The Applications menu on Apples X11

s3raphim · 08-15-2003, 01:52 PM

How does the Applications menu in apples X11 work? When I add commands for Fink packages I've installed (aterm, scite) it does not load the programs.

In my .xinitrc file I have the line
source /sw/bin/init.sh
so the file loads my fink programs fine. How do I get the Applications menu to do the same thing?

ateles · 08-15-2003, 02:54 PM

Go to Applications/Customize and add a name and full path for the application you want to run (unless it is in $PATH variable)

For the gimp I have: Name : MacGimp
Command: /sw/bin/gimp

gl

s3raphim · 08-15-2003, 03:28 PM

yay it works! Thanks a lot.

For future reference where would I change or add to the $PATH so that I don't have to add /sw/bin/ for every app I put in the X11 Applications menu?

sao · 08-15-2003, 04:47 PM

s3raphim,

Problems to have a complete *global* PATH variable:

If you start the X11.app by clicking on the icon and then use the Applications menu, you have the absolute minimum set of environment variables because the PATH and the other environment variables are the ones the X11.app has inherited.

If you call an xterm in Apple's X11 it will read some of your shell startup scripts, namely ~/.cshrc or ~/.tcshrc if you are using tcsh. So, if you set some PATH in those files, like Fink recommends ("source /sw/bin/init.csh" in your ~/.cshrc or ~/.tcshrc) then there you will have a full PATH.

And if you set your shell up differently, for example with the old clean pre-Jaguar setup in ~/Library/init/tcsh [path,environment.mine,etc], it will not be read by the xterm from the Applications menu.

However, you can have xterm read *all* your shell startup scripts if you declare it to be a "login shell", that is, you call it as "xterm -ls" (you can change it via "Customize"). Then, you will have all your environment variables available.

There is also the ~/.MacOSX/environment.plist that can be used, but it will give the same environment variables to *all* applications which can be a problem.

One solution that is working great for me, is a "wrapper script" made by Martin Costabel which I posted at the following thread:

http://forums.macosxhints.com/showth...threadid=12382

08-15-2003, 01:52 PM	#1
s3raphim Prospect Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 40	The Applications menu on Apples X11 How does the Applications menu in apples X11 work? When I add commands for Fink packages I've installed (aterm, scite) it does not load the programs. In my .xinitrc file I have the line source /sw/bin/init.sh so the file loads my fink programs fine. How do I get the Applications menu to do the same thing?

08-15-2003, 04:47 PM	#4
sao Moderator Join Date: Jan 2002 Location: Singapore Posts: 4,237	s3raphim, Problems to have a complete global PATH variable: If you start the X11.app by clicking on the icon and then use the Applications menu, you have the absolute minimum set of environment variables because the PATH and the other environment variables are the ones the X11.app has inherited. If you call an xterm in Apple's X11 it will read some of your shell startup scripts, namely ~/.cshrc or ~/.tcshrc if you are using tcsh. So, if you set some PATH in those files, like Fink recommends ("source /sw/bin/init.csh" in your ~/.cshrc or ~/.tcshrc) then there you will have a full PATH. And if you set your shell up differently, for example with the old clean pre-Jaguar setup in ~/Library/init/tcsh [path,environment.mine,etc], it will not be read by the xterm from the Applications menu. However, you can have xterm read all your shell startup scripts if you declare it to be a "login shell", that is, you call it as "xterm -ls" (you can change it via "Customize"). Then, you will have all your environment variables available. There is also the ~/.MacOSX/environment.plist that can be used, but it will give the same environment variables to all applications which can be a problem. One solution that is working great for me, is a "wrapper script" made by Martin Costabel which I posted at the following thread: http://forums.macosxhints.com/showth...threadid=12382 Last edited by sao; 08-15-2003 at 04:50 PM.

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08-15-2003, 02:54 PM	#2
ateles Triple-A Player Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Madison, WI Posts: 66	Go to Applications/Customize and add a name and full path for the application you want to run (unless it is in $PATH variable) For the gimp I have: Name : MacGimp Command: /sw/bin/gimp gl

08-15-2003, 03:28 PM	#3
s3raphim Prospect Join Date: Aug 2003 Posts: 40	yay it works! Thanks a lot. For future reference where would I change or add to the $PATH so that I don't have to add /sw/bin/ for every app I put in the X11 Applications menu?