How to get .desktop files in non-standard location into menu

[eyolf]

Apparently, the lxpanel menu scans /usr/share/applications for the .desktop files which are used to generate the menu. My distro (Arch with the old kde3 packages from Kdemod) has kde installed in /opt and the desktop files are in /opt/kde/share/applications, which means that they are not read. I've solved this temporarily by symlinking /opt/kde/share/applications into /usr/share/applications. This works (with one exception; see below), but I'd rather there was a less hackish method, involving a config file or environment variable and not manipulation of the file system. Is there such an option?

Also, in my "new" menu, the kde apps do show up, but their icons are not read. Not a big deal, but it would have been nice to have them there.

[PCMan]

With the latest lxpanel 0.4.0, it's quite easy.
It uses a standard compliant *.menu file /etc/xdg/menus/lxde-applications.menu.
This file is provided by lxmenu-data package.

So now you can customize it according to freedesktop.org menu specs.
Cheers! Please contact the maintainer of LXDE arch packages to upgrade.

[eyolf]

With the latest lxpanel 0.4.0, it's quite easy.
It uses a standard compliant *.menu file /etc/xdg/menus/lxde-applications.menu.
This file is provided by lxmenu-data package.
So now you can customize it according to freedesktop.org menu specs.

Excellent! Builds like a charm. Next question: is it possible to use just the menu without the whole lxpanel? I wanted the improved menu for my wife (yeah, sure... yeah, it's true, honestly) -- I use awesome myself, so I don't need a panel, but sometimes it's nice to have a nice menu around.

Cheers! Please contact the maintainer of LXDE arch packages to upgrade.

Will do.