Issues when running RetroPie from a desktop icon on Linux Mint

[Spatchcock]

Hey all, I'm running Linux Mint 20.2 (Cinnamon x64) with RetroPie version 4.7.19 freshly installed yesterday. It's almost working as I'd like, but there's a minor thing that's bugging me.

If I run emulationstation from the terminal, all works absolutely fine. ES works OK, games load and play fine, no issues there.

However, I created a new icon on the desktop to launch ES, and it only half works. If I double click on the icon, ES opens OK, but when I try to open any game from any of the systems, it shows the desktop momentarily (without the "launching/press any button to configure" screen) then a few seconds later goes back into the ES screen without loading the game. No error messages that I can see.

(same thing happens if I remove the "/bin/" from the Command box)

I'm thinking / hoping it's probably something easy, but I'm not sure where to start.

I don't want ES to load automatically on startup as the PC is used for other purposes.

The log file for when I load the same game is identical whether I try to boot ES from the icon or command line:

Parameters: 
Executing: /opt/retropie/emulators/retroarch/bin/retroarch -L /opt/retropie/libretrocores/lr-puae/puae_libretro.so --config /opt/retropie/configs/amiga/retroarch.cfg "/home/arcadetable/RetroPie/roms/amiga/Apidya.lha" --appendconfig /dev/shm/retroarch.cfg

[mitu]

The RetroPie setup script already adds a application start (.desktop) file (rpie) in the system, any reason you're not using it ?
In short, runcommand needs a terminal to function, the reason your shortcut doesn't work is the lack of said terminal/tty. If you want to create a shortcut, make sure you start emulationstation from a terminal and not standalone.

[Spatchcock]

@mitu Thanks - I thought it would be something easy, and it was that. All works now!

(Just in case anyone else sees this - the .desktop file is in /usr/local/share/applications )