Conky as a working desktop file

[wizard10000]

# If own_window is yes, you may use type normal, desktop or override
own_window_type window

Should be own_window_type dock

[Snowhog]

Should be own_window_type dock

Made the change, logged out and rebooted. Conky still won't auto start.

[wizard10000]

Made the change, logged out and rebooted. Conky still won't auto start.

But it starts from a terminal session or krunner just fine, yes?

[Snowhog]

Yeppers. That's the fly-in-the-ointment kicker. I simply don't understand why Conky will not auto start when other 'non-gui' applications I have in Auto Start do -- specifically Yakuake.

[wizard10000]

Yeppers. That's the fly-in-the-ointment kicker. I simply don't understand why Conky will not auto start when other 'non-gui' applications I have in Auto Start do -- specifically Yakuake.

I wonder if the desktop file is even getting read. Suggest having the desktop file call a shell script that does something else before launching conky, like launching a web browser or turning dpms off or something like that. At least you'd be able to tell if your autostart was working.

[Snowhog]

Good idea. I'll have the file execute konsole and see what happens.

Update:

Konsole didn't come up running when the Desktop was presented.

I just don't understand what is(n't) going on with conky. It runs if executed manually (type conky and press Enter). It used to auto start, but can't honestly remember when it stopped doing so. I can of course, just continue to start it manually after a system reboot and/or a Desktop session logout/login, but I would really like to have it auto start again.

The permissions are correct. All the file attributes are correct. It's in the correct location. Why won't it auto start?

Update #2 - problem SOLVED:

Okay, Googling around, trying to find something; anything; about conky not autostarting in Kubuntu 16.04. I came across SettingUpConky - Community Help Wiki. Under Running & Configuration it shows starting conky with & (conky &). The ampersand tells conky to run in the background. I've never launched conky that way before, but hey, give it a try.

I changed the exec= line in the conky.desktop file to read: Exec=conky & and saved/closed the file and logged out/rebooted. Viola! Conky autostarted!! I logged out/rebooted again just to see if it wasn't a fluke. No, conky autostarted again.

So why good KFNers, why would adding the ampersand to conky's execution work at here to get it to autostart when for others it isn't necessary?

[vinnywright]

So why good KFNers, why would adding the ampersand to conky's execution work at here to get it to autostart when for others it isn't necessary?

that is a good question ,,,,,,,I only have Exec=conky in my .desktop file ,,,but when I launch in a Konsole I do use the ampersand so I can have the Konsole back and conky will stay running if I close the Konsole.

you did say that Konsole did not start when you added it to the autostart file ,,,,,,,,,, did you make a new one or just edit the conky one ?

VINNY

[wizard10000]

...So why good KFNers, why would adding the ampersand to conky's execution work at here to get it to autostart when for others it isn't necessary?

It's a feature, Snowhog.

:P

[Snowhog]

that is a good question ,,,,,,,I only have Exec=conky in my .desktop file ,,,but when I launch in a Konsole I do use the ampersand so I can have the Konsole back and conky will stay running if I close the Konsole.

you did say that Konsole did not start when you added it to the autostart file ,,,,,,,,,, did you make a new one or just edit the conky one ?

VINNY

I edited the existing conky.desktop file, replacing Exec=conky with Exec=konsole

It didn't autostart either.

I may never know/get a knowledgable answer as to why I have to use the ampersand in the .desktop file, but hey, it works.

[wizard10000]

I may never know/get a knowledgable answer as to why I have to use the ampersand in the .desktop file, but hey, it works.

Just curious, did you try 'conky -d'? -d = daemonize and will fork conky to the background.

The fact that konsole also refused to start would cause me to look at that .desktop file . My .desktop file appears to be much more compact than the others I see in this thread -

[Desktop Entry]
Exec=conky -d
Icon=system-run
OnlyShowIn=KDE;
Path=
Terminal=false
Type=Application

I've got some new conky stuff going on; don't expect I'll have it finished until the weekend but will post an animation and a fully commented config. Folks will be able to lift pieces they like out of a config without a whole lot of trouble.

I've done significant work on cpu indicator lights (default gray below 3% cpu usage, yellow at 20% and red at 90%. Also have color-coded 1m, 5m and 15m system load numbers.

Don't think anybody knew it unless they read the code, but my wireless signal strength meter only displays if wireless is connected and I added a filesystem bar for my external hard drive that also only shows up if the drive is mounted.

Anyway, this is getting so complicated I need to spend some time commenting things; and I also learned how to split long lines in conky

cheers -

[Snowhog]

Just curious, did you try 'conky -d'? -d = daemonize and will fork conky to the background.

Yes, I did. Conky still wouldn't auto start. Why & does and -d does not is a mystery.

[wizard10000]

Yes, I did. Conky still wouldn't auto start. Why & does and -d does not is a mystery.

I got nothing, Snowhog

I think the .desktop file may be corrupted, but you may have cleaned up the mess by adding the & to conky's command line. Only way to know for sure that I can think of is to start with a clean .desktop file.

[Snowhog]

I got nothing, Snowhog
Only way to know for sure that I can think of is to start with a clean .desktop file.

Been there; done that.