Man1 - dex.1

dex - DesktopEntry Execution

dex [/options/] [/DesktopEntryFile/]…

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

-h,* –help*

Show this help message and exit

-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

-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

Perform an autostart/execute all programs in the autostart folders.

#+begin_quote dex -a

#+end_quote

Perform an autostart/execute all programs in the specified folders.

#+begin_quote dex -a -s etc/xdg/autostart:~/.config/autostart/

#+end_quote

Preview the programs would be executed in a regular autostart.

#+begin_quote dex -ad

#+end_quote

Preview the programs would be executed in a GNOME specific autostart.

#+begin_quote dex -ad -e GNOME

#+end_quote

Create a DesktopEntry for a program in the current directory.

#+begin_quote dex -c /usr/bin/skype

#+end_quote

Create a DesktopEntry for a programs in autostart directory.

#+begin_quote dex -t ~/.config/autostart -c /usr/bin/skype /usr/bin/nm-applet

#+end_quote

Execute a single program from command line and enable verbose output.

#+begin_quote dex -v skype.desktop

#+end_quote

Execute a single program (with Terminal=true in the desktop file) in gnome-terminal.

#+begin_quote dex –term gnome-terminal nvim.desktop

#+end_quote

Execute a single program and block until it exits.

#+begin_quote dex –wait nvim.desktop

#+end_quote

Jan Christoph Ebersbach, Johannes Löthberg