DEX(1)

NAME
dex - DesktopEntry Execution

SYNOPSIS

dex [options] [DesktopEntryFile]...

DESCRIPTION

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

Author
Jan Christoph Ebersbach, Johannes Löthberg