Add startup application by command line

[Z.K.]

I would like to know how to use the command line to add a startup application. I know how to do it graphically as in System->Preferences->Startup Applications->Add or check/uncheck an application. How would I do this by the command line. Is there a configuration file that I can edit for this?

The reason I want to do this is when I remote into a machine using ssh, I don't have access to the Gnome GUI.

[ruffEdgz]

I would read more on update-rc.d:

man update-rc.d

This is a good read and you will also need to understand LSBinitScripts:
---
http://wiki.debian.org/LSBInitScripts
---

If you have any additional information on what init level you need an application to start, any requirements for starting up or shutting down and I can give you a better step-by-step entry on what you need to do.

[sisco311]

I would like to know how to use the command line to add a startup application. I know how to do it graphically as in System->Preferences->Startup Applications->Add or check/uncheck an application. How would I do this by the command line. Is there a configuration file that I can edit for this?

The reason I want to do this is when I remote into a machine using ssh, I don't have access to the Gnome GUI.

Just copy (delete) the application's .desktop file to (from) ~/.config/autostart/

The .desktop files are usually located at /usr/share/applications, but you can create a custom one if you want.

For more info, check out:

http://standards.freedesktop.org/aut...-spec-0.5.html
and
http://standards.freedesktop.org/des...ec-latest.html

[psrdotcom]

Thanks. It is somewhat useful information.

[BkkBonanza]

You have a couple different issues here.

The GUI method you know about actually adds an app to start when you login using the .desktop method above

The update-rc.d (or more current Upstart, /etc/init/*.conf) methods both start a program when the system starts (boots), which is before you login and will start even if you don't login.

Neither are going to run a program when you login with ssh remotely. For that the simplest method is to add the command to your ~/.bashrc (but then it will also run when you open a terminal).

Another way is to create a ~/.ssh/config file and add a LocalCommand option for the host (and PermitLocalCommand) - see man ssh_config.

There are other ways with ssh as well - eg. it's simple to add the command to the ssh login command itself, but if you want to have a active shell then you would need to run a script that runs your program and opens a sub-shell. No doubt someone will chime in with a smart way to do that too.

[SlugSlug]

crontab -e
add something like

@reboot /bin/ls

[OzzyFrank]

Does anyone know the actual command to initiate the "Startup Applications" app? I've upgraded to 12.04, and at least in the Classic desktop which I use, there is now no way to access it via GUI (my user menu looks like in 11.10, and there is no "Startup Applications" there like I see in 12.04 screenshots. I'd rather use that than be dragging .desktop files in and out of ~/config/autostart. Cheers.

[BkkBonanza]

I just checked my menu item properties for "Startup Applications" in 11.04 and it lists, gnome-session-properties as the app it runs.

[OzzyFrank]

I just checked my menu item properties for "Startup Applications" in 11.04 and it lists, gnome-session-properties as the app it runs.

Thanks buddy! And yeah, after the 12.04 upgrade, all those "System" menu items that ended up in Applications > Other when Gnome 3 got rid of that menu (for reasons I've still yet to fathom) have totally disappeared, yet obviously the apps are still around. Cheers.

[penguinsudo]

ubuntu 12 classic fall back using GUI.

http://ubuntugenius.wordpress.com/20...lback-desktop/

Unity sucks