The Linux software developed by Douglas McFadzean and described on this page is particularly aimed at the Arch Linux distribution, but should be readily adaptable to others. The programs here are available as free software licensed under the terms of the GNU GPLv3 licence.
The Arch User Repository is abbreviated to AUR.
DeiMenu
DeiMenu provides a dynamic and extendible menu framework for launching programs. It is driven by Bash scripts and the highly versatile Suckless dmenu program (available with Xft support as the dmenu-xft package from the AUR). Further packages such as gxmessage, gksu and wine are required depending on how much of DeiMenu's functionality you wish to access and hack. Of course, if you are happy to only use X fonts, you can use the vanilla demu package instead, substituting the -fa command line option with the -fn option to specify the desired X font.
DeiMenu comprises three short scripts, deimenu, deimenl and deimenp which correspond to the main script and universal menu, local menu, and personal menu respectively. These are simply copied to somewhere on the user's PATH and made executable. However, neither the local menu nor personal menu needs to be implemented. These additional two menus just make it easier to administer the menu structure if you have several users and/or an organisational hierarchy. (For example, the personal menu is often used to override default font styles and sizes depending on an individual user's preferences.) The menu may be generated in a horizontal or a vertical format, and can also have item descriptions which may be displayed and searched for; this can help less expert users. The command corresponding to a menu item may be executed in different ways (for example, via Sudo or Wine) and may optionally be preceded by a confirmation dialog.
The simplest way of running DeiMenu is to assign a keyboard shortcut to execute deimenu (expert users) or deimenu -D (typical users).
Latest version: 5.80, 02 May 2011.
Exec
Exec is a Bash script to open files or URLs in an associated application, according to the Desktop Entry Specification. It can effectively replace the xdg-open utility: just copy the Exec script to somewhere on your PATH and replace your standard /usr/bin/xdg-open script with a symbolic link which targets Exec instead. Although Exec can be used like xdg-open to open files in the default associated application, it also has an option to let you choose from a menu of all applications associated with the files. This is very useful if configured within your favourite file manager. You can also customize the program used to determine a file's MIME type and the program used to provide the menu of associated applications. Options allow you to just display the default or associated applications, and to open files with an ad hoc command which is prompted for.
Exec will expand a %f, %F, %u or %U field embedded within the command line string specified by a desktop file (Exec= key). This enables multiple files to be opened by the associated application, either by passing all the files to a single command (%F and %U), or by spawning multiple invocations of the application, one for each file specified (%f and %u).
Latest version: 1.80, 18 February 2012.
Opener
Opener is a Bash script, inspired by falconindy, which allows you to flexibly open files in the applications you prefer. It is primarily intended for calling from file managers or program launchers in desktop environments where icons and multi-language support are not so important. In this case, Opener is simpler to maintain and potentially more customizable than the Desktop Entry Specification method.
By default, Opener opens files according to: 1) exact MIME type, 2) file extension, 3) major MIME subtype (in decreasing order of precedence). If a particular MIME type proves unreliable, you can force Opener to use the file extension instead. The MIME type is determined using the file command (default), GVFS or Rox. Any file type can have up to 3 preferred commands (default, edit and alternative) associated with it. Multiple files may be selected and an application can be called with all the files as command line parameters, or the application can be called separately for each file. A change of working directory may also be invoked. All these defaults may be changed by tweaking the short Opener script. Of course, you will also want to add further file associations of your own; those provided are only examples.
Latest version: 1.40, 03 May 2011.
Udsks
Udsks provides a convenient means of manually mounting and unmounting removable media and is adapted from the Bash script by some-guy94. It uses dmenu in conjunction with udisks to present a menu of removable media devices which may be mounted or unmounted, along with mount point and label information where appropriate. Mounted media may optionally be opened in a file manager. Most useful when assigned a keyboard shortcut.
Latest version: 2.11, 12 June 2011.
Links
- Arch Linux
- A simple, lightweight and highly flexible Linux distribution with a 'rolling release'.
- Suckless.org
- Software with a focus on simplicity, clarity, and frugality.
- Bash Hackers Wiki
- Full of scripting tips, hints and tutorials.
- Handy self-made command line utilities
- Huge forum thread with many utilities and scripting ideas.