Add "Open with gedit" to the right click menu in Ubuntu
The file browser in Ubuntu provides the ability to run scripts on a selected file. These scripts can be used to do anything from opening a file to zipping or uploading, or anything that you can do from the command line.
To start off, we will need to open a terminal window and type in the following command, which will create a new script file in our nautilus scripts directory
gedit ~/.gnome2/nautilus-scripts/Open\ with\ gedit
Paste in the following script, found on the G-Scripts site, which is a great resource for finding scripts.
#!/bin/bash
#
# Nautilus script -> open gedit
#
# Owner : Largey Patrick from Switzerland
# patrick.largey@nazeman.org
# www.nazeman.org
#
# Licence : GNU GPL
#
# Copyright (C) Nazeman
#
# Ver. 0.9-1 Date: 16.02.2002
# Add multiple file open in the same windows
#
# Ver: 0.9 Date: 27.10.2001
# Initial release
#
# Dependence : Nautilus (of course)
# Gnome-utils (gdialog)
#
filesall=”"
while [ $# -gt 0 ]
do
files=`echo “$1″ | sed ’s/ /\?/g’`
filesall=”$files $filesall”
shift
done
gedit $filesall&
Save and close the gedit window, and then execute the following command to make the script executable:
chmod u+x ~/.gnome2/nautilus-scripts/Open\ with\ gedit
Note that tab completion really helps here =)
Now when you right click a file, you should see this:
Tested on: Ubuntu Dapper, Ubuntu Edgy Eft

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Typo:
The char after $1 is NOT an ASCII double quote (0×22) – it is a Unicode double prime U+2033
IS:
files=`echo “$1″ | sed ’s/ /\?/g’`
SHOULD BE:
files=`echo “$1″ | sed ’s/ /\?/g’`
when i open a file with gedit using the open with gedit script it doesnt display any text although it will if i open a text file within gedit.
Try this:
#########################
filesall=”"
while [ $# -gt 0 ]
do
files=`echo “$1″ | sed ’s/ /\?/g’`
filesall=”$files $filesall”
shift
done
gedit $filesall&
#########################
ThX mate,this is what i needed!
I did not know you could do this. I have to convert movie files from my flash video camera so they in a better playable format. I’ve been using the command line to do this. I’m going to use the same concept to make a right-click script to do this! Great post!
for me worked with:
gedit /home/user/.gnome2/nautilus-scripts/Open\ with\ gedit
8.04
Thanks again Geek,for another successful tip. Used on Hardy Heron.
or you can just “open with other application” -> choose “text editor” (which is gedit)….now you have open with gedit in your right click menu
#!/bin/bash
#
# Nautilus script -> open gedit
#
gedit $NAUTILUS_SCRIPT_SELECTED_URIS
In the interests of brevity the above code does exactly the same thing.
How to uninstall the script?
Thanks HTG! It worked perfectly for me.
@Michael
just go to the file directory ~/.gnome2/nautilus-scripts.
Commands:
cd ~/.gnome2/nautilus-scripts:
rm Openwithgedit
Note: please make sure you deleted the correct file as there is no UNDO with the terminal (as I have learned)
BloggerTinker
Ubuntu 8.04.1
Linux Complete Newbie
When I use “Open With gedit” from the right click menu in Ubuntu 9.04, nothing happens, any help.
The problem with the code snippet is that the quotation marks are not correct. You need to retype the quotes both single and double right through the entire script. Then it will work in 9.04. This is a bug with this web site.