Gmrun: ultra-light application launcher

Gmrun is a very lightweight application launcher that comes by default in many distributions that use Openbox, Enlightenment and other lightweight window managers. I always used it as a complement to dmenu, although I am beginning to discover that it could replace it.

Gmrun (app launcher) in action

Gmrun in action

Installation

In Arch and derivatives:

sudo pacman -S gmrun

On Debian and derivatives:

sudo apt-get install gmrun

On Fedora and derivatives:

sudo yum install gmrun

Utilization

Gmrun is much more powerful than meets the eye. Being a "fan" of ultra-light distros, I always used gmrun by pressing Alt + F2 and running an already installed application or at most running a command like "killall compton", so as not to have to open a terminal.

Some not so obvious functionalities of Gmrun:

  • To open an application that has a visual interface, just type the name and press Enter. To open an application using the terminal you have to type its name and press Ctrl + Enter. Also, pressing Ctrl + Enter without having entered any text will open the terminal.
  • Pressing tab will display a list of possible alternatives to complete. In case of being a single option, the entered text is automatically completed. For example: "Lxt" + Tab = "Lxterminal" and so on.
  • The web addresses entered in Gmrun will be executed with the default internet browser.
  • The same is true for email addresses, as long as the mailto prefix is ​​used. For example: mailto: foo@bar.com will open the default mail client.
  • It is possible to search the Gmrun history by entering the prefix!. The title will change from Run to Search.
  • Ctrl-s will go to the next item in the search.
  • Ctrl-r will go to the next item in the search, in reverse ("backward").
  • Ctrl-g will cancel the search.
  • The up and down arrows allow you to navigate through the history.
  • Esc closes Gmrun.

Extras

The thing does not end there. Today I discovered that Gmrun allows you to include custom shortcuts, which would allow, for example, to search for documents.

To do this, you have to configure the file / usr / share / gmrun / gmrunrc. In this way the configuration will be applied to all users. In case you want to establish a custom configuration for your user, it is necessary to edit the file ~ / .gmrunrc.

So I remain mine after a bit of setup.

As it is a bit extensive, I only highlight the part that I am interested in commenting on:


URL_http = firefox %u
URL_mailto = firefox -remote "mailto(%s)"
URL_man = ${TermExec} 'man %s'
URL_info = ${TermExec} 'info %s'
URL_pd = ${TermExec} 'perldoc %s'
URL_file = thunar %s
URL_readme = ${TermExec} 'less /usr/doc/%s/README'
URL_info = ${TermExec} 'info %s'
URL_sh = sh -c '%s'
URL_shome = catfish --hidden --path=/home/earendil/ '%s'
URL_s = catfish --hidden --path=/ '%s'
URL_paci = ${TermExec} 'pacman -S %s'
URL_pacs = ${TermExec} 'pacman -Ss %s'
# extension handlers
EXT:doc,rtf = libreoffice %s
EXT:txt,cc,cpp,h,java,html,htm,epl,tex,latex,js,css,xml,xsl,am,php,css,js,py,rb = leafpad %s
EXT:mpeg,mpg,avi,mkv,flv = vlc %s
EXT:mp3,ogg,m4a,wmv,wma = deadbeef %s
EXT:pdf = foxitreader %s

As you can see, it is possible to add very interesting shortcuts like the one that opens a catfish search by entering the following in Gmrun:

shome:archivo_que_busco_en_mi_home

ó

s:archivo_que_busco_en_el_sistema_entero

I have also configured Gmrun to open Firefox when entering, for example, "mailto: foo@bar.com". For Firefox to open email addresses using Gmail, you just have to open Firefox and go to Preferences> Applications> Mailto and choose gmail.

Finally, as you will see, it is also possible to indicate the applications with which certain types of files should be opened.


13 comments, leave yours

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  1.   eliotime3000 said

    Impressive, although the KDE launcher is very good too (although it is more of a quite useful widget than a mere application launcher).

  2.   ianpocks said

    I really like it and I use it in crunchbang, although I've also been using synapse for a while. Synapse discovered it in manjaro with openbox. And it is more powerful than gmrun but I think that with your tips and looking at the manual or how-to of gmrun it can become as powerful as synapse. The beauty of the wm is the lightness and being able to work without using the keyboard is amazing!

    1.    RAW-Basic said

      I guess you meant working without using the mouse .. ..not without the keyboard .. 😛

      gmrun, I love it .. ..I always said that I wanted to change the appearance a bit, but I never started reading to do it, someone can make a post with that theme ..

      1.    ianpocks said

        There you have caught my mistake.
        Well, if you are right, someone from the team desdelinux I could write a couple of tips about appearance. And customization. Although with these tips I already learn many things!!

  3.   elav said

    I used it when I had OpenBox. It is an excellent tool.

    1.    let's use linux said

      That's right ... excellent, really.

  4.   abimaelmartell said

    I really like this launcher
    I thought it was part of openbox XD

    1.    let's use linux said

      No, it is not part of openbox but you will surely find it in many distros that are based on openbox. They complement each other very well. 🙂

  5.   hexborg said

    Whoops! It's not bad at all. I had tried it once, but I had never stopped to delve into the possibilities it has. I keep it permanently as a complement to the utilities I use in XFCE. Thanks a lot. 🙂

    1.    let's use linux said

      Dresses? Me neither ... and you are going to get more than one surprise!
      Hug! Paul.

  6.   Rodolfo said

    Good option for interesting openbox, I use the xfce4-appfinder, which has very good xfce 😉

  7.   DCOY said

    I'll have to try it, I use Synapse and it's pretty good too ...

  8.   Essau said

    I prefer synapse for two essential reasons, it is iconized in the tray, and you don't need to type the full name of the application directly.