I wanted to make a script which ran automatically on login so I put it into the file ~/bash.profile, but it didn't run. When I put it in bashrc, it ran on opening a terminal.
What I was doing in the script was accessing a file in the pictures folder.
I just added ./script.sh in ~/.bash_profile. How to make it run on login?
I'm using Unity on Ubuntu 11.10.
.profile and .bash_profile are files that are sourced by bash when running as a login shell such as when logging in from the Linux Text console or using SSH. They are not sourced when loading a new shell from an existing login such as when opening a new terminal window inside Unity or other graphical environment. .bashrc on the other hand is only sourced for non-login shells, though sometimes distros will source .bashrc manually from within the default .bash_profile. One workaround is to change Gnome Terminal to load the shell as a login shell from it's profile preferences, but then that would run every time you open up a new terminal window. Another option is to add it to the list of Startup Applications as suggested by @jrg.
I'm going to paraphrase from another answer, but I'll include all the basics.
You stated that you're using Unity, so search
for and then open the program Startup
Applications in the dash.
Then, click "Add".
Now, enter in the details of the script:
changing my example details with your own details
Click "Add" and you should be all set!
~/.bash_profileAFAIK. – user13742 Feb 24 '12 at 18:58chmod +x script.shin case you haven't. – user13742 Feb 24 '12 at 19:04~/.bash_profilealways runs when you log in in text mode (if your login shell is bash), but depending on the distribution and desktop environment, it may or may not run when you log into the GUI. How do you log in (e.g. gdm, kdm, text console, …), what desktop environment or session mananger do you use (e.g. Gnome, KDE,.xsession, …), and under what distribution (e.g. Ubuntu 11.10, Fedora Core 15, OpenBSD 5.0, …)? – Gilles 'SO- stop being evil' Feb 24 '12 at 19:14