Steam does not create system starters for some games

Question

For some games I installed, steam hasn't created system starters. So I can't access them from the system software menu, and I can't search for them in the program search. How can I force Steam to create these launchers?

As proposed I started steam from the terminal, the output is shown below. I tried to create a shortcut for a game that already had won, and then the following message came: "A shortcut has been created and placed on your desktop". Wen I then wanted to create a shortcut for a game that had none, the message was: "Could not create shortcut. A shortcut to this game is probably already on the desktop.

Here's the output of the terminal:

Running Steam on ubuntu 12.10 64-bit
STEAM_RUNTIME is enabled automatically
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1364601080_client)
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1364601080_client)
unlinked 0 orphaned pipes
Gtk-Message: Failed to load module "overlay-scrollbar"

(steam:3247): Gtk-WARNING **: Im Modulpfad »adwaita« konnte keine Themen-Engine gefunden werden,
/usr/share/themes/Adwaita/gtk-2.0/gtkrc:989: error: unexpected identifier `direction', expected character `}'
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1364601080_client)
[0416/155018:WARNING:proxy_service.cc(646)] PAC support disabled because there is no system implementation
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1364601080_client)
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1364601080_client)
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1364601080_client)
Process 3247 created /ampa-ValveIPCSharedObjects3
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1364601080_client)
Generating new string page texture 2: 48x256, total string texture memory is 49,15 KB
Generating new string page texture 3: 384x256, total string texture memory is 442,37 KB
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1364601080_client)
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1364601080_client)
Adding license for package 0
Adding license for package 64
Adding license for package 110
Adding license for package 242
Adding license for package 2275
Adding license for package 2529
roaming config store loaded successfully - 448 bytes.
migrating temporary roaming config store
ExecCommandLine: "/home/ampa/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_32/steam"
`menu_proxy_module_load': /home/ampa/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_32/steam: undefined symbol: menu_proxy_module_load

(steam:3247): Gtk-WARNING **: Failed to load type module: (null)

Generating new string page texture 71: 1024x256, total string texture memory is 1,49 MB
Generating new string page texture 72: 128x256, total string texture memory is 131,07 KB
Generating new string page texture 73: 128x256, total string texture memory is 1,62 MB
Generating new string page texture 74: 256x256, total string texture memory is 1,88 MB
Generating new string page texture 75: 32x256, total string texture memory is 1,92 MB
Generating new string page texture 76: 64x256, total string texture memory is 1,98 MB

(steam:3247): LIBDBUSMENU-GLIB-WARNING **: Trying to remove a child that doesn't believe we're it's parent.

(steam:3247): LIBDBUSMENU-GLIB-WARNING **: Trying to remove a child that doesn't believe we're it's parent.

(steam:3247): LIBDBUSMENU-GLIB-WARNING **: Trying to remove a child that doesn't believe we're it's parent.

(steam:3247): LIBDBUSMENU-GLIB-WARNING **: Trying to remove a child that doesn't believe we're it's parent.

(steam:3247): LIBDBUSMENU-GLIB-WARNING **: Trying to remove a child that doesn't believe we're it's parent.

(steam:3247): LIBDBUSMENU-GLIB-WARNING **: Trying to remove a child that doesn't believe we're it's parent.

(steam:3247): LIBDBUSMENU-GLIB-WARNING **: Trying to remove a child that doesn't believe we're it's parent.

(steam:3247): LIBDBUSMENU-GLIB-WARNING **: Trying to remove a child that doesn't believe we're it's parent.

(steam:3247): LIBDBUSMENU-GLIB-WARNING **: Trying to remove a child that doesn't believe we're it's parent.

(steam:3247): LIBDBUSMENU-GLIB-WARNING **: Trying to remove a child that doesn't believe we're it's parent.

(steam:3247): LIBDBUSMENU-GLIB-WARNING **: Trying to remove a child that doesn't believe we're it's parent.

(steam:3247): LIBDBUSMENU-GLIB-WARNING **: Trying to remove a child that doesn't believe we're it's parent.

(steam:3247): LIBDBUSMENU-GLIB-WARNING **: Trying to remove a child that doesn't believe we're it's parent.

(steam:3247): LIBDBUSMENU-GLIB-WARNING **: Trying to remove a child that doesn't believe we're it's parent.

(steam:3247): LIBDBUSMENU-GLIB-WARNING **: Trying to remove a child that doesn't believe we're it's parent.
Installing breakpad exception handler for appid(steam)/version(1364601080_client)
System startup time: 38,23 seconds
Generating new string page texture 79: 24x256, total string texture memory is 2,01 MB
Generating new string page texture 80: 128x256, total string texture memory is 2,14 MB
Generating new string page texture 81: 8x256, total string texture memory is 2,15 MB
Running Steam on ubuntu 12.10 64-bit
STEAM_RUNTIME has been set by the user to: /home/ampa/.local/share/Steam/ubuntu12_32/steam-runtime
CAPIJobRequestUserStats - Server response failed 2
ExecCommandLine: "/home/ampa/.steam/root/ubuntu12_32/steam steam://open/driverhelperready"
ExecSteamURL: "steam://open/driverhelperready"
Generating new string page texture 88: 512x256, total string texture memory is 2,67 MB
Generating new string page texture 91: 128x256, total string texture memory is 2,80 MB
Generating new string page texture 93: 256x256, total string texture memory is 3,06 MB
Generating new string page texture 96: 16x256, total string texture memory is 3,08 MB
Generating new string page texture 97: 256x256, total string texture memory is 3,34 MB
Generating new string page texture 112: 48x256, total string texture memory is 3,39 MB
Generating new string page texture 95: 128x256, total string texture memory is 3,52 MB
unlinked 2 orphaned pipes
CAsyncIOManager: 0 threads terminating.  0 reads, 0 writes, 0 deferrals.
CAsyncIOManager: 368113 single object sleeps, 0 multi object sleeps
CAsyncIOManager: 0 single object alertable sleeps, 7 multi object alertable sleeps
[2013-04-16 15:50:14] Startup - updater built Mar 29 2013 11:40:39
[2013-04-16 15:50:14] Verifying installation...
[2013-04-16 15:50:15] Verification complete
Shutting down. . .
[2013-04-16 15:56:48] Shutdown

PS: I think that me, you and steam have a different understanding of "shortcut". What I mean by this is not a shortcut on the desktop, but an application shortcut in the system, which enables me to search games or to start them from the menu.

I have this problem with 2 Games, darwinia and uplink. I installed 8 Games with steam.

Answer 1

You can do it manually by finding the executable binary file in your steam directory using a file browser.

The default steam directory is usually in: ~/.local/share/Steam

You should be able to find your game data in the 'steamapps' folder.

Most file browsers will let you right click on the binary and select "Create Shortcut". After you do this, move the shortcut wherever you want.

If you want to add the file to a launcher, here's some amazingly well written information on doing it in both Gnome and Unity after you find the executable's location:

https://help.ubuntu.com/community/UnityLaunchersAndDesktopFiles

Answer 2

Not sure what games you are having problems with, I have not heard of any that have this problem.

I installed a game but unselected the "create system application icon" and "create desktop shortcut" but decided that I wanted a launcher after wards, the way I did it may work for you.

First thing, in the future make sure that the box to "create system application icon" is checked before you install just in case it is being unselected by some Steam bug when installing. This may prevent the problem form happening with future installs.

If this fails or in your current case there is this question about how to create a system launcher for a program, this may be difficult with Steam as the launch command can be a bit convoluted and not easy to find the correct one, I only include it here so that you can see how you can do it if you ever need to for other programs and for academic value.

Back to how I created mine after the fact....

1. For the game you are trying to create a launcher for, you will need to right-click on the Game name if using the "detailed view" (this is the default) or on the Game Icon if using either the "list" or "grid" view.

2. Select Properties

3. Click on the box to create a Desktop Shortcut on the screen shot below my mouse pointer is hovering over it.

Then open a Nautilus(Home Folder) window and then press Ctrl + H to show hidden files then go to the following location; .local/share/applications you can then drag the icon from the desktop to the folder.

You should then have the launcher in the dash but you may have to log out and then back in to see it.

NOTE: this method will only work for your user account not any other accounts on your computer but can be repeated for each account. You could also leave it on your desktop instead of dragging it to the mentioned folder but it will not be shown in your dash. Finally, this will also move the desktop shortcut off the desktop and into the folder but you can repeat the process if you want a desktop shortcut as well.