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Make windows key open terminal

Frinavale's Avatar
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: The Great White North
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#1: Aug 18 '09
The windows key is rather useless in Linux.

I would love to bind the windows key to open a terminal window (since I'm in the habit of hitting the windows key + r to open the run prompt so that I can open command line anyways).

I'm using Ubuntu and tried to do this by going to System -> Preferences -> Keyboard Shortcuts

I tried to add a new shortcut but then didn't know what the command was to open a terminal.

Am I going about this the wrong way?

Thanks for your help,

-Frinny <---felling like the newbiest newbie
ambrnewlearner's Avatar
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Join Date: Jan 2008
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#2: Aug 18 '09

re: Make windows key open terminal


Hello,

The command to start terminal on Ubuntu (with GNOME) is probably
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  1. gnome-terminal
(although I'm not perfectly sure as I use Kubuntu with KDE installed that has Konsole as the terminal emulator).

If "gnome-terminal" doesnot works, then either wait for some GNOME expert to comment or install another terminal emulator. List of other Terminal emulators on X Window System.

BTW, I personally use a drop down terminal emulator called "yakuake" which is based on KDE but it should work with GNOME too. Iirc, then yakuake is in official Ubuntu repositories and so to install it:
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  1. sudo apt-get install yakuake
AmbrNewlearner
Frinavale's Avatar
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Join Date: Oct 2006
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#3: Aug 18 '09

re: Make windows key open terminal


Thanks Ambrnewlearner :) I'll have to try later tonight!
Markus's Avatar
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#4: Aug 25 '09

re: Make windows key open terminal


Hi, Frinny. If you scroll down about half way, just before the 'Window Management' section, you'll see there's already a shortcut for opening a terminal. Just modify the shortcut from there :)
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