X11-only on Debian 12, so there is no Wayland toggle to worry about and
the `WINIT_X11_SCALE_FACTOR` variable above applies directly.
--- ---
@@ -199,5 +251,6 @@ rm -f ~/.local/share/applications/md-manuscript.desktop
| **📂 Browse** buttons do nothing / no dialog appears | Install `xdg-desktop-portal` and `xdg-desktop-portal-gtk` (step 1b); you can still type paths by hand. | | **📂 Browse** buttons do nothing / no dialog appears | Install `xdg-desktop-portal` and `xdg-desktop-portal-gtk` (step 1b); you can still type paths by hand. |
| Build error mentioning `rustc … is not supported` | `rustup update`, then `cargo build --release` again. | | Build error mentioning `rustc … is not supported` | `rustup update`, then `cargo build --release` again. |
| `cargo: command not found` | Run `. "$HOME/.cargo/env"` or open a new terminal after installing rustup. | | `cargo: command not found` | Run `. "$HOME/.cargo/env"` or open a new terminal after installing rustup. |
| UI text far too small/large | Adjust GNOME *Displays → Scale*, or set `WINIT_X11_SCALE_FACTOR` (X11). | | UI text far too small/large | Adjust GNOME *Displays → Scale* (or XFCE *Appearance → Fonts → Custom DPI*), or set `WINIT_X11_SCALE_FACTOR` (X11). |
| Not in the XFCE menu / no **Add to Favorites** | Run `update-desktop-database ~/.local/share/applications` and `xfce4-panel -r`; favourites need the *Whisker Menu* (`xfce4-whiskermenu-plugin`), not the classic Applications Menu. |
| **⟳ Sync** does nothing / errors in the Log panel | Set `git config --global user.name/user.email`, and ensure the `origin` remote and your SSH/HTTPS credentials are configured. | | **⟳ Sync** does nothing / errors in the Log panel | Set `git config --global user.name/user.email`, and ensure the `origin` remote and your SSH/HTTPS credentials are configured. |