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https://github.com/enkore/j4-dmenu-desktop

A fast desktop menu
https://github.com/enkore/j4-dmenu-desktop

dmenu i3 j4-dmenu-desktop

Last synced: 30 days ago
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A fast desktop menu

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README 

        
# j4-dmenu-desktop



j4-dmenu-desktop is a fast desktop menu using `dmenu` (or compatible programs).

It scans .desktop files in $XDG_DATA_HOME and $XDG_DATA_DIRS, providing a menu

for launching applications.



It is inspired by i3-dmenu-desktop. Like i3-dmenu-desktop, j4-dmenu-desktop

offers optional integration with i3wm and Sway (but j4-dmenu-desktop should work

just fine on about any desktop environment).



You can also execute shell commands using it.



## Features



- speed

- conformance to the [Desktop Entry Specification](https://specifications.freedesktop.org/desktop-entry-spec/1.5/)[^1]

- daemon mode with `--wait-on` which parses desktop files ahead of time

- support for history sorted by usage frequency using `--usage-log`

- automatic desktop file loading/removal in daemon mode using inotify/kqueue

- support for any dmenu-like program (j4-dmenu-desktop is independent of any

  desktop environment + it works with both Xorg and [Wayland](#examples))

- (optional) i3/Sway IPC integration

- multiple formatters available (program name, program name with executable

  path...)

- completions for all major shells + a manpage

- and more!



## Build requirements



* Compiler with C++17 support

* CMake or Meson



Building with Meson:



    ./meson-setup.sh build

    cd build

    meson compile j4-dmenu-desktop

    sudo meson install



Building with CMake:



    mkdir build

    cd build

    cmake ..

    make j4-dmenu-desktop

    sudo make install



See [BUILDING](BUILDING.md) for more info.



## Distribution packages



### Archlinux Packaging status



The package is provided in the Arch Linux extra repository. You can install it via



    sudo pacman -S j4-dmenu-desktop



### FreeBSD



j4-dmenu-desktop is now available in the FreeBSD Ports Collection. A prebuilt package can be installed via



    pkg install j4-dmenu-desktop



### Gentoo



j4-dmenu-desktop is available in Portage for the `amd64` and `x86` architectures. You can install it via



    echo "x11-misc/j4-dmenu-desktop ~amd64 ~x86" >> /etc/portage/package.accept_keywords

    emerge --ask x11-misc/j4-dmenu-desktop



The package is also provided by the `gentoo-el` overlay. You can install it with the following commands as root. (you need to have `layman` installed and configured)



    layman -a gentoo-el

    echo "=x11-misc/j4-dmenu-desktop-9999 **" >> /etc/portage/package.accept_keywords

    emerge x11-misc/j4-dmenu-desktop



### Ubuntu



The package is now in the apt repository. You can install it via



    sudo apt-get install j4-dmenu-desktop



### Debian



j4-dmenu-desktop is in Debian stable:



    sudo apt install j4-dmenu-desktop



### Nix / NixOS



j4-dmenu-desktop is in [nixpkgs](https://github.com/NixOS/nixpkgs/blob/master/pkgs/applications/misc/j4-dmenu-desktop/default.nix):



    nix-env --install j4-dmenu-desktop

    # Or use pkgs attribute of the same name in NixOS configuration



### Void Linux



j4-dmenu-desktop is packaged in Void Linux:



    sudo xbps-install -S j4-dmenu-desktop



This package is maintained my me, [meator](https://github.com/meator). As a

collaborator of j4-dmenu-desktop and an active Void Linux user, I ensure a

higher standard of quality for this package. This package is officially

supported, feel free to [open

issues](https://github.com/enkore/j4-dmenu-desktop/issues/new) or ask for

support related to the Void Linux package here.



## Examples



Run j4-dmenu-desktop:



    j4-dmenu-desktop



Specify custom dmenu (useful on Wayland, [tofi](https://github.com/philj56/tofi)

is used as example):



    j4-dmenu-desktop --dmenu=tofi



Display 5 entries vertically at once:



    j4-dmenu-desktop --dmenu="dmenu -l5"



display binary name alongside name (for example `Chromium` will become `Chromium

(/usr/bin/chromium)`):



    j4-dmenu-desktop --display-binary



Don't display generic names and use `alacritty` as terminal emulator:



    j4-dmenu-desktop --no-generic --term alacritty



Enable I3/Sway IPC mode:



    j4-dmenu-desktop --i3-ipc



## FAQ / RAQ / RMR



### I want it to display normal binaries, too, yes?



You can put this in a script file and use it instead of calling j4dd directly:



    j4-dmenu-desktop --dmenu="(cat ; (stest -flx $(echo $PATH | tr : ' ') | sort -u)) | dmenu"



Exchanging the `cat` and `(stest ... sort -u)` parts will swap the two parts (j4dd's output and the list of binaries).



### Get the output into a pipe / launching a program by arbitrary user input



[GOTO](https://github.com/enkore/j4-dmenu-desktop/issues/39#issuecomment-177164865)



### How much faster is it?



    % time i3-dmenu-desktop --dmenu="cat"

    [{"success":true}]

    i3-dmenu-desktop --dmenu="cat"  0.37s user 0.02s system 96% cpu 0.404 total

    % time ./j4-dmenu-desktop --dmenu=cat

    ./j4-dmenu-desktop --dmenu=cat  0.01s user 0.01s system 107% cpu 0.015 total



More than 25 times faster :)



[^1]: Some minor features like [handling of `TryExec`

      key](https://github.com/enkore/j4-dmenu-desktop/issues/165) are missing.

      If there are any problems with compliance to the Desktop entry

      specification, please [submit an

      issue](https://github.com/enkore/j4-dmenu-desktop/issues/new).