Arch Linux

billodwyer

Member

Registered: 2013-06-15

Posts: 18

Using rxvt-unicode as an application launcher

So I followed the wiki and have the following command bound to Super+BackSpace:

$ urxvt -geometry 80x3+480+320 -name 'bashrun' -e sh -c "/bin/bash -i -t"

The niggle I'm having is that the window is still open even after I've launched chromium or whatever. Ideally I'm looking for something to quickly and easily add to the above command. I did disocover that

$ (chromium &); exit

does what I'm looking for, but it's somewhat unwieldy to type, Any suggestions?

karol

Archivist

Registered: 2009-05-06

Posts: 25,440

Re: Using rxvt-unicode as an application launcher

Use a function or alias to type less.
Use a proper application launcher, like dmenu.

billodwyer

Member

Registered: 2013-06-15

Posts: 18

Re: Using rxvt-unicode as an application launcher

Use a function or alias to type less.

Something like

alias net="(chromium &); exit

?

karol

Archivist

Registered: 2009-05-06

Posts: 25,440

Re: Using rxvt-unicode as an application launcher

Yes, something like this, just don't forget the closing quotes.
Is there any reason you want to use urxvt as the application launcher? What DE / WM are you using?

billodwyer

Member

Registered: 2013-06-15

Posts: 18

Re: Using rxvt-unicode as an application launcher

I'm using Openbox, so obviously I can use the trackpad to summon the root-menu, and I have the same menu bound to Super+Space. It just doesn't feel as efficient as possible to browse through the menu using either the keyboard or the mouse. My laptop has limited space so I'm keen to avoid installing packages that I don't absolutely need. When I discovered the urxvt launcher functionality, it seemed a good way to go.

karol

Archivist

Registered: 2009-05-06

Posts: 25,440

Re: Using rxvt-unicode as an application launcher

Have a look at https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Ca … _launchers or the ones in the 'See also' section: https://wiki.archlinux.org/index.php/Dmenu#See_Also
Many of them are really small, but I'm not using openbox and I don't know how well would they work together.

I'm using dmenu as the launcher and dwm as my WM, so I just press Alt+p and type 'chro<enter>' to launch the browser.

Last edited by karol (2014-01-24 22:38:02)

Jellicent

Member

From: Berlin

Registered: 2013-09-13

Posts: 189

Re: Using rxvt-unicode as an application launcher

I'm using Openbox, so obviously I can use the trackpad to summon the root-menu, and I have the same menu bound to Super+Space. It just doesn't feel as efficient as possible to browse through the menu using either the keyboard or the mouse. My laptop has limited space so I'm keen to avoid installing packages that I don't absolutely need. When I discovered the urxvt launcher functionality, it seemed a good way to go.

I just bind commands to keys to launch things.

This would be an example:

<keybind key="Super-w">
   <action name="Execute">
      <command>termite -e weechat-curses</command>
   </action>
</keybind>

I'm not sure if this helps, but I hope it does.

Last edited by Jellicent (2014-01-24 22:35:53)