How to Add Application to the Startup on UBUNTU 12.10

Canonical’s latest successful release is Ubuntu 12.10 (Quantal Quetzal). Even though it is not a LTS version, it has lots of update features compared to its previous version. In the previous topic, I have discussed about How to configure the 3g Modem on Ubuntu. Here I am going to explain, how to add the applications to the Startup. When you are using some online account, you need to automatically turn on that while your computer turns on. Instead of doing that every time manually, it’s very easy to add the application to the Startup.

Steps to add Application to the Startup:

• Just go to the Dash Home and type “Startup” in the Lens . The Applications which matches the word are listed.

• Click on the Startup Application to open the Startup manager.

• Click on the Add button to add the Startup program.

• If you know the command to execute the program, then just type it in the Command text box, or else browse for the file and locate it.

(By default, chat client and mail client applications are present in the  /usr/bin)

Name = Name of the program

Command = Terminal commands to execute the file 

Comment = Description about the program

• Click on the Add button finally to add program to Startup.
• Close the Startup Application Preference window. Then restart the computer. After login, you will find the added applications opened automatically.

• If you want to remove the application from the Startup, select the application from the list and click on the Remove button.
• Edit button is used to change the value of the name, command and comment of the added application.

Some of the useful applications to add at Startup

• Empathy
• Thunderbird
• Gwibber

Adding Empathy to the Startup

• In Add Startup Program window, fill the following to add the Empathy to Startup in hidden mode.

                               Name : Empathy

                               Command : empathy -h

                               Comment: Chat Client

               ( “-h” is used here to Startup the empathy on hidden mode. In terminal, type empathy –help for more command options. Hidden mode works only with the Empathy)

Adding Thunderbird to the Startup 

• To add Thunderbird to Startup, fill the following on Add Startup Program window.

                                Name : Thunderbird

                               Command : thunderbird

                               Comment: Mail Client

Adding Gwibber to the Startup.

• To add Gwibber, fill the Add Program manager with the following details.

                               Name : Gwibber

                               Command : gwibber

                               Comment: Social Network Feeds

(The applications started will remain open on the desktop. It will not go into the background automatically. We have to minimize the application to the Unity manually)

(Tips: Use Ctrl +Super+D – minimize all the window to the Unity and shows the desktop. Super = windows key on the keyboard)

If you are feeling irritated on pressing that shortcut keys to minimize all the windows, then do it automatically by adding a script file to the Startup.

Script to Automatically Minimize all the Opened Windows to the Unity while Startup.

• Open the terminal, type the command

                         sudo apt-get install wmctrl

                          (If required provide a password. Accept the terms)

• In the Home folder create a new document (Right click -> Create New Document ->Empty Document)
• Copy the code to that newly created document

                    #!/bin/sh
                    sleep 25;
                    if wmctrl -m | grep “mode: ON”; then
                    exec wmctrl -k off
                    else
                    exec wmctrl -k on
                    fi

• Save the File with the name as you wish but without any extensions
• Make the File Executable (Right click on the file and select Properties. On Permissions Tab, check the Allow executing file as program)

Now restart the computer and go with the features of newly added Startup programs.

After Startup, if it takes much time to minimize all the windows opened, then just change the sleep value in the script.

Editing the Script File

• Right click on the File created at home directory and select open (or) double click on the file. A window will open and asks for the action to perform. Press Display button to view and edit the Script File.

 This is the few simple steps to Add the Applications in the startup of your Ubuntu Operating system. If you have any doubts, just drop it on the comment section.