2

I have set my linux Mint to start up with command line only. Now I would like to run programs, such as VLC and Firefox, from the command line. I would like to do this without starting the desktop enviroment and running the programs from there. Is this even possible? For example to start VLC with a video in fullscreen.

user197619
  • 21
  • 1
  • 1
  • 2

3 Answers3

2

try this:

xinit -- /usr/bin/vlc

this will start a bare X that contains nothing but VLC. not sure if double clicking vlc will let it go full screen, I'm not on my desktop right now. and do note, you need to secify full path of application to run.

I used to use this technique when loading intensive games through wine, and didn't want any desktop effects or background programs affecting performance.

Waleed Hamra
  • 523
  • 2
  • 7
  • 20
  • This just results in a Error: no display specified. I know this is not much to go on, but it´s all I´m getting. – user197619 Feb 12 '13 at 14:55
1
(xvfb-run -a -e errlog <application> &)

Xvfb or X virtual framebuffer is a display server implementing the X11 display server protocol. In contrast to other display servers, Xvfb performs all graphical operations in virtual memory without showing any screen output.

Option -a forces automatic search for a free server number; this is helpful if more than one background process is to be run simultaneously.

Option -e stores error messages to a file; otherwise they are sent to /dev/null. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xvfb

Joachim W
  • 111
  • 5
1

The mentioned programs usually need an X server running. You can run only the X server (usually just by running X). Working with base X is not comfortable, though - that is why desktop environments exist. Why do you need it?

choroba
  • 18,638
  • 4
  • 48
  • 52
  • If I just type X in my terminal I get a blank screen? But the plan was to use an old laptop to play video and maybe browse on, but only using keyboard input (touchpad is dead) and trying to have as light a setup as possible – user197619 Feb 12 '13 at 14:55
  • @user197619: Learn to navigate through `Alt+F1` or `Ctrl+Alt+F1` (X usually runs around F7 or F8) and similar. Start X in the background by `X &`, then run a program in it by specifying `DISPLAY=:0 vlc &`. – choroba Feb 12 '13 at 15:02
  • Thanks! This is just what I needed to know. Now I just need to figure out how to make the display switch to vlc as I start it, then it´s perfect for the intended use :) – user197619 Feb 12 '13 at 15:16