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Rob
Asked: 2013-04-28 05:20:47 +0800 CST

How do I run executable scripts in Nautilus?

  • 772

When I double-click on a script in Nautilus to run it, the script just opens in my text editor with no option to run it. Using Nautilus, how do I run executable text files and/or scripts?

nautilus

11 Answers

    1. Open Nautilus.

    2. Open this from the menu bar:

      Edit → Preferences

    3. Select the 'Behavior' tab.

    4. Select "Ask each time" under "Executable Text Files".

    5. Close the window.
    6. Right click the file, and select "Properties.

    7. Select the "Permissions" tab, and make sure "Allow executing file as program" is selected.

    8. Close the window.

    Now you can double-click your executable text file in Nautilus to be asked whether to execute or edit your script.

    enter image description here

    Answer credit: Nur

    • 230

  2. Follow these steps:

    • Install dconf-editor because it isn't installed by default.
    • Hit Alt+F2, type dconf-editor and hit Enter.

    • In dconfg-editor goto: org ➤ gnome ➤ nautilus ➤ preferences

      enter image description here

    • Click on executable-text-activation and from drop down menu select:

      launch: to launch scripts as programs.

      OR

      ask: to ask what to do via a dialog.

    • Close dconf-editor. That's it!

    • 37

  3. I think this is a nuisance caused by Gnome people who decided to change that default behavior we were accustomed to.

    To fix it, you can;

    1. install (if you haven't already) and start dconf Editor,
    2. go to: org > gnome > nautilus > preferences, and
    3. change the value for executable-text-activation back to ask (or even launch, if you prefer).

    If you want the same Nautilus behavior as Root as well you can repeat the steps above, starting dconf Editor this time as Root.

    • 16

  4. in a terminal

    gsettings set org.gnome.nautilus.preferences executable-text-activation ask
    • 15

  5. Using GUI

    1. Depending on which Ubuntu version you have,

      • 14.04 or 16.04

        In Nautilus, open this from the menu bar:

        Edit → Preferences

      • 18.04+

        In Nautilus, open this from the menu bar:

        Files → Preferences

    2. Then, in the 'Behavior' tab, select "Run them" (previously "Run executable text files with they are opened").

      Alternatively, select "Ask each time" instead if you would like a dialog (example) asking you whether to edit or execute the file.

      screenshot

    Using Command line

    If you prefer a command:

    dconf write /org/gnome/nautilus/preferences/executable-text-activation "'launch'"

    Note: Both GUI and command line methods work only for Nautilus (the default graphical file manager in Ubuntu).

    Originally from another answer posted by me here.

    • 4

  6. For that I guess the best way will be to make .desktop launcher, make that launcher executable using

    chmod +x blah.desktop

    And after that you will be ready to run it via just clicking, and even more you can add it to launcher. To read more about how to make .desktop files look here. Main part of it is this

    [Desktop Entry]
Type=Application
Terminal=false
Icon=/path/to/icon/icon.svg
Name=give-name-here
Exec=/path/to/file/executable
    • 2

  7. You can do this for a single file by going into permissions in file properties and selecting "run this file as an executable".

    enter image description here

    • 2

  8. You can use the most upvoted answer in Fedora 20 + GNOME too: 

    Open Nautilus, check Preferences -> Behavior -> Executable Files, put as always ask
    • 1

  9. You have to check 3 points :

    • 0

  10. right click on the file -> open with -> other application -> view all applications -> run software -> select

    from now on shell scripts will be run on double click.

    • 0