[SOLVED] What is the "correct" way to make a simple command run when Linux Mint boots to the desktop?

[wosser]

I had a problem with my mouse being too sensitive and this marvellous forum provided the answer here...
viewtopic.php?f=49&t=227410&sid=5aef897 ... 0#p1370340

The command works fine if I run it myself from a root command line.

I wanted to have this command run for all users and tried to do that by adding it to /etc/rc.local like this:

Code: Select all

#!/bin/sh -e
#
# rc.local
#
# This script is executed at the end of each multiuser runlevel.
# Make sure that the script will "exit 0" on success or any other
# value on error.
#
# In order to enable or disable this script just change the execution
# bits.
#
# By default this script does nothing.

xinput --set-prop 'MOSART Semi. 2.4G Wireless Mouse' 'Coordinate Transformation Matrix' 1.0 0.0 0.0  0.0 1.0 0.0  0.0 0.0 3.0

exit 0

But when I rebooted, it seems that the command hasn't been executed.

rc.local has these attributes:
-rwxr-xr-x 1 root root 568 May 19 07:50 /etc/rc.local

This is a recent, fresh install of Linux Mint 18.3 Sylvia.

If this is the wrong way to do this, what should I be doing?

[Mute Ant]

"...the wrong way to do this..." The script rc.local runs with root privilege before Xorg has started, so your command 'xinput' doesn't arrive.

You might add the command delayed-and-detached so there's a 15 second pause before the command runs. That's not 'correct' since it simply guesses that Xorg will be running soon and that 15 seconds is long enough for that to happen.

Code: Select all

bash -c 'sleep 15 && xinput --set-prop "MOSART Semi. 2.4G Wireless Mouse" "Coordinate Transformation Matrix" 1.0 0.0 0.0  0.0 1.0 0.0  0.0 0.0 3.0' & disown

I have changed your ' to " so they all live inside the argument to bash.

I am trying out Ubuntu 18-04 MATE and the file rc.local simply isn't there any more, so I'm sure there's a better way, probably involving systemd. Good luck with that.

[catweazel]

I am trying out Ubuntu 18-04 MATE and the file rc.local simply isn't there any more, so I'm sure there's a better way, probably involving systemd. Good luck with that.

https://www.netroby.com/view/3895

[Pjotr]

Forget rc.local; root permissions are not required for this, and rc.local is deprecated anyway.

This should work: simply create a startup application containing that command. Preferably with a "sleep" delay; the 15 seconds that Mute Ant advises are fine:

Code: Select all

sleep 15 && xinput --set-prop 'MOSART Semi. 2.4G Wireless Mouse' 'Coordinate Transformation Matrix' 1.0 0.0 0.0  0.0 1.0 0.0  0.0 0.0 3.0

Creating a startup application can be done "clickety-click" from within the graphical menu; the procedure differs slightly for each desktop environment. In Xfce you need to launch the utility Sessions and Startup.

A startup application is a user preference, so repeat this in each user account.

[catweazel]

I am trying out Ubuntu 18-04 MATE and the file rc.local simply isn't there any more, so I'm sure there's a better way, probably involving systemd. Good luck with that.

Just fyi, this is the new rigmarole: https://linuxconfig.org/how-to-automati ... temd-linux

[Pjotr]

I am trying out Ubuntu 18-04 MATE and the file rc.local simply isn't there any more, so I'm sure there's a better way, probably involving systemd. Good luck with that.

Just fyi, this is the new rigmarole: https://linuxconfig.org/how-to-automati ... temd-linux

Looks interesting, but it's not relevant for the problem of the OP. See my previous message.

[catweazel]

...it's not relevant for the problem of the OP.

Of course not. That's what the words 'Just fyi' were indicating. It's also why I replied to Mute Ant and not the OP.

[Mute Ant]

It transpires that the start of file /etc/rc.local uses #!/bin/sh and the shell sh doesn't implement disown --sigh-- so now there's three good reasons not to use the rc.local method.
o You have to change to #!/bin/bash to disown a process.
o It has to guess Xorg will be running soon.
o It's not in new Ubuntu.

I would look at the /etc/profile script. It runs for every user when a shell is started, so a command in there gets run many times. Whether it runs after Xorg has started with sufficient privilege to execute xinput I don't know.

[wosser]

Solved

I ended up writing a bash script in /usr/share that applies the mouse speed fix.

Then I simply call that script from each users' ~/.profile script.

Works beautifully now.

Thanks for the tips everyone.