Starting graphical app in background (non-active) window

Zarshir · 10-09-2009, 08:42 PM

Hey guys, I'm trying to start up a program through gnome-terminal on Fedora 10 and am wondering if there is any way to start one without losing focus on whatever windows I already have open (such as the terminal and anything else in the background). Thanks for any help!

jstephens84 · 10-10-2009, 12:03 AM

to start an application and place it in the background you would use the following

Code:

application_name &

this will place the application in the background. Then use the fg command to bring it back into focus.

Zarshir · 10-10-2009, 12:49 AM

That's not exactly what I meant (and I knew there would be confusion just because of the similar phrasing to other things)... I don't need the process to try to run in the background (which actually won't work), I need the window of the application to open, but in the background not focused.

Maybe an example will help. Say I'm writing a bash script to open my favorite webbrowser to go to a certain website at a certain time (I'm not, but I think the problem is similar). If I'm typing in an unrelated program when it calls it, say a word processor or playing a game, I don't want it to interupt what I'm doing; however, I still want it open (just behind the opened windows, aka not focused).

jstephens84 · 10-10-2009, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zarshir

That's not exactly what I meant (and I knew there would be confusion just because of the similar phrasing to other things)... I don't need the process to try to run in the background (which actually won't work), I need the window of the application to open, but in the background not focused.

Maybe an example will help. Say I'm writing a bash script to open my favorite webbrowser to go to a certain website at a certain time (I'm not, but I think the problem is similar). If I'm typing in an unrelated program when it calls it, say a word processor or playing a game, I don't want it to interupt what I'm doing; however, I still want it open (just behind the opened windows, aka not focused).

Well I understand now what you want. However I am not sure on how to accomplish that.

Zarshir · 10-10-2009, 05:27 PM

All right, thanks for your help anyway!

Anyone else have any ideas? How about opening something minimized? Maybe something I can do through X or GNOME?