Create Desktop Shortcuts in Ubuntu 11.10

In previous versions of Ubuntu with Gnome Desktop as the default session, one could quickly create desktop shortcuts by right-clicking on a blank area of the desktop and choosing to create launchers. Not anymore in Ubuntu 11.04/11.10 with Unity. Before you can create shortcuts in 11.04/ 11.10, you must first install some packages.
This brief tutorial will show you how to quickly create desktop shortcuts in Ubuntu 11.10 with Unity as your desktop session.

To get started, press Ctrl – Alt – T to open Terminal. When it opens, run the commands below to install necessary packages.

sudo apt-get install --no-install-recommends gnome-panel

After installing the above packages, begin creating desktop launchers by running the commands below:

gnome-desktop-item-edit --create-new ~/Desktop

Run the above commands for each new launcher you wish to create.

Fill in the application details on the screen shown below: