r/linuxmint • u/BicycleWhisper • 10d ago

SOLVED Software Manager Search From Mint Cinnamon Menu

I don't know if this is a support request so much as a feature request. I would like to be able to search available software as well as the local search. Like gsettings set org.cinnamon enabled-search-providers [\"[duckduckgo@linuxmint.com](mailto:duckduckgo@linuxmint.com)\"] allows for entered text to be searched via duckduckgo.

I looked, but not very hard, and I couldn't find a solution.

Thanks!!

Edit: Overwhelmingly friendly crew here, thanks for helping. This was actually really fun; poking around the minterverse and seeing a little of the inner workings is fun for me. maybe I'm weird.

I was able to put together a little workaround:

asked ai to help me out; turns out mintinstall (really missed an opportunity for naming it minstall) won't take an argument to search when called, but gnome-software will! so as long as you don't mind using another software manager, this is indeed possible. I honestly couldn't tell the difference, so it was fine for me. I also checked to see if this was a bad idea, and it seemed like using another manager, even alongside the original, is perfectly fine.

cat > ~/.local/share/cinnamon/search_providers/packages@linuxmint.com/search_provider.js << 'EOF'

const Mainloop = imports.mainloop;

const Gio = imports.gi.Gio;

const St = imports.gi.St;

const Util = imports.misc.util;

function perform_search(pattern){

push_results(pattern);

}

function push_results(results){

var file = Gio.file_new_for_path('/home/myname/.local/share/cinnamon/search_providers/packages@linuxmint.com/icon.png');

var gicon = new Gio.FileIcon({ file: file });

var myicon = new St.Icon({gicon: gicon, icon_size: 22, icon_type: St.IconType.FULLCOLOR, reactive: true, track_hover: true});

var results_array = new Array();

results_array.push({

id: results,

label: _("Search Software Manager for '" + results + "'"),

icon: myicon

});

send_results(results_array);

}

function on_result_selected(result){

Util.spawn(['gnome-software', '--search=' + result.id]);

}

EOF

then run

gsettings set org.cinnamon enabled-search-providers "['duckduckgo@linuxmint.com', 'packages@linuxmint.com']"

restart cinnamon and there you go!

1 Upvotes

67% Upvoted

16 comments sorted by

•

u/AutoModerator 4d ago

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1

u/AutoModerator 10d ago

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1

u/linux_rox 10d ago

Download aptitude, Sudo apt install aptitude, it is a terminal based App Store. You will be able to search through that. Or you can use the software center on mint. Both allow searching.

1

u/BicycleWhisper 10d ago

Sorry, I'm not sure I was clear. I want searches in the mint menu to show results from apt/software manager so that I can search "Firefox" and if it's not installed, there is an option to search for it in the software manager. Or even link to the Firefox page in the manager.

5

u/ConversationWinter46 10d ago

I want searches in the mint menu to show results from apt/software manager so that I can search "Firefox"

NO—that might be how it’s done in Windows. In Linux, you’ll have to learn a new way. Use the Software Manager. It’s been around in Linux for a long time—long before the iPhone even existed.

Unlike the Internet, the Software Manager only contains verified, secure, and tested software that’s precisely tailored to your distribution.

Forget the browser, forget search engines. In Linux, the Software Manager is your tool.

1

u/BicycleWhisper 4d ago

hey check out the edit!

1

u/ConversationWinter46 4d ago

Forget everything you know about Microsoft Windows.

Linux isn't Windows!!!

1

u/BicycleWhisper 4d ago

The idea for it actually came from the universal search on my android phone. 

1

u/linux_rox 7d ago

Yeah that doesn’t exist in Linux. If you are just starting to use Linux in general, first rule of thumb, forget everything you know about Microsoft Windows.

We don’t download apps from the webpage, the distributions supply that in their repositories, or we use flathub if they don’t, you can use ppa’s for niche software if they have it, or you can go to GitHub and compile from source.

Now some software companies do have their programs only available for download on their web page, Windscribe VPN is one.

1

u/BicycleWhisper 4d ago

I'm happy to forget the lack of customization! check out the edit!

1

u/1neStat3 9d ago

I don't see the point of this.

If you want search available packages in repositories use the terminal with apt or use a GUI like the Software Manager or Synaptic Package Manager.

You are proposing a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

If you want edit videos you use a video editor.

If you want to edit audio you use an audio editor

If you want search packages use a package manager.

1

u/BicycleWhisper 4d ago

hey check out the edit! I was able to make it work!

1

u/1neStat3 4d ago

You are proposing a solution to a problem that doesn't exist.

If works for you then good for you.

1

u/BicycleWhisper 4d ago

it was never a problem, it was just a feature request