dex1

Desktopentry execution

Usage

dex [options] [DesktopEntryFile] ...

Overview

dex, DesktopEntry Execution, is a program to generate and execute DesktopEntry files of the Application type.

Options

-h, --help: Show this help message and exit

--action ACTION: Identifier of an "additional application action" to operate on. Also known as a quicklist/jumplist entry.

-a, --autostart: Autostart programs

-c PATH, --create PATH: Create a DesktopEntry file for the program at the given path. An optional second argument is used to specify the filename of the created DesktopEntry file, or specify the filename - to print the file to stdout. By default a new file is created with the .desktop file extension.

-d, --dry-run: Dry run, don't execute any command

-e ENVIRONMENT, --environment ENVIRONMENT: Specify the Desktop Environment an autostart should be performed for; works only in combination with --autostart

-p PROPERTY, --property PROPERTY: Display DesktopEntry property value. Supported properties are: Type, Version, Name, NoDisplay, Hidden, OnlyShowIn, NotShowIn, TryExec, Exec, Path, Terminal, Actions, StartupNotify, StartupWMClass, URL. For ACTIONs, only Name and Exec are supported.

-s SEARCHPATHS, --search-paths SEARCHPATHS: Colon separated list of paths to search for desktop files, overriding the default search list

-t DIRECTORY, --target-directory DIRECTORY: Create files in target directory

--term TERM: The terminal emulator that will be used to run the program if Terminal=true is set in the desktop file, defaults to x-terminal-emulator

-w, --wait: Block until the program exits

--test: Perform a self-test

-v, --verbose: Verbose output

-V, --version: Display version information

Examples

Perform an autostart/execute all programs in the autostart folders.

dex -a

Perform an autostart/execute all programs in the specified folders.

dex -a -s /etc/xdg/autostart/:~/.config/autostart/

Preview the programs would be executed in a regular autostart.

dex -ad

Preview the programs would be executed in a GNOME specific autostart.

dex -ad -e GNOME

Preview the value of DesktopEntry property Name.

dex -p Name htop.desktop

Create a DesktopEntry for a program in the current directory.

dex -c /usr/bin/skype

Create a DesktopEntry for a programs in autostart directory.

dex -t ~/.config/autostart -c /usr/bin/skype /usr/bin/nm-applet

Execute a single program from command line and enable verbose output.

dex -v skype.desktop

Execute a single program (with Terminal=true in the desktop file) in gnome-terminal.

dex --term gnome-terminal nvim.desktop

Execute a single program and block until it exits.

dex --wait nvim.desktop

Execute a specifified application action.

dex --action new-private-window firefox.desktop

Releases

6 releases since Debian 9 (Stretch); the text changed 5 times.

9
10
11
12
13
Arch

--wait since Debian 11 (Bullseye); -w since Debian 11 (Bullseye).

--environment until Debian 9 (Stretch); --target-directroy until Debian 9 (Stretch); -e until Debian 9 (Stretch); -t until Debian 9 (Stretch).