Arch Linux

tethys

Member

Registered: 2019-08-13

Posts: 175

Question about $HOME/.config/autostart

I am using GNOME.

How can I run my own script from $HOME/.config/autostart?

All searches I made talk about a .desktop file that must be dropped there, that I know. But are there other possibilities, that is, other types of files that can be executed from autostart? Is it perhaps possible to directly execute a (modified version of a) bash script or should I always write a .destop file?

Data007

Member

Registered: 2022-09-06

Posts: 101

Re: Question about $HOME/.config/autostart

I am using GNOME.

How can I run my own script from $HOME/.config/autostart?

Hi Tethys
Dt on YouTube did a nice video on how to autostart programs on Linux, I can't remember if he covered scripts in it.

Search

DT Autostart

DT=Distro Tube

HIH

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Data 007

Lone_Wolf

Administrator

From: Netherlands, Europe

Registered: 2005-10-04

Posts: 15,150

Re: Question about $HOME/.config/autostart

https://specifications.freedesktop.org/ … atest.html

For general info about autostarting stuff : https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Autostarting

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Disliking systemd intensely, but not satisfied with alternatives so focusing on taming systemd.

clean chroot building not flexible enough ?
Try clean chroot manager by graysky

tethys

Member

Registered: 2019-08-13

Posts: 175

Re: Question about $HOME/.config/autostart

Thank you Data007 & Lone_Wolf!

Data007: I think I found the video you mentioned but the guy talks only about .desktop files.

Lone_Wolf: I had already read both the documents you linked, again they mention only .desktop files.

So I guess that only .desktop files can be launched from $HOME/.config/autostart in GNOME, however I will not mark this thread as solved yet but wait for more feedback.

Data007

Member

Registered: 2022-09-06

Posts: 101

Re: Question about $HOME/.config/autostart

Hi tethys.

Its a year old but may help you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcE8U1lG514

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Data007

Head_on_a_Stick

Member

From: The Wirral

Registered: 2014-02-20

Posts: 9,003

Website

Re: Question about $HOME/.config/autostart

IBut are there other possibilities, that is, other types of files that can be executed from autostart? Is it perhaps possible to directly execute a (modified version of a) bash script

No. The only way to run a script is from the Exec entry in a .desktop file.

EDIT: scripts can be run directly from ~/.xprofile but not for the Wayland GNOME desktop (the clue is in the name of the file).

Last edited by Head_on_a_Stick (2023-01-14 19:00:23)

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Jin, Jîyan, Azadî

Lone_Wolf

Administrator

From: Netherlands, Europe

Registered: 2005-10-04

Posts: 15,150

Re: Question about $HOME/.config/autostart

There are several other possibilities mentioned on the autostarting wiki page that do not use XDG autostart (~/.config/autostart) , but will work regardless of X, wayland , DE, WM etc .

To determine whether one of them will work for you, we need to know more .

What is the script supposed to achieve ?
When does it need to run ?

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Disliking systemd intensely, but not satisfied with alternatives so focusing on taming systemd.

clean chroot building not flexible enough ?
Try clean chroot manager by graysky

tethys

Member

Registered: 2019-08-13

Posts: 175

Re: Question about $HOME/.config/autostart

Actually I am confronted with the same issue discussed in this thread. I am using GNOME with LightDM. Unfortunately, although the wiki says that $HOME/.Xmodmap should be loaded automatically at startup (which I checked myself by examining /etc/lightdm/Xsession), this is not the case. So I chose the solution mentioned in the above-mentioned solved thread, that is, over XDG autostart.