dex

Synopsis

dex [options] [DesktopEntryFile]...

Description

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

Options

+------------------------------------+------------------------------------------------------------+
| Option | Description |
+====================================+============================================================+
| -h, --help | Show a help message and exit |
+------------------------------------+------------------------------------------------------------+
| -a, --autostart | Autostart programs |
+------------------------------------+------------------------------------------------------------+
| -c, --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 createdwith the .desktop file extension. |
+------------------------------------+------------------------------------------------------------+
| -d, --dry-run | Dry run, don't execute any command |
+------------------------------------+------------------------------------------------------------+
| -e, --environment ENVIRONMENT | Specify the Desktop Environment an autostart should be |
| | performed for; works only in combination with -a |
+------------------------------------+------------------------------------------------------------+
| -s, --search-paths SEARCHPATHS | Colon separated list of paths to search for desktop files, |
| | overriding the default search list |
+------------------------------------+------------------------------------------------------------+
| -t, --target-directory ENVIRONMENT | 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``

Create a DesktopEntry for a program in the current directory.

   ``dex -c /usr/bin/skype``

Create a DesktopEntry for a programs in autostart directroy.

   ``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``