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Re: [LUG] Opening applications

 

On 26/08/18 19:58, Richard Brown wrote:
> Hi
> 
> Is there a way of opening applications similar to a Mac where you use 
> shortcut cmd spacebar and then type the name of the application in the 
> search box provided please?

Doesn't your desktop environment provide similar functionality out of 
the box? Gnome, KDE, Mate, Cinnamon and Awesome off the top of my head 
all offer a full text search for installed applications when you just 
press a simple key combination. On most of those you literally just 
press the meta (i.e., windows) key by itself and type the name of the 
app you want. Hit return when you're done and it launches. Just like MS 
Windows does actually, same key too.

There are _many_ other options available in true linux fashion. The 
closest to the Mac one you're thinking of is probably Albert.

https://github.com/albertlauncher/albert

Albert is a clone of Alfred which you might have seen on a Mac as a more 
powerful replacement for the native launcher:

https://www.alfredapp.com/

There are a _lot_ of alternative launchers. Another nice one is Gnome Pie:

https://simmesimme.github.io/gnome-pie.html

Most are either already available from your distribution's repositories 
or a 3rd party source (PPA, Copr, etc). Github for bleeding edge 
versions as per usual.

But I'd be surprised if your current desktop setup doesn't already have 
one. What does happen if you just press the meta key by itself, have you 
tried?

Cheers
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