SUMMARY Sometimes if I add a .desktop file in ~/.local/share/applications/ they don't show up in app launcher or in the "Open with" menu. STEPS TO REPRODUCE 1. Add or edit a proper .desktop file in ~/.local/share/applications 2. Try to find it in application launcher or "Open with" menu 3. If it's there, repeat OBSERVED RESULT The entry for the .desktop file is missing or not updated. It updated for me one time when I initially added RML.desktop, but then no files I added to the applications folder showed up in the app launcher or "Open with" menu. EXPECTED RESULT The entry for the .desktop file should be added to applications after it's added in the applications folder. Changes applied to the file should also apply in "Open with" and applications menu SOFTWARE/OS VERSIONS Linux/KDE Plasma: Arch Linux KDE Plasma Version: 6.2.4 KDE Frameworks Version: 6.9.0 Qt Version: 6.8.1 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION Related to https://bugs.kde.org/show_bug.cgi?id=465646 and this https://discuss.kde.org/t/is-there-a-cache-of-desktop-files-and-can-it-be-easily-cleared/6350 discussion
Seems like update-desktop-database does what's needed
It doesn't update only when files are changed, but I don't think it's reasonable to check for every file change in applications folder to update a random app entry change.