How to Add a Program to the Ubuntu Startup List (After Login)
If you are coming from Windows, you are probably familiar wtih adding a shortcut to the Startup folder in the Start menu so that the program will start after you log in.
Ubuntu provides a little utility to help you accomplish the same thing, but it’s not named quite what you’d think, so you may not have found this.
And yes, for the more technical users, you can modify the startup script and accomplish the same thing.
You’ll find the tool on the System \ Preferences\ Sessions menu item:
Click the Add button, and type in the full path to the executable you are trying to start if it’s not in your path already. For instance, if you wanted to start the vmware toolbox, you’d put in vmware-toolbox into the textbox. You can also browse directly to the item you want to start.
Tested on: Ubuntu Edgy Eft
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Thats a really coool tip ..thanks
The relating the windows startup folder to this tool was a good approach. It help me find this answer.
Thanks!
This was very helpful. Thanks!
Do you happen do know how can somenone do this in Kubuntu?
Thanx in advance.
Never mind, I found it. There are to options: a) You can add a link in ~/.kde/Autostart/ to the desired app, or
b) KDE in Kubuntu is configured to load the previous session, so you could as well leave the app open when you exit KDE and it will be launched automatically.
I wonder if anybody has tried doing the same using startup scripts, can anybody post a solution here ?
thanx a lot
Thanks for the KDE solution Kostas.
thanks! I never seem to remember this.
Thank you very much, this is a very helpful tip
There’s also a startup directory, as in Windows and KDE:
http://www.jonramvi.com/2008/0.....directory/
What? I see you need to be a rocket scientist to use Ubuntu. To me this would be one of
the main areas that you would want to operate without confusion (adding a program), instead
you need a roadmap in Ubuntu to do so.
How about some of you guys who understand how to install programs making videos that can be posted somewhere where people new to Ubuntu can find them. It is easier to follow video instructions than a description writen in Geek.
If this operating system is going to catch on this is one of the main areas that need to change, otherwise people will stay with Microsoft Windows.
Thanks a lot.
But if I have to run the script as root ? Will this procedure work too ?
@rdcatman
Go back to using Windows please.
I hate to, but I need further help- using standard add/remove in ubuntu 8.10, I’ve added gmail notifier and I like the tomboy notetaker as well- but when i try to add them to the startup as described here, my problem is I cant find the program to link it to.
I’ll admit, im a recent windows convert, so I prolly just don’t know what I am looking for. But What do I need to put into the second box down in sessions/add- the one that says command. If I try to browse, i just cant find what I’m looking for.
Thanks in advance, and sorry for the nub question.
Hi Jim, there are no nub questions in Linux/Ubuntu world. We all try to help each other from the newbie to the expert.
To find where a program is locate, enter on console and type:
whereis tomboy
and put the fullpath on the program field.
Another option that few people use is the gnome panel. Right-click on the top panel and select “add to panel” – there are a lot of programs you can put on the startup, including tomboy.
Very Very useful, Thanks, and I apprecaite it- that did the trick and using that made it all the way to what I was trying.
Thanks again Josir.
Hm.. for me it was not enough to leave checkbox unchecked for Transmission, it started again after reboot, i had to remove Transmission completely from the list.
Ubuntu 8.04.
Thanks anyway.
I’m a new Windows convert too. I found that if you need to find out what the command line is, go to Applications > (your program) and right-click on the program you want, then choose “add this launcher to desktop.” That’s like a shortcut. Then right-click the launcher it creates, choose “preferences” and it’ll show you the command line to activate the program. Copy that and paste it into the startup program you’re adding to the session manager.
Thanks. It is very help full
Not any more!
In Jaunty: System -> Preferences -> Startup Applications
gives you a very straightforward UI for adding Start-Ups
How do i add my drives to ubuntu start up??
They wont start until i click them.
Howdy Satish- to add drives to ubuntu startup- (you want them to auto mount each time the computer reboots I assume). They must be NTFS- since other drives do auto mount typically (if I am wrong, just let me know).
So- assuming they are NTFS drives and you want them to automount at startup, you can install “NTFS Configuration Tool” (in the add/remove programs) and then use that to tell it what drives to automount. It makes the needed changes to your fstab file to do your work for you.
I hope this helps,
jim
For those of you used to copying link files to a directory, the extension is .desktop and you’ll find most available ones in /usr/share/applications.
I found .desktop links to my current startup apps in /etc/xdg/autostart/ , /usr/share/gnome/autostart/ and ~/.config/autostart/. You may want to copy your links to the last directory as the other two are system-wide; in Nautilus, you can choose “Show hidden files (Ctrl+H)”.