[GH-ISSUE #28] Unable to launch Intellij from WSL #25

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opened 2026-03-04 12:24:01 +03:00 by kerem · 4 comments
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Originally created by @rhys-saldanha on GitHub (Dec 15, 2020).
Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/cascadium/wsl-windows-toolbar-launcher/issues/28

This is slightly outside the scope of this tool, which seems to be working as intended, but you show yourself opening CLion running WSL on the README so I thought I'd ask anyways.

I've installed Intellij manually to /opt as described by this section. Running wsl-windows-toolbar-launcher, a shortcut to Intellij is not created. I made my own, to point to idea.sh, but it is not able to start.

How did you get CLion working so flawlessly?

Originally created by @rhys-saldanha on GitHub (Dec 15, 2020). Original GitHub issue: https://github.com/cascadium/wsl-windows-toolbar-launcher/issues/28 This is slightly outside the scope of this tool, which seems to be working as intended, but you show yourself opening CLion running WSL on the README so I thought I'd ask anyways. I've installed Intellij manually to `/opt` as described by [this section](https://www.jetbrains.com/help/idea/installation-guide.html#standalone). Running `wsl-windows-toolbar-launcher`, a shortcut to Intellij is not created. I made my own, to point to `idea.sh`, but it is not able to start. How did you get CLion working so flawlessly?
kerem closed this issue 2026-03-04 12:24:01 +03:00
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@fquinner commented on GitHub (Dec 15, 2020):

Great question! The toolbar works by emulating the bits and pieces that would normally put together a real desktop menu. This includes search paths for .desktop files which the /opt method probably won't do.

For the Jetbrains tools I always use the Jetbrains toolbox for installation (you can download from their site). It sets the installation to your home directory and sets up all the desktop files in the right place for the freedesktop menus to find them :).

<!-- gh-comment-id:744868683 --> @fquinner commented on GitHub (Dec 15, 2020): Great question! The toolbar works by emulating the bits and pieces that would normally put together a real desktop menu. This includes search paths for .desktop files which the /opt method probably won't do. For the Jetbrains tools I always use the Jetbrains toolbox for installation (you can download from their site). It sets the installation to your home directory and sets up all the desktop files in the right place for the freedesktop menus to find them :).
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@rhys-saldanha commented on GitHub (Dec 15, 2020):

I have the toolbox installed in Windows, but I'm guessing I should instead install the toolbox in WSL?

<!-- gh-comment-id:744872296 --> @rhys-saldanha commented on GitHub (Dec 15, 2020): I have the toolbox installed in Windows, but I'm guessing I should instead install the toolbox in WSL?
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@fquinner commented on GitHub (Dec 15, 2020):

Yup so you install jetbrains toolbox inside wsl as your own user, then run it from within the wsl environment, install all the tools you use, then re-run the wsl toolbar launcher script to update your menu items!

<!-- gh-comment-id:744879369 --> @fquinner commented on GitHub (Dec 15, 2020): Yup so you install jetbrains toolbox inside wsl as your own user, then run it from within the wsl environment, install all the tools you use, then re-run the wsl toolbar launcher script to update your menu items!
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@rhys-saldanha commented on GitHub (Dec 15, 2020):

I'm going to leave some helpful links here in case anyone else finds this thread.

To install jetbrains-toolbox more easily: nagygergo/jetbrains-toolbox-install
A helpful post that walks through installing an X Server on Windows and running the toolbox: medium.com/@ragin

<!-- gh-comment-id:744903036 --> @rhys-saldanha commented on GitHub (Dec 15, 2020): I'm going to leave some helpful links here in case anyone else finds this thread. To install `jetbrains-toolbox` more easily: [nagygergo/jetbrains-toolbox-install](https://github.com/nagygergo/jetbrains-toolbox-install) A helpful post that walks through installing an X Server on Windows and running the toolbox: [medium.com/@ragin](https://medium.com/@ragin/development-under-windows-under-linux-with-wsl2-intellij-860daf601b61)
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