libretro
Shortcuts are not being created on Linux (Pop_OS/Linux Mint) - RetroArch Nightly
Is there an existing issue for this?
- [x] This is a bug in RetroArch frontend
- [ ] I have searched the existing issues
Description
When installing the RetroArch nightly build through the Linux terminal (Linux Mint/Pop_OS), shortcuts for RetroArch are not being created; it can only be launched via the terminal.
Expected behavior
Create shortcuts for Retroarch.
Steps to reproduce the bug
Installing through Linux Terminal ( https://www.retroarch.com/index.php?page=linux-instructions )
Version/Commit
1.20.0
Bisect Results
No response
Present in the nightly version
Yes, this is reproduced in the nightly build
Platform & operating system
Linux Mint 22.1
Affected Cores
No response
Environment information
Windows Manager: X11 Video Drivers: Vulkan Installed through Terminal
Relevant log output
family@family-Aspire-A515-45:~$ sudo add-apt-repository ppa:libretro/testing && sudo apt-get update && sudo apt-get install retroarch
[sudo] password for family:
You are about to add the following PPA:
This PPA holds unstable development packages of RetroArch and the Libretro CORE libraries. For stable release packages, please use the libretro/stable PPA available at <https://launchpad.net/~libretro/+archive/ubuntu/stable> instead.
For support with these packages, you can register at the Libretro Forum <https://forums.libretro.com/>, visit our Discord server <https://discord.com/invite/VZ2b7wghxR> or visit the RetroArch/libretro subreddit (https://www.reddit.com/r/RetroArch). For more information about RetroArch and Libretro, visit the project website at <https://www.libretro.com/> or head straight to the documentation at <https://docs.libretro.com/>.
There are ARM packages available here, too (compiled for devices with a hardware floating point unit, i.e. O-DROID, RaspberryPi 2/3/4, and most other flavors of single-board computers, be they 64-bit or 32-bit architectures).
More info: https://launchpad.net/~libretro/+archive/ubuntu/testing
Press Enter to continue or Ctrl+C to cancel
gpg: directory '/root/.gnupg' created
gpg: keybox '/root/.gnupg/pubring.kbx' created
gpg: /root/.gnupg/trustdb.gpg: trustdb created
gpg: keybox '/etc/apt/keyrings/3B2BA0B6750986899B189AFF18DAAE7FECA3745F.keyring' created
gpg: key 18DAAE7FECA3745F: public key "Launchpad PPA for Libretro" imported
gpg: Total number processed: 1
gpg: imported: 1
Hit:1 https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com stable InRelease
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Ign:5 http://packages.linuxmint.com xia InRelease
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Hit:15 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble InRelease
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Get:24 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble-updates/universe amd64 Components [362 kB]
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Fetched 2.320 kB in 4s (595 kB/s)
Reading package lists... Done
N: Skipping acquire of configured file 'main/binary-i386/Packages' as repository 'https://brave-browser-apt-release.s3.brave.com stable InRelease' doesn't support architecture 'i386'
Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
Reading state information... Done
The following packages were automatically installed and are no longer required:
libdrm-nouveau2:i386 libllvm17t64:i386 linux-headers-6.8.0-51
linux-headers-6.8.0-51-generic linux-image-6.8.0-51-generic
linux-modules-6.8.0-51-generic linux-modules-extra-6.8.0-51-generic
linux-tools-6.8.0-51 linux-tools-6.8.0-51-generic
Use 'sudo apt autoremove' to remove them.
The following additional packages will be installed:
fonts-noto-extra fonts-open-sans libcg libcggl libmbedtls14t64
libmbedx509-1t64 libqt5waylandclient5 libretro-core-info retroarch-assets
The following NEW packages will be installed:
fonts-noto-extra fonts-open-sans libcg libcggl libmbedtls14t64
libmbedx509-1t64 libqt5waylandclient5 libretro-core-info retroarch
retroarch-assets
0 upgraded, 10 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Need to get 249 MB of archives.
After this operation, 569 MB of additional disk space will be used.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n] Y
Get:1 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/universe amd64 fonts-noto-extra all 20201225-2 [78,5 MB]
Get:2 https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/libretro/testing/ubuntu noble/main amd64 libretro-core-info all 1.20.0+r202502080147~0dfbcbd9-21~ubuntu24.04.1 [78,3 kB]
Get:3 https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/libretro/testing/ubuntu noble/main amd64 retroarch amd64 1.20.0+r202502111334~0f5a990141-192~ubuntu24.04.1 [5.143 kB]
Get:4 https://ppa.launchpadcontent.net/libretro/testing/ubuntu noble/main amd64 retroarch-assets all 1.20.0+ds+r202502120434~9afd2b8a-29~ubuntu24.04.1 [161 MB]
Get:5 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/universe amd64 fonts-open-sans all 1.11-2 [635 kB]
Get:6 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/universe amd64 libmbedx509-1t64 amd64 2.28.8-1 [46,6 kB]
Get:7 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/universe amd64 libmbedtls14t64 amd64 2.28.8-1 [82,2 kB]
Get:8 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/universe amd64 libqt5waylandclient5 amd64 5.15.13-1 [405 kB]
Get:9 http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu noble/multiverse amd64 libcg amd64 3.1.0013-5build1 [3.025 kB]
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Fetched 249 MB in 1min 44s (2.405 kB/s)
Selecting previously unselected package fonts-noto-extra.
(Reading database ... 574943 files and directories currently installed.)
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Setting up libmbedx509-1t64:amd64 (2.28.8-1) ...
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Hi,
Can you check that you have the file com.libretro.RetroArch.desktop in /usr/share/applications or /usr/local/share/applications ?
Thank you.
Hi,
Can you check that you have the file com.libretro.RetroArch.desktop in
/usr/share/applicationsor/usr/local/share/applications?Thank you.
I tried to install the RetroArch nightly build on Linux Mint 22.1, but I encountered the following error:
The following packages have unmet dependencies: retroarch : Depends: libflac14 (>= 1.5.0) but it is not installable Recommends: retroarch-assets (>= 1.7.6~) but it is not going to be installed
To solve this, I had to download libflac14 from: https://packages.debian.org/sid/amd64/libflac14/download
I also needed to install retroarch-assets using: sudo apt install retroarch-assets
After resolving these issues, I checked the /usr/share/applications and /usr/local/share/applications directory, but the file wasn’t there.
That is strange you are missing the desktop file.
Can you try to compile RetroArch using ?
sudo -i
apt update && apt install build-essential git && apt build-dep retroarch
exit
cd ~/Downloads
git clone https://github.com/libretro/RetroArch.git
cd RetroArch
git checkout v1.21.0
./configure && make -j$(nproc)
sudo make install
Thank you.
That is strange you are missing the desktop file.
Can you try to compile RetroArch using ?
sudo -i apt update && apt install build-essential git && apt build-dep retroarch exit cd ~/Downloads git clone https://github.com/libretro/RetroArch.git cd RetroArch git checkout v1.21.0 ./configure && make -j$(nproc) sudo make installThank you.
I tried to install it following these steps, but it didn't work, nothing happened.
family@family-Aspire-A515-45:~/Downloads/RetroArch$ sudo make install mkdir -p /usr/local/bin 2>/dev/null || /bin/true mkdir -p /etc 2>/dev/null || /bin/true mkdir -p /usr/local/share/applications 2>/dev/null || /bin/true mkdir -p /usr/local/share/metainfo 2>/dev/null || /bin/true mkdir -p /usr/local/share/doc/retroarch 2>/dev/null || /bin/true mkdir -p /usr/local/share/man/man6 2>/dev/null || /bin/true mkdir -p /usr/local/share/pixmaps 2>/dev/null || /bin/true cp retroarch /usr/local/bin cp tools/cg2glsl.py /usr/local/bin/retroarch-cg2glsl cp retroarch.cfg /etc cp com.libretro.RetroArch.metainfo.xml /usr/local/share/metainfo cp com.libretro.RetroArch.desktop /usr/local/share/applications cp docs/retroarch.6 /usr/local/share/man/man6 cp docs/retroarch-cg2glsl.6 /usr/local/share/man/man6 cp media/com.libretro.RetroArch.svg /usr/local/share/pixmaps cp COPYING /usr/local/share/doc/retroarch cp README.md /usr/local/share/doc/retroarch chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/retroarch chmod 755 /usr/local/bin/retroarch-cg2glsl chmod 644 /etc/retroarch.cfg chmod 644 /usr/local/share/applications/com.libretro.RetroArch.desktop chmod 644 /usr/local/share/metainfo/com.libretro.RetroArch.metainfo.xml chmod 644 /usr/local/share/man/man6/retroarch.6 chmod 644 /usr/local/share/man/man6/retroarch-cg2glsl.6 chmod 644 /usr/local/share/pixmaps/com.libretro.RetroArch.svg
Hi,
I made a quick test on Linux Mint 22.1 using Cinnamon Desktop.
It seems that if the desktop file is not in /usr/share/applications or ~/.local/share/applications it won't be displayed in the menu.
I did not find why but I got this warning, I am not sure it is the culprit.
sudo update-desktop-database -v /usr/local/share/applications
Search path is now: [/usr/local/share/applications]
File "/usr/local/share/applications/com.libretro.RetroArch.desktop" lacks MimeType key
echo $XDG_DATA_DIRS
/usr/share/cinnamon:/usr/share/gnome:/home/test/.local/share/flatpak/exports/share:/var/lib/flatpak/exports/share:/usr/local/share:/usr/share
For the time being, you should move com.libretro.RetroArch.desktop to ~/.local/share/applications so that you can do your own change if needed.
Hi @cristiansoarescck ,
Desktop file has been updated recently with #18101 which should fix this warning
File "/usr/local/share/applications/com.libretro.RetroArch.desktop" lacks MimeType key
So it might work directly with latest nightly.
Hi @cristiansoarescck ,
Desktop file has been updated recently with #18101 which should fix this warning
File "/usr/local/share/applications/com.libretro.RetroArch.desktop" lacks MimeType key
So it might work directly with latest nightly.
I got this error after reinstalling the RetroArch nightly build:
family@family-Aspire-A515-45:~$ retroarch -v
[INFO] [Config]: Looking for config in: "/home/family/.config/retroarch/retroarch.cfg".
[WARN] [Config]: 'screenshot_directory' is not an existing directory, ignoring..
[WARN] [Config]: 'savefile_directory' is not a directory, ignoring..
[WARN] [Config]: 'savestate_directory' is not a directory, ignoring..
[INFO] RetroArch 1.21.0 (Git baee906ef3)
[INFO] === Build =======================================
[INFO] CPU Model Name: AMD Ryzen 7 5700U with Radeon Graphics
[INFO] Capabilities: MMX MMXEXT SSE SSE2 SSE3 SSSE3 SSE4 SSE42 AES AVX AVX2
[INFO] Version: 1.21.0
[INFO] Git: baee906ef3
[INFO] Built: Jun 28 2025
[INFO] =================================================
[ERROR] Couldn't find any audio driver named "pulse"
[INFO] Available audio drivers are:
[INFO] tinyalsa
[INFO] oss
[INFO] null
[WARN] Going to default to first audio driver...
[ERROR] Couldn't find any video driver named "gl"
[INFO] Available video drivers are:
[INFO] null
[WARN] Going to default to first video driver..
[ERROR] Couldn't find any input driver named "x"
[INFO] Available input drivers are:
[INFO] linuxraw
[INFO] test
[INFO] null
[WARN] Going to default to first input driver...
[ERROR] Couldn't find any camera driver named "video4linux2"
[INFO] Available camera drivers are:
[INFO] null
[WARN] Going to default to first camera driver...
[INFO] [Environ]: SET_PIXEL_FORMAT: RGB565.
[INFO] [Core]: Version of libretro API: 1, Compiled against API: 1
[INFO] [Core]: Geometry: 320x240, Aspect: 1.333, FPS: 60.00, Sample rate: 48000.00 Hz.
[INFO] [Video]: Set video size to: 960x720.
[ERROR] Couldn't find any video driver named "gl"
[INFO] Available video drivers are:
[INFO] null
[WARN] Going to default to first video driver..
[INFO] [Video]: Graphics driver did not initialize an input driver. Attempting to pick a suitable driver.
[ERROR] [Video]: Cannot initialize input driver. Exiting ...
[ERROR] Fatal error received in: "video_driver_init_internal()"
[INFO] [Core]: Content ran for a total of: 00 hours, 00 minutes, 00 seconds.
[INFO] [Core]: Unloading core..
[INFO] [Core]: Unloading core symbols..
I tested the drivers, everything is working... but the retroarch still doens't open, even remove and delete all retroarch files on linux mint and reinstalled.
Thank you for your test. It seems you are missing some dependencies.
Are you sure apt build-dep retroarch is working ?
You have a tool called Software Sources (Administration section) which will allow you to enable source code repository.
sudo -i
apt update
apt install build-essential git
apt build-dep retroarch
exit
cd ~/Downloads
git clone https://github.com/libretro/RetroArch.git
cd RetroArch
./configure && make -j$(nproc)
sudo make install