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DEX(1) dex DEX(1)

dex - DesktopEntry Execution

dex [options] [DesktopEntryFile]...

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

Show this help message and exit
Autostart programs
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.
Dry run, don't execute any command
Specify the Desktop Environment an autostart should be performed for; works only in combination with --autostart
Colon separated list of paths to search for desktop files, overriding the default search list
Create files in target directory
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
Block until the program exits
Perform a self-test
Verbose output
Display version information

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

dex -a


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

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


Preview the programs would be executed in a regular autostart.

dex -ad


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

dex -ad -e GNOME


Create a DesktopEntry for a program in the current directory.

dex -c /usr/bin/skype


Create a DesktopEntry for a programs in autostart directory.

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


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

dex -v skype.desktop


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

dex --term gnome-terminal nvim.desktop


Execute a single program and block until it exits.

dex --wait nvim.desktop


Jan Christoph Ebersbach, Johannes Löthberg

January 28, 2021 dex-