How to start application after login on CentOS?

Question

I am trying to start GUI application with upstart script on CentOS. I have test script located /etc/init/ folder.

start on desktop-session-start
stop on desktop-shutdown

respawn

script
export DISPLAY=:0
sleep 5
exec /.1/Projects/UpstartTest/start.sh &

end script

start.sh scripts is running binary files for GUI application.

After reboot my computer. When I typed:

[root@mg-CentOS ~]# initctl status test
test stop/waiting

So my upstart is not runnig. When i type

initctl start test

manually it works fine without any problem.

How can I run this upstart script after user login (desktop started) ? I am trying to find detailed documents for CentOS for upstart but there is no.

Answer 1

On centos 7 use gnome-session-properties to edit this in the GUI:

This will add a .desktop file in ~/.config/autostart/. You can also alternatively copy the .desktop file yourself.

Answer 2

Auto-start apps / services are scattered out there...

To list all Auto-Start Applications, search for autostart:

ls -1 "/etc/xdg/autostart" "/home/$USER/.config/autostart" \
"/usr/share/gdm/autostart"  "/usr/share/gnome/autostart"

To list all Auto-Start Services:

systemctl list-unit-files --type=service
# OR search for:
ls -1 /lib/systemd/system/*.service /etc/systemd/system/*.service

To list all Init scripts:

ls /etc/init.d/

To list all CronTab schedulers:

crontab -l 
# to edit run: crontab -e

Answer 3

I would hazard a guess that it fails to start because it has no X Session. Although you've told it to use DISPLAY:0 that display is currently used by you and not the upstart service.

Basically, upstart isn't designed for starting applications - it's designed to start system services.

Instead, you can create *.desktop entries in ~/config/autostart and I believe gnome-tweak-tool can also manage startup applications.

The *.desktop entry will be similar to:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=MyCoolScript
GenericName=A really cool script
Comment=Some description about your script
Exec=/.1/Projects/UpstartTest/start.sh
Terminal=false
Type=Application
X-GNOME-Autostart-enabled=true

More details on the spec is available at the Gnome developer website.

Answer 4

Using cron worked for me on my Centos 7 server.

# enter crontab edit
crontab -e

# place this inside the cron file you opened with the previous command
@reboot /path/to/your/script.sh

Remember to make your script executable.

Answer 5

The command in the terminal:

mate-session-properties

Works for those users running the MATE desktop, it opens up the 'Startup Application Preferences' tab, click the ADD button and enter the name/launch command/comment. I have used the example of Google Chrome and that command runs it for me.

For gnome users, the command in the terminal:

gnome-session-properties

Brings up the same dialogue for gnome.

The picture shows my CentOS7 machine runnning the MATE destkop.