Autostart

## Autostart

Anne-Marie Mahfouf

Revision Plasma
5.12 (2018-03-25)

## Autostart Manager

This module is a configuration tool for managing what programs start up with your personal Plasma. It allows you to add programs or scripts so they automatically start during the startup or shutdown of your Plasma session and to manage them.

### Note

Please note that in this module all changes are immediately applied.

The program scans `$HOME/.config/autostart/`, `$HOME/.config/plasma-workspace/env` and `$HOME/.config/plasma-workspace/shutdown` folders to check what programs and scripts are already there and displays them. It allows you to manage them easily.

### Note

The autostart feature has a bug, currently it is not possible to run a script after the startup of your Plasma session.

### Note

Note that you can change the location of your `Autostart` folder in Applications → Locations in the Personalization category of the System Settings and set a different folder than `$HOME/.config/autostart`.

Please read also Desktop Session and Background Services for information how to configure the startup behavior of your Plasma session.

Some KDE applications handle the autostart behavior on their own, e.g. you can enable or disable autostart of an application in the settings dialog (KAlarm) or you have to use File → Quit (Konversation, Kopete), otherwise the application is still running in the systemtray and will be restarted on next login.

### Migration from KDE Workspaces 4

To migrate your personal autostart setting from KDE Workspaces 4:

Copy desktop files from `$HOME/.kde/Autostart` to `$HOME/.config/autostart`
Copy pre startup script files from `$HOME/.kde/Autostart` to `$HOME/.config/plasma-workspace/env`
Copy shutdown script files from `$HOME/.kde/Autostart` to `$HOME/.config/plasma-workspace/shutdown`

### Files display

The main part of the module displays the programs that are loaded when Plasma starts and scripts that are run when Plasma starts, shutdowns or before Plasma starts.

Name

  You cannot amend this column. It states the name of the program or script you want to start with Plasma. The name is extracted from the Desktop file from the Name key for a program and is the filename for a script.

Command

  This column lists the commands that are run to start the program. Commands for a program can be modified through the Properties button or by double clicking the program row. The command is extracted from the Desktop file from the Exec key.

  For a script the command is the path to the script and can not be modified.

Status

  This setting is only available for programs through Desktop files. You can keep a program in the `Autostart` folder but disable it from being run at Plasma start. Unchecking the status Enabled the program will not run on start.

  Unchecking the status Enabled sets the Desktop file Hidden property to true in the `Autostart` folder.

Run On

  Programs (Desktop files) can only be run on startup. Scripts can be run on Startup, Shutdown or Before session startup. This column allows you to change when your script is run. Startup is when Plasma starts, shutdown is when you log out of Plasma and before session startup is before Plasma starts.

  Scripts and desktop files set to run on Startup are copied or symlinked in `$HOME/.config/autostart` and will be run during Plasma startup.

  Scripts set on to be ran on Shutdown are copied or symlinked in the `$HOME/.config/plasma-workspace/shutdown` directory and will be automatically run during Plasma shutdown after the user has logged out.

  Scripts set to run at Pre-KDE Startup are copied or symlinked in `$HOME/.config/plasma-workspace/env` and are sourced during Plasma startup (the `startkde` script will look for scripts here).

  ### Note

  Only scripts with the `.sh` extension can be read by Plasma for Before session startup and Shutdown modes.

### Actions

On the right you have some buttons to change the way Autostart is configure. You can add programs or scripts, remove them or change their properties.

Add Program

  Clicking this button displays the standard Plasma Choose Application dialog and allows you to choose which program you want to start. After choosing the program, clicking OK brings you the properties for this program.

  This will copy the program Desktop file in your `Autostart` folder.

Add Script

  This button opens a dialog which asks you for the location of the script you want to add. If you keep Create as symlink checked (default) then the script will be added as a symlink. If you uncheck this option then the script will be copied in the corresponding local folder.

Remove

  Remove will immediately remove the Desktop file for the program or the script or symbolic link in the `Autostart` folder.

Properties

  This button (only enabled for programs i.e. Desktop files) allows you to change the properties of the program or script. You have general properties, permissions properties, a preview when applicable and properties related to the application for programs.

Advanced

  This button only applies to programs (i.e. Desktop files). A dialog asks you if you only want the program to autostart only in Plasma (and not in other desktop environments you might run). By default, the program will autostart in all desktop environments you might run. Checking Autostart only in Plasma will autostart the program only if you start the Plasma desktop environment.

  This sets the value Plasma to the OnlyShowIn key of the program Desktop file.