Add Shortcuts to the Right-Click Context Menu in Ubuntu

Using Nautilus Actions for Gnome environment

Nautilusis the default file browser for theGnomeenvironment inUbuntu.Nautilus Actionsis a tool forNautilusthat allows you to add programs to the context, or the right-click menu, inGnome. This provides the ability to right-click on a file, such as a text file, and select the program with which to open the file from the pop-up menu.

To installNautilus Actions, open aTerminalwindow and enter the following:

sudo apt-get install nautilus-actions

OnceNautilus Actionsis installed, selectPreferences | Nautilus Actions Configurationfrom theSystemmenu.

TheNautilus Actionsdialog box displays. To add a new action, clickAdd.

TheAdd a New Actiondialog box displays.

For this example, we are adding an “Open with Amarok” option to the context menu, so we can right-click on an.mp3file and open it in theAmarokplayer. Enter ‘Open with Amarok’ as the label for the menu item in theLabeledit box.

If you want aTooltipto display, enter the text you want in theTooltipedit box. We left it blank. To select an icon, click theBrowsebutton. Thenautilus-actionsdialog box displays, providing a list of pixmaps from which to select. Scroll down to find the icon forAmarokas pictured below and click on it.

ClickOpento select the icon and return to theAdd anew actiondialog box. To select theAmarokprogram, clickBrowsenext to thePathedit box on theAdd anew actiondialog box (pictured above). On thenautilus-actionsdialog box, scroll down to findamarokin the list in the right pane and click on it.

ClickOpento select the program and return to theAdd a new actiondialog box.

If you want to specify any parameters to send to the selected program add them using theParametersedit box. Click theLegendbutton to view a list of formats for the different parameters you can use. Parameters are command-line options used when calling an application.

NOTE: To find out the available parameters for the application you selected, open a Terminal window and run ‘[command] –help’ (e.g., ‘amarok –help’), or, for a more detailed description, use ‘man [command]’ (e.g.,man amarok).

There are no parameters we wanted to add forAmarok, so we left theParametersedit box blank. ClickOKto accept your changes and close theAdd anew actiondialog box.

Then, clickCloseon theNautilus Actionsdialog box.

We open theMusicfolder from thePlacesmenu to access our.mp3file.

We right-click on the.mp3file and theOpen with Amarokoption is available.

You can add shortcuts to other applications for files types you use often.

by Lori Kaufman

Founder of Help Desk Geek and managing editor. He began blogging in 2007 and quit his job in 2010 to blog full-time. He has over 15 years of industry experience in IT and holds several technical certifications.Read Aseem’s Full Bio

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Add Shortcuts to the Right-Click Context Menu in Ubuntu#

Add Shortcuts to the Right-Click Context Menu in Ubuntu