Auto-loading apps in Mandrake

[Über~PhLuBB]

Is it possible to auto-start apps with Mandrake? As it is now, I have to boot up, wait for a desktop, then start FAH in a console, then browse through various directories to load up AIM. Is there a way to do that all automatically, so all I'd do is start the machine? I'm using Mandrake 8.2.

Also, what if a machine is booted without a keyboard or mouse? Will an error pop up as in Windows?

 

[Titan386]

I know in GNOME there's an option for loading applications on startup, though I don't know about KDE. Which are you using?

I don't think you would get an error w/o keyboard and mouse. I have a slackware rig that's hooked up to a KVM switch, but it boots up fine even if I've switched to the other box. It doesn't have a mouse at all, and the only error I get is from the BIOS.

 

[moorcito]

you can also add stuff into you .xinitrc file in your home directory. Just put what ever you want right before the line that starts the display manager, and it should auto load.

 

[Über~PhLuBB]

I keep forgetting there are different GUIs for Linux.

I use KDE.

moorcito, can you explain that in a little more detail? Besides running "chmod" on a file and "./" in a console, I don't know anything about Linux (well obviously I know how to navagate through the GUI, but you get the point).

 

[moorcito]

Ok, this comes straigh from the XFree86-HOWTO:

5. Running XFree86

With your XF86Config file configured, you're ready to fire up the X server
and give it a spin. First, be sure that /usr/X11R6/bin is on your path.

The command to start up XFree86 is
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|startx |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+

This is a front-end to xinit (in case you're used to using xinit on other
UNIX systems).

This command will start the X server and run the commands found in the file
.xinitrc in your home directory. .xinitrc is just a shell script containing X
clients to run. If this file does not exist, the system default /usr/X11R6/
lib/X11/xinit/xinitrc will be used.

A standard .xinitrc file looks like this:
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+
|#!/bin/sh |
| |
|xterm -fn 7x13bold -geometry 80x32+10+50 & |
|xterm -fn 9x15bold -geometry 80x34+30-10 & |
|oclock -geometry 70x70-7+7 & |
|xsetroot -solid midnightblue & |
| |
|exec fvwm2 |
+---------------------------------------------------------------------------+

This script will start up two xterm clients, an oclock, and set the root
window (background) color to midnightblue. It will then start up fvwm2, the
window manager. Note that fvwm2 is executed with the shell's exec statement;
this causes the xinit process to be replaced with fvwm2. Once the fvwm2
process exits, the X server will shut down. You can cause fvwm2 to exit by
using the root menus: depress mouse button 1 on the desktop background --
this will display a pop up menu which will allow you to Exit Fvwm2.

Be sure that the last command in .xinitrc is started with exec, and that it
is not placed into the background (no ampersand on the end of the line).
Otherwise the X server will shut down as soon as it has started the clients
in the .xinitrc file.

As you can see, this is another way to autoload applications independent from the window manager doing it for you.

Now, you're probably booting directly into the window manager when you start up the computer, ie. some initilatization script is calling kdm (K display manager). I don't think that matters, though, as you just need to find what ever script is being run and add what you want before it starts kdm. I can't help much on that since I don't run mandrake.

You might want to read these HOWTOs on how X works.
http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO/XFree86-HOWTO


On this one, especially read section 3.2, as it explains what a display manager does, and how you can work with it.
http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO/XWindow-User-HOWTO

 

[Über~PhLuBB]

Sorry, but that's way over my head. I'll just do things manually I guess.

 

[dustin]

I'm guessing you're booting directly into a login screen with xdm or one of those gui specific deals in that case you'd add a little script in .xsession almost the same way moorcito described