Xfce Forum

RaySurf

Member

Registered: 2024-10-28

Posts: 15

[SOLVED] is there a way to pass a string to AppFinder

say I want to launch AppFinder with a preset search term, can I do something like

$ xfce4-appfinder "my-search-term"

then appfinder would load and show the search term in the entry box, and the matching result

actually, what I'm trying to do is build a global search box on my panel
so, I can use the global search to:

- search the web : load browser & use search term
- search files : load catfish & search term
- search apps list : load appfinder, & search term

I know I can already use appfinder with custom actions to kinda do this, but I'm trying to smooth out the action and process, and have a search box directly on my panel for this... on submit the search box runs a script that figures out which search client to load

it's one of those thousand papercuts kinda things

any ideas?

Last edited by RaySurf (2024-12-22 15:26:13)

ToZ

Administrator

From: Canada

Registered: 2011-06-02

Posts: 11,678

Re: [SOLVED] is there a way to pass a string to AppFinder

Not directly, no. However, you can use xdotool to send characters/strings to appfinder and have it execute that. For example:

xfce4-appfinder --disable-server --collapsed & sleep 1 && xdotool type '#bash' && xdotool key Enter

...will:

• open the appfinder in collapsed mode in a separate process

• send it the string "#bash" (which will trigger a custom action)

• send the enter key (which will open xfce4-terminal window and execute 'man bash')

Or to search for apps:

xfce4-appfinder --disable-server & sleep 1 && xdotool type 'file'

actually, what I'm trying to do is build a global search box on my panel

Have you had a look at the xfce4-verve-plugin?
It will put a command window on the panel where you can run commands (or command aliases if you need to shorten the strings you enter). So for example if you create an alias to run catfish:

alias s='catfish --start '

...and enter in the verve command line:

s SEARCHTERM

...it will start catfish and search for SEARCHTERM.

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RaySurf

Member

Registered: 2024-10-28

Posts: 15

Re: [SOLVED] is there a way to pass a string to AppFinder

fantastic, thanks ToZ

exactly what I needed

cheers