search/launch app

[Red Squirrel]

Is there any good app you can recommend for instant search/launching of an app by name? In Windows I used to have a program called launchy, I can tell it to index certain folders and I would do win key + space and a little search box would pop up and I can type part of a file name and see a list. Could also launch programs with it. With a quick google search I'm finding possible apps for Linux, but I'm wondering what does everyone use and recommend?

 

[lxskllr]

I don't really use that kind of thing, but couldn't you use tab completion on the command line? You can add Verve command line to your Xfce panel, and launch commands from that. It should be included with your install.

 

[mv2devnull]

Like above, my preferred tool is 'bash' and 'xterm' provides sufficient GUI. You can write a bash function that is a wrapper for calling 'find'. That would search with name you supply.

 

[Nothinman]

XFCE has one included, but it doesn't index so if you don't have an SSD it'll take a few seconds to startup each time as it scans for apps.

Launchy actually works on Linux too, I installed it a while back but never got used to using it.

 

[MrColin]

Is there any good app you can recommend for instant search/launching of an app by name? In Windows I used to have a program called launchy, I can tell it to index certain folders and I would do win key + space and a little search box would pop up and I can type part of a file name and see a list. Could also launch programs with it. With a quick google search I'm finding possible apps for Linux, but I'm wondering what does everyone use and recommend?

In gnome-shell you can press the logo key and start typing, I dont think it shows documents though. Only apps. You can also try pressing alt+F2 and launch commands from there.

What OS?

 

[Red Squirrel]

Xubuntu. And yeah I'm hoping for something that can do apps and files, or at least specific directories that I tell it to index. I find it useful when programming, I can pull up a file quickly without browsing through the folders or lookup documentation/sample code that I have stored.

More I think about it, it's more the instant file search/open (with proper app) that I want, for programs Xubuntu does have an app search already at the bottom task bar.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Just downloaded Linux version of Launchy. Did not realize it had actually been coded for Linux, thought the Linux version was just a port/hacked version. Runs great so far. it's nice to be able to pull up documents at a keystroke instead of digging through folders. I have indexed a good chunk of my network drive. I can't believe how fast it indexes too. Mind you my network drive is essentially an extension of my desktop as it's gigabit and raid 5 with lot of spindles, so it's very fast.

 

[Nothinman]

Just downloaded Linux version of Launchy. Did not realize it had actually been coded for Linux, thought the Linux version was just a port/hacked version. Runs great so far. it's nice to be able to pull up documents at a keystroke instead of digging through folders. I have indexed a good chunk of my network drive. I can't believe how fast it indexes too. Mind you my network drive is essentially an extension of my desktop as it's gigabit and raid 5 with lot of spindles, so it's very fast.

What in the hell does "just a port/hack version" mean? What have you found wrong with it so far?

 

[Jodell88]

KDE

/thread

 

[Red Squirrel]

What in the hell does "just a port/hack version" mean? What have you found wrong with it so far?

Something not actually coded for Linux but someone finding a way to make it work. Usually involves some kind of weird work around/emulation. I was just pointing out that this was NOT the case with this app. It was actually coded and compiled for Linux and works great.

 

[Nothinman]

Something not actually coded for Linux but someone finding a way to make it work. Usually involves some kind of weird work around/emulation. I was just pointing out that this was NOT the case with this app. It was actually coded and compiled for Linux and works great.

Except that it wasn't really coded for any 1 system. If you look there are downloads for Linux, Windows and OS X and one source tree. It's a QT app done in C++ that runs on all 3 systems. All of the necessary "weird workarounds" were just baked in from the start.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Except that it wasn't really coded for any 1 system. If you look there are downloads for Linux, Windows and OS X and one source tree. It's a QT app done in C++ that runs on all 3 systems. All of the necessary "weird workarounds" were just baked in from the start.

And that's exactly what I said. I originally thought it was the oposite and then upon further research said I realized it was not the case. You're trying to make a huge deal out of a single comment I made then corrected myself.