unity: how to launch a terminal window to s specific location

**Skaperen** · April 2nd, 2018

Originally Posted by guber2

xterm supports -geometry.
Place an xterm window to a size and position where you want it.
Run xwininfo and click on the xterm window.
The last line will show something like "-geometry 112x27+466+281"

Then xterm command would be

Code:

xterm -geometry 112x27+466+281

what is running is not xterm. it is /usr/lib/gnome-terminal/gnome-terminal-server which doesn't support -geometry. the man page for gnome-terminal shows --geomtry (two - characters). that doesn't work either. maybe it's time to change terminal program and avoid Gnome stuff.

**Skaperen** · April 2nd, 2018

Originally Posted by guber2

Do you want to move an existing terminal window to a certain position or
do you want launch a new terminal to a certain position?

i want to configure a launcher button to start the terminal program so that opens its window at a specific location _OR_ have it start looking for a place to open the window at the right side instead of the left side (which is the default). i want to have, as an end result, two terminal programs side-by-side, NOT butted up right next to each other (leave at least 8 pixels of gap).

right now if i click the one button i have configured for an 82x46 terminal, twice, the 1st window opens as far left as possible and the 2nd window opens as far left as it can without overlapping, which is way to the right with about 30 pixels of space on the far right. i want to get the 2nd terminal further right without having to manually move it. a solution with 2 separate buttons is fine. a solution that fails with more than 2 windows per workspace is fine (i am only going to open 2 terminal windows in workspaces that i do this in)

**again?** · April 2nd, 2018

You specified xterm.

Originally Posted by Skaperen

....but i need to find docs on how to do this with xterm......

gnome-terminal uses a double dash with geometry.

Code:

gnome-terminal --geometry 82x46+970+0

**kerry_s** · April 2nd, 2018

here's a thought, just tossing it out after playing with ubuntu-budgie.

how about a single terminal that can do multiple tiles? from what i read, tilix terminal is customize-able.
https://itsfoss.com/tilix-terminal-emulator/

for you multitasking power users. lol

**again?** · April 2nd, 2018

I think I see what you mean though.
I booted into unity and created 2 quicklist items to launch a left and right terminal side by side
but the left terminal doesn't want to position to the right edge.
Watch video----> https://streamable.com/gu67k

I'll keep playing around to see if I can get a term to position correctly.

Edit: I found if I use separate profiles for each terminal they position properly.
I created the profiles termL and termR.
Attachment 279157

Then used these commands:
termL

Code:

gnome-terminal --window-with-profile=termL --geometry 121x54+41+0

termR

Code:

gnome-terminal --window-with-profile=termR --geometry 58x54-4+0

Video ----> https://streamable.com/ulajh

**again?** · April 2nd, 2018

You can disregard the profiles although it doesn't hurt to use different profiles as you can use different color schemes.
I had changed the initial terminal size in the profiles which appears to be the fix.
Change the "initial terminal size" to the lowest setting.

**Skaperen** · April 5th, 2018

[QUOTE=guber2;13753254]You specified xterm.

i was speaking generically at first. i discovered which exact program later on. sorry for the confusion. my previous experience with X windows is from before Ubunutu. back then, any program emulating a terminal on X windows was named xterm and systems with more than one would use that name as a redirection point (symlink).

given the incorrect options of the gnome program, i am looking into an overall switch of terminal emulator. or may i need to switch to a new DE.

**Skaperen** · April 5th, 2018

Originally Posted by kerry_s

here's a thought, just tossing it out after playing with ubuntu-budgie.

how about a single terminal that can do multiple tiles? from what i read, tilix terminal is customize-able.
https://itsfoss.com/tilix-terminal-emulator/

for you multitasking power users. lol

that seems like a possible way. so, how do i set up a Unity launcher button to launch one with the desired setup ... not fullscreen but takes up as much of the window space as it can ... two virtual terminals, side by side.

**Skaperen** · April 5th, 2018

Originally Posted by guber2

Video ----> https://streamable.com/ulajh

i was waiting to see one button action open both terminals.

**again?** · April 5th, 2018

Between this and the other thread I thought you would have enough info to work something out.
I'm using xfce4-terminal so I can use the title flag.
Example:
/home/glen/.local/share/applications/tiled-terminals.desktop (custom icon attached)(edit for your paths)

Code:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Tiled Terminals
Comment=Terminal Emulator
Exec=/home/glen/scripts/aatest.sh
Icon=/media/Data/glen/Pictures/icons/tiling-terminal.png
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Categories=GTK;System;TerminalEmulator;
StartupNotify=true

/home/glen/scripts/aatest.sh (edit for your custom sizes)

Code:

#!/bin/bash
xfce4-terminal --title=termL --geometry 94x52+39--13 &
xfce4-terminal --title=termR --geometry 67x52--10--13

Using a 3x3 desktop, edit ccsm > window management > place windows to open
terminals of title termR or termL on workspace 2.

Code:

title=termL | title=termR

Attachment 279176

Left clicking launcher opens 2 xfce4-terminals of custom position and size.
For normal terminals use the default gnome-terminal launcher.
vid---> https://streamable.com/wu2xs