To add quick launch options to your desktop shortcuts edit ~/.config/i3/desktop_shortcuts. the file is commented with examples.

i38.sh

@@ -416,6 +416,7 @@ update_scripts() {
         existingPinHash="$screenlockPinHash"
     fi
     cp -rv scripts/ "${i3Path}/" | dialog --backtitle "I38" --progressbox "Updating scripts..." -1 -1
+    write_desktop_shortcuts_template
     if [[ -n "$existingPinHash" ]]; then
         screenlockPinHash="$existingPinHash"
         apply_screenlock_pin
@@ -423,6 +424,25 @@ update_scripts() {
     exit 0
 }
 
+write_desktop_shortcuts_template() {
+    local shortcutsFile="${i3Path}/desktop_shortcuts"
+
+    if [[ -f "$shortcutsFile" ]]; then
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    cat << 'EOF' > "$shortcutsFile"
+# I38 desktop quick-launch shortcuts
+# Format: Pretty Name|/path/to/application --flags-if-any|optional workspace
+# The workspace field is optional. Leave it empty to launch on the current workspace.
+# Lines starting with # and blank lines are ignored.
+#
+# Examples:
+# Firefox|/usr/bin/firefox|9
+# Brave|/usr/bin/brave|
+EOF
+}
+
 write_waytray_config() {
     # Only create config if waytray binaries are detected
     if ! command -v waytray-daemon &> /dev/null || ! command -v waytray &> /dev/null ; then
@@ -777,6 +797,7 @@ write_waytray_config
 
 # Create the i3 configuration directory.
 mkdir -p "${i3Path}"
+write_desktop_shortcuts_template
 # Move scripts into place
 cp -rv scripts/ "${i3Path}/" | dialog --backtitle "I38" --progressbox "Moving scripts into place and writing config..." -1 -1
 apply_screenlock_pin

scripts/desktop.sh

@@ -10,32 +10,141 @@
 
 # You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along with I38. If not, see <https://www.gnu.org/licenses/>.
 
-# Make sure there is a desktop to search.
-if [[ ! -d ~/Desktop ]]; then
+trim_whitespace() {
+    local text="$1"
+
+    text="${text#"${text%%[![:space:]]*}"}"
+    text="${text%"${text##*[![:space:]]}"}"
+    printf '%s' "$text"
+}
+
+get_shortcuts_file() {
+    local configHome="${XDG_CONFIG_HOME:-$HOME/.config}"
+    local candidatePath=
+
+    if [[ -n "${SWAYSOCK:-}" ]]; then
+        candidatePath="${configHome}/sway/desktop_shortcuts"
+        if [[ -r "$candidatePath" ]]; then
+            printf '%s\n' "$candidatePath"
+            return 0
+        fi
+    else
+        candidatePath="${configHome}/i3/desktop_shortcuts"
+        if [[ -r "$candidatePath" ]]; then
+            printf '%s\n' "$candidatePath"
+            return 0
+        fi
+    fi
+
+    candidatePath="${configHome}/i3/desktop_shortcuts"
+    if [[ -r "$candidatePath" ]]; then
+        printf '%s\n' "$candidatePath"
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    candidatePath="${configHome}/sway/desktop_shortcuts"
+    if [[ -r "$candidatePath" ]]; then
+        printf '%s\n' "$candidatePath"
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    return 1
+}
+
+build_launch_command() {
+    local shortcutCommand="$1"
+    local shortcutWorkspace="$2"
+    local wmCommand=
+    local workspaceEscaped=
+
+    if [[ -z "$shortcutWorkspace" ]]; then
+        printf '%s\n' "$shortcutCommand"
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    if [[ -n "${SWAYSOCK:-}" ]] && command -v swaymsg &> /dev/null; then
+        wmCommand="swaymsg"
+    elif [[ -n "${I3SOCK:-}" ]] && command -v i3-msg &> /dev/null; then
+        wmCommand="i3-msg"
+    elif [[ -n "${WAYLAND_DISPLAY:-}" ]] && command -v swaymsg &> /dev/null; then
+        wmCommand="swaymsg"
+    elif command -v i3-msg &> /dev/null; then
+        wmCommand="i3-msg"
+    fi
+
+    if [[ -z "$wmCommand" ]]; then
+        printf '%s\n' "$shortcutCommand"
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    if [[ "$shortcutWorkspace" =~ ^[0-9]+$ ]]; then
+        printf '%s workspace number %s && %s\n' "$wmCommand" "$shortcutWorkspace" "$shortcutCommand"
+        return 0
+    fi
+
+    workspaceEscaped=$(printf '%q' "$shortcutWorkspace")
+    printf '%s workspace %s && %s\n' "$wmCommand" "$workspaceEscaped" "$shortcutCommand"
+}
+
+desktopPath="${HOME}/Desktop"
+if [[ ! -d "$desktopPath" ]]; then
     exit 0
 fi
 
-# Discover directories and files on the desktop
-mapfile -t desktopDirs < <(find ~/Desktop -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -type d)
-mapfile -t desktopFiles < <(find ~/Desktop -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -type f)
+declare -a shortcutMenuList
+shortcutsFile="$(get_shortcuts_file)"
+if [[ -n "$shortcutsFile" ]]; then
+    # Optional quick-launch format:
+    # Pretty Name|command with args|workspace
+    # Firefox|/usr/bin/firefox|9
+    # Brave|/usr/bin/brave|
+    while IFS= read -r rawLine || [[ -n "$rawLine" ]]; do
+        line="$(trim_whitespace "$rawLine")"
+        if [[ -z "$line" ]] || [[ "$line" =~ ^# ]]; then
+            continue
+        fi
 
-# Combine directories and files into one list
+        IFS='|' read -r shortcutName shortcutCommand shortcutWorkspace _ <<< "$line"
+        shortcutName="$(trim_whitespace "$shortcutName")"
+        shortcutCommand="$(trim_whitespace "$shortcutCommand")"
+        shortcutWorkspace="$(trim_whitespace "$shortcutWorkspace")"
+
+        if [[ -z "$shortcutName" ]] || [[ -z "$shortcutCommand" ]]; then
+            continue
+        fi
+
+        shortcutMenuList+=("$shortcutName" "$(build_launch_command "$shortcutCommand" "$shortcutWorkspace")")
+    done < "$shortcutsFile"
+fi
+
+# Discover directories and files on the desktop.
+mapfile -t desktopDirs < <(find "$desktopPath" -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -type d)
+mapfile -t desktopFiles < <(find "$desktopPath" -mindepth 1 -maxdepth 1 -type f)
 desktopItems=("${desktopDirs[@]}" "${desktopFiles[@]}")
 
 # Build menu for yad.
-declare -a menuList
-for i in "${desktopItems[@]}" ; do
-    case "$i" in
-        *".desktop")
-            menuList+=("$(grep "^Name" "$i" | cut -f2- -d '=')" "gio launch \"$i\"")
+declare -a desktopMenuList
+for desktopItem in "${desktopItems[@]}"; do
+    case "$desktopItem" in
+        *.desktop)
+            desktopName="$(grep -m 1 "^Name=" "$desktopItem" | cut -f2- -d '=')"
+            if [[ -z "$desktopName" ]]; then
+                desktopName="${desktopItem##*/}"
+            fi
+            desktopMenuList+=("$desktopName" "gio launch \"$desktopItem\"")
         ;;
         *)
-            menuList+=("${i##*/}" "/usr/bin/env xdg-open \"$i\"")
+            desktopMenuList+=("${desktopItem##*/}" "/usr/bin/env xdg-open \"$desktopItem\"")
         ;;
     esac
 done
 
-launch=$(yad --list \
+menuList=("${shortcutMenuList[@]}" "${desktopMenuList[@]}")
+if [[ "${#menuList[@]}" -eq 0 ]]; then
+    exit 0
+fi
+
+if launch=$(yad --list \
     --title="I38 Desktop" \
     --column="Items" \
     --column="Launch Command" \
@@ -43,8 +152,7 @@ launch=$(yad --list \
     --hide-column=2 \
     --search-column=1 \
     --skip-taskbar \
-    "${menuList[@]}")
-if [[ $? -eq 0 ]]; then
+    "${menuList[@]}"); then
     launch="${launch%|}"
     launch="${launch##*|}"
     eval "$launch"