gnome-session-properties

gnome-session-properties

The gnome-session-properties command provides a graphical interface to manage applications that automatically start when a GNOME session begins.
This tool allows users to easily add, remove, and modify startup programs, enabling customization of the desktop environment's initial state. It's crucial for controlling which applications launch automatically, preventing unnecessary resource usage and improving system startup time.
The tool manages `.desktop` files located in `~/.config/autostart` and `/etc/xdg/autostart`, which determine the programs that get started at login. You can enable or disable specific startup applications without removing them entirely by toggling the checkbox. By defining your own applications, one can extend the features or start customized automation scripts automatically upon logging in.
The tool provides an easy approach to ensure applications are set to start with the right arguments, enabling a fine-tuned and streamlined user experience with the GNOME desktop environment.

Changes made using gnome-session-properties only affect the user's session and do not modify system-wide startup configurations directly. Also, some applications configured to launch at startup might bypass this tool's control if they use different mechanisms to register themselves for automatic startup.

To simply launch the startup application preferences window, run `gnome-session-properties`. No other parameters are typically needed for regular use.

If an application configured in gnome-session-properties isn't starting, check the application's `.desktop` file for errors (e.g., incorrect path to the executable, missing dependencies, or incorrect startup conditions). Also, ensure the '.desktop' file has execute permissions if it is set to run a script.

The gnome-session-properties tool has evolved alongside the GNOME desktop environment, providing a consistent way to manage startup applications across different versions of GNOME. Originally a more basic tool, it's functionalities have been extended to offer better control and integration within the GNOME session management system. Its primary purpose is to simplify the configuration process and reduce the need for manual editing of `.desktop` files.

systemd(1), autostart(5), gnome-session(1)