[SOLVED] Alt+F2 not working

**medfojo** · August 23rd, 2008

Alt+F1 will show the application menu, but Alt+F2 doesn't do anything. It's supposed to start a terminal, no?

I checked the keyboard shortcuts and it isn't mapped to anything. I assume it isn't supposed to be mapped because it should just be inherent in the system. This is just an uneducated guess though.

Can anyone tell me why Alt+F2 doesn't start a terminal? Thanks.

**gjoellee** · August 23rd, 2008

ALT + F2 doesn't start the terminal, but something that isn't really much different. In most commpn cases the thing you use ALT + F2 is for start applications.

**ace007** · August 23rd, 2008

Under Prefs>>Keyboard shortcuts you can change it. And it doesn't launch a terminal, it opens the panel run dialog. Which is a gnome-panel application. If yours is not mapped, it may have happened when you installed/uninstalled or changed some other settings.

**medfojo** · August 23rd, 2008

What starts a terminal? If I start a terminal from the system menu and run emerald --replace it starts emerald, but if I close the terminal emerald dies with it. I read in another thread that starting a terminal with Alt+F2 will allow emerald to keep running after closing the terminal.

**Iowan** · August 23rd, 2008

Originally Posted by medfojo

Can anyone tell me why Alt+F2 doesn't start a terminal? Thanks.

Try CTRL-ALT-F2 (Actually CTRL-ALT-F1 through CTRL-ALT-F6.)
CTRL-ALT-F7 takes you back to desktop.

**ace007** · August 23rd, 2008

For a more permanent solution you can go to advanced settings of Compiz and under "window decorations" you can change the command line to emerald replace

**jpeddicord** · August 23rd, 2008

Try CTRL-ALT-F2 (Actually CTRL-ALT-F1 through CTRL-ALT-F6. CTRL-ALT-F7 takes you back to desktop).

Probably not what they were looking for. ace007 is right, go to System > Preferences > Keyboard Shortcuts, and look for "Show the panel run application dialog." Click it, and press Alt+F2 to assign it.

**medfojo** · August 23rd, 2008

Doh! I forgot I remapped the run dialog to Alt+` (this is what I used for 'run' app i made in windows, but ubuntu came equipped).

Thanks for all the input.

btw, this is my 3rd day with ubuntu and i am DEFINATLEY here to stay. I am amazed.