Xfce Forum

Ra0

Member

Registered: 2022-08-10

Posts: 2

[SOLVED] Xfce-terminal - How to use "Run a custom command…"

Hi,
I want to run a short command each time I open my xfce-terminal.
I expected to do this by writing this command in Preferences » General » Run a custom command instead of my shell.

But it does not work.
Instead I have this « Failed to execute child process » error.

My command is as simple as :

ssh -X username@server

I have read somewhere that actually this field does not allow more than one word (so a command alone is ok, but a command with its arg/parameters would fail... Weird...).
Can someone confirm this ?

Anyhow, whatever I tried, it fails :

• create an alias in Bash (my default Shell)

• create a function in Bash

• create a script, make it executable for my user account, save it in a dir available in my $PATH, give the script name alone in Xfce-terminal settings, or the full path to the script.

Any idea what I did wrong ?

Last edited by KBar (2022-08-11 05:52:37)

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 11,007

Re: [SOLVED] Xfce-terminal - How to use "Run a custom command…"

Hello and welcome.

Can someone confirm this ?

Yes I'm seeing the same.

create a script, make it executable for my user account, save it in a dir available in my $PATH, give the script name alone in Xfce-terminal settings, or the full path to the script.

This worked for me. Putting an executable script in a directory that's in your $PATH and just entering the script name in that field.

Which version of xfce4-terminal are you running?

It may be worth creating a bug report to bring it to the developer's attention.

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KBar

Moderator

Registered: 2021-11-05

Posts: 689

Re: [SOLVED] Xfce-terminal - How to use "Run a custom command…"

I can confirm the same.

GNOME Terminal, however, accepts arguments no problem. So the problem must lie somewhere in xfce4-terminal itself and not in the VTE library.

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Ra0

Member

Registered: 2022-08-10

Posts: 2

Re: [SOLVED] Xfce-terminal - How to use "Run a custom command…"

Well... After a reboot it the script solution does work. Weird...
Thank you for your quick reaction guys !

Skaperen

Member

From: right by Jesus, our Saviour

Registered: 2013-06-15

Posts: 819

Re: [SOLVED] Xfce-terminal - How to use "Run a custom command…"

a reboot clears away all processes for all users quite effectively.  logging out a user does not as many background processes stay running (probably to speed up logging back in or maintain database state or both).

if you have some kind of root access (such as sudo) you could use the pkill -u $user command to kill the other processes left over after that user logs out.  this may let you avoid a reboot.

Last edited by Skaperen (2022-08-10 23:03:32)