How to open a specific application like macOS `open -a`?

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On macOS in the default Terminal running bash, I can type open -a Firefox http://www.wikipedia.org to open a URL with Firefox, or another browser. It also works to launch a program, e.g. open -a maps, and to open a file in the default program, e.g. open file.pdf.

How can I do the same on Ubuntu in the default GNOME Terminal also running bash? I know that I can open a file or URL with xdg-open /path/to/file, and I can open the default browser with sensible-browser. Does Ubuntu have a general command to open files, applications, or files in specific applications?

I am running bash on both machines, 3.2.57(1)-release on macOS and 4.4.19(1)-release on Ubuntu.

command-line bash

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asked 56 mins ago

mmorin

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up vote
1
down vote

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On macOS in the default Terminal running bash, I can type open -a Firefox http://www.wikipedia.org to open a URL with Firefox, or another browser. It also works to launch a program, e.g. open -a maps, and to open a file in the default program, e.g. open file.pdf.

How can I do the same on Ubuntu in the default GNOME Terminal also running bash? I know that I can open a file or URL with xdg-open /path/to/file, and I can open the default browser with sensible-browser. Does Ubuntu have a general command to open files, applications, or files in specific applications?

I am running bash on both machines, 3.2.57(1)-release on macOS and 4.4.19(1)-release on Ubuntu.

command-line bash

share|improve this question

asked 56 mins ago

mmorin

1145

New contributor

mmorin is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
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add a comment | 

up vote
1
down vote

favorite

up vote
1
down vote

favorite

On macOS in the default Terminal running bash, I can type open -a Firefox http://www.wikipedia.org to open a URL with Firefox, or another browser. It also works to launch a program, e.g. open -a maps, and to open a file in the default program, e.g. open file.pdf.

How can I do the same on Ubuntu in the default GNOME Terminal also running bash? I know that I can open a file or URL with xdg-open /path/to/file, and I can open the default browser with sensible-browser. Does Ubuntu have a general command to open files, applications, or files in specific applications?

I am running bash on both machines, 3.2.57(1)-release on macOS and 4.4.19(1)-release on Ubuntu.

command-line bash

share|improve this question

asked 56 mins ago

mmorin

1145

New contributor

mmorin is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

On macOS in the default Terminal running bash, I can type open -a Firefox http://www.wikipedia.org to open a URL with Firefox, or another browser. It also works to launch a program, e.g. open -a maps, and to open a file in the default program, e.g. open file.pdf.

How can I do the same on Ubuntu in the default GNOME Terminal also running bash? I know that I can open a file or URL with xdg-open /path/to/file, and I can open the default browser with sensible-browser. Does Ubuntu have a general command to open files, applications, or files in specific applications?

I am running bash on both machines, 3.2.57(1)-release on macOS and 4.4.19(1)-release on Ubuntu.

command-line bash

command-line bash

share|improve this question

asked 56 mins ago

mmorin

1145

New contributor

mmorin is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

asked 56 mins ago

mmorin

1145

New contributor

mmorin is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

share|improve this question

share|improve this question

asked 56 mins ago

mmorin

1145

New contributor

mmorin is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

asked 56 mins ago

mmorin

1145

asked 56 mins ago

mmorin

1145

1145

New contributor

mmorin is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

New contributor

mmorin is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

mmorin is a new contributor to this site. Take care in asking for clarification, commenting, and answering.
Check out our Code of Conduct.

add a comment | 

add a comment | 

1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

up vote
2
down vote



accepted

You can specifically use your desired program's name (if it's able to be used as a command line tool).

For example, urls:

firefox duckduckgo.com
chromium-browser askubuntu.com

PDF:

evince foo.pdf
okular bar.pdf

Images:

gpicview foo.png
feh bar.jpeg

Texts:

gedit foo.txt
mousepad /etc/config
leafpad bar.xml

Video/Music:

mpv foo.mp3
vlc bar.mp4

share|improve this answer

edited 41 mins ago

answered 51 mins ago

Ravexina

28.8k147098

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  eog picture.jpg for images too if you have gnome-desktop installed :)
  – Videonauth
  48 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @Videonauth Yeah, or any other kind of tools ;)
  – Ravexina
  47 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

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1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

1 Answer
1

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

active

oldest

votes

up vote
2
down vote



accepted

You can specifically use your desired program's name (if it's able to be used as a command line tool).

For example, urls:

firefox duckduckgo.com
chromium-browser askubuntu.com

PDF:

evince foo.pdf
okular bar.pdf

Images:

gpicview foo.png
feh bar.jpeg

Texts:

gedit foo.txt
mousepad /etc/config
leafpad bar.xml

Video/Music:

mpv foo.mp3
vlc bar.mp4

share|improve this answer

edited 41 mins ago

answered 51 mins ago

Ravexina

28.8k147098

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  eog picture.jpg for images too if you have gnome-desktop installed :)
  – Videonauth
  48 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @Videonauth Yeah, or any other kind of tools ;)
  – Ravexina
  47 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
2
down vote



accepted

You can specifically use your desired program's name (if it's able to be used as a command line tool).

For example, urls:

firefox duckduckgo.com
chromium-browser askubuntu.com

PDF:

evince foo.pdf
okular bar.pdf

Images:

gpicview foo.png
feh bar.jpeg

Texts:

gedit foo.txt
mousepad /etc/config
leafpad bar.xml

Video/Music:

mpv foo.mp3
vlc bar.mp4

share|improve this answer

edited 41 mins ago

answered 51 mins ago

Ravexina

28.8k147098

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  eog picture.jpg for images too if you have gnome-desktop installed :)
  – Videonauth
  48 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @Videonauth Yeah, or any other kind of tools ;)
  – Ravexina
  47 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

up vote
2
down vote



accepted

up vote
2
down vote



accepted

You can specifically use your desired program's name (if it's able to be used as a command line tool).

For example, urls:

firefox duckduckgo.com
chromium-browser askubuntu.com

PDF:

evince foo.pdf
okular bar.pdf

Images:

gpicview foo.png
feh bar.jpeg

Texts:

gedit foo.txt
mousepad /etc/config
leafpad bar.xml

Video/Music:

mpv foo.mp3
vlc bar.mp4

share|improve this answer

edited 41 mins ago

answered 51 mins ago

Ravexina

28.8k147098

You can specifically use your desired program's name (if it's able to be used as a command line tool).

For example, urls:

firefox duckduckgo.com
chromium-browser askubuntu.com

PDF:

evince foo.pdf
okular bar.pdf

Images:

gpicview foo.png
feh bar.jpeg

Texts:

gedit foo.txt
mousepad /etc/config
leafpad bar.xml

Video/Music:

mpv foo.mp3
vlc bar.mp4

share|improve this answer

edited 41 mins ago

answered 51 mins ago

Ravexina

28.8k147098

share|improve this answer

share|improve this answer

edited 41 mins ago

edited 41 mins ago

edited 41 mins ago

answered 51 mins ago

Ravexina

28.8k147098

answered 51 mins ago

Ravexina

28.8k147098

answered 51 mins ago

Ravexina

28.8k147098

28.8k147098

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  eog picture.jpg for images too if you have gnome-desktop installed :)
  – Videonauth
  48 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @Videonauth Yeah, or any other kind of tools ;)
  – Ravexina
  47 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

add a comment | 

• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  eog picture.jpg for images too if you have gnome-desktop installed :)
  – Videonauth
  48 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  


• 
  
  
  

  
  

  
  
  
  
  
  

  
  @Videonauth Yeah, or any other kind of tools ;)
  – Ravexina
  47 mins ago
  

  
  
  
  

eog picture.jpg for images too if you have gnome-desktop installed :)
– Videonauth
48 mins ago

eog picture.jpg for images too if you have gnome-desktop installed :)
– Videonauth
48 mins ago

@Videonauth Yeah, or any other kind of tools ;)
– Ravexina
47 mins ago

@Videonauth Yeah, or any other kind of tools ;)
– Ravexina
47 mins ago

add a comment | 

mmorin is a new contributor. Be nice, and check out our Code of Conduct.

 

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