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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Nifty terminal command: xdg-open (lemm.ee)

submitted 10 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

27 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Just sharing something neat I learned today about Linux...

In Windows, I used to do this a lot:
-- Be at a command prompt, in some directory, e.g.: C:\my files\more files
-- When I need to see that same folder in the Windows GUI, I'd type: start . (note the period, meaning "this directory")
-- The Windows file manager would open in a new window, focused on that same folder as the path.

I realized today I didn't know how to do that in Linux (I'm on Ubuntu) so I searched around and found the xdg-open command.

The man page for xdg-open says:

xdg-open opens a file or URL in the user's preferred application. If a URL is provided the URL will be opened in the user's preferred web browser.

At any terminal prompt, I type something like:

xdg-open .

or xdg-open ~/Documents

And boom! A new KDE Dolphin files window appears, focused on that path.

or this works too, but with a browser:

xdg-open http://eff.org

Rock and/or roll!

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[–] [email protected] 17 points 10 months ago (2 children)

I'd create an alias: alias open=xdg-open

It's easier to type in that way

[–] [email protected] 8 points 10 months ago (1 children)

I totally did, yes:

alias xo='xdg-open $1 &>/dev/null'

... since it always has some odd output when I run it here on my pc.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 10 months ago

That's actually a great idea, thanks for the suggestion

[–] [email protected] 5 points 10 months ago (1 children)

Some systems already have this implemented. For example, on my machine open is /usr/bin/open which links to /etc/alternatives/open which in turn currently points at /usr/bin/xdg-open.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 10 months ago

I've seen this on a few Linux distros. MacOS also has something similar, not based on XDG but it works really well. It also uses the open command.