How are programs executed in Ubuntu? [UPDATED]

[Jim Byrnes]

On 01/28/2016 07:39 PM, Jim Byrnes wrote:
> Running Ubuntu 14.04.
>
> I recently started to learn the programing language livecode. I have
> completed a couple of tutorials and got them to run in the ide.  Then I
> compiled them as standalone apps. Now I would like to launch the
> standalone version.
>
> My preferred method of starting programs is put them on the launcher or
> put them in a program called "Drawers" that sits on the launcher and
> contains programs to launch. The livecode programs will not start from
> either.
>
> If I right click on them in a file manager and then select execute, the
> program will run.
>
> If I drag one from a file manager and drop it on the desktop and double
> click the icon, it will run, but I don't like a bunch of icons on my
> desktop.
>
> If I double click on it in a file manager a window pops up and asks what
> program to use to run it. It's not obvious to me what program to use.

This is true when I used spaceFM, but if I double click it in Nautilus 
it runs.

>
> If I drag it to the launcher it will not stick to the launcher.
>
> If I drop it on Drawers it stays in the drawer, but will not launch when
> I click on it.
>
> If I put a python program in Drawers the command to launch it is:
> python "path/to'myprog.py".
>
> If I put a libre calc spreadsheet on drawers the command to launch it
> is: xdg-open "path/to/mysheet.ods".
>
> Putting xdg-open "path/to/mylivecodeprogram" does not work.
>
> So what is happening under the hood to run the livecode program by
> double clicking a desktop icon or selecting execute from a file manager?

Or double clicking it in Nautilus.

>
> If I could figure that out maybe I could get them to run from Drawers.
>
> Thanks,  Jim
>
>