Can't write to file from a .desktop file
 

I wrote a very simple python script that opens up a file and writes a single word to it:

#!/usr/bin/env python
log_dir = "/home/user/sleepclock/logs/"
log = open(log_dir + "test", "a")
log.write("HIPPOPOTAMUS")
log.close

If I run this script from the command line, there is a file called "test" in /home/user/sleepclock/logs that contains the single word "HIPPOPOTAMUS". However, when I try to run the python script from a .desktop file that contains the following lines:

#!/usr/bin/env xdg-open
[Desktop Entry]
Version=0.1
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=writetofile
Type=Application
Exec=/usr/bin/writetofile.py
X-Osso-Type=application/x-executable

There is no file called "test". The writetofile.py script is in the /usr/bin directory. Any ideas why this isn't working when I use a .desktop file?

Re: Can't write to file from a .desktop file
 

I'm still having troubles with this one. Anyone?

Re: Can't write to file from a .desktop file
 

Try a desktop file with these directives.

Re: Can't write to file from a .desktop file
 

When I do that nothing shows up under the extras tab at all.

Re: Can't write to file from a .desktop file
 

I've tried searching for a tutorial on desktop entries and come up with nada. Could someone point me towards one?

Re: Can't write to file from a .desktop file
 

Re: Can't write to file from a .desktop file
 

The above tutorial was not useful because that code is for fremantle. When I tried running the example hello world application in diablo, no widget appeared.

I'm just looking for why my original code breaks when I run the script from a desktop script. I've run python code using similar desktop scripts, but for some reason I just can't write to a file using a desktop script.

Anyone have any ideas?

Re: Can't write to file from a .desktop file
 

Still having trouble with this one

Re: Can't write to file from a .desktop file
 

When i tried calling the desktop file from x-term (not in root shell) i get this error:

File "usr/bin/writetofile.py", line 5, in <module>
log = open(log_dir + "test", "a")
IOError: [Errno 13] Permission denied: '/home/user/sleepclock/logs/test'

Could this be the problem that's occurring when i try to run the script from the icon in the extras menu? And, if so, how do i fix it?

Re: Can't write to file from a .desktop file
 

still havin trouble with this. any help would be greatly appreciated!

Re: Can't write to file from a .desktop file
 

Probably a "test" file owned by root already exists, preventing your script form overwriting it when run as user.
Delete everything in the logs directory and try again.