If a desktop file contains exec variables such as %F with no arguments, xfce4-settings-manager does not remove it. Freedestop specifications are that " A command line may contain at most one %f, %u, %F or %U field code. If the application should not open any file the %f, %u, %F and %U field codes must be removed from the command line and ignored. " https://specifications.freedesktop.org/desktop-entry-spec/desktop-entry-spec-latest.html#exec-variables Example: What doesn't work: * Executing YaST Software Manager from the XFCE Settings Manager > 2019-12-27 13:06:20 <1> localhost.localdomain(9888) [Ruby] bin/y2start:22 y2base called with ["sw_single", "--arg", "%F", "qt", > "-name", "YaST2", "-icon", "yast"] What does works: * Executing YaST Software Manager via right-click in an rpm file -> "Open > with YaST Software" > > > 2019-12-27 13:14:13 <1> localhost.localdomain(13809) [Ruby] > bin/y2start:22 y2base called with ["sw_single", "--arg", > "/home/ytm/Downloads/vlc-3.0.8-2.4.x86_64.rpm", "qt", "-name", "YaST2", > "-icon", "yast"]