Open directory in new tab in Thunar

bgstack15

2022-08-25 09:01

This is a direct rip-off of [Tutorial] Improving Thunar in XFCE by opening new tabs instead of windows with Bash. - Linux Mint Forums. A very enterprising individual named happysadhu has produced a fantastic script that will make future blog posts easier (ahem).

If you want to open multiple directories in Thunar, in tabs and not separate windows, there's not a programmatic way to do that natively. But if you set up a script named /usr/local/bin/thunartab with the following contents, you can then run the following commands.

	`#!/bin/bash`
	`# Script to open new file manager tab instead of window (e.g., Thunar) in XFCE.`
	`# Version 1. 2017-04-18`

	`# Lock script to process multiple instances consecutively when "Open All" on Desktop.`
	`if [[ $1 == "file:///home/$USER/Desktop/"* ]]; then`
	ME=`basename "$0"`;
	`LCK="/tmp/${ME}.LCK";`
	`exec 8>$LCK;`
	`flock -x 8; # lock $LCK`
	`trap 'rm -f $LCK' exit # remove $LCK regardless of exit status`
	`sleep .1 # hack to give time for each script to execute properly--weird!`
	`fi`

	`# Convert desktop file urls to thunar-friendly local paths.`
	`# Accommodates special characters in directory names (!@#$, etc).`
	`fileurl=$1`
	`filepath="$(urlencode -d ${fileurl#file://})/"`

	`# Check for running instances of $app on current desktop/workspace.`
	`app=thunar`
	`wid=( $(xdotool search --desktop $(xdotool get_desktop) --class $app) )`
	`lastwid=${wid[*]: -1} # Get PID of newest active thunar window.`

	`# If $wid is null launch app with filepath.`
	`if [ -z $wid ]; then`
	`$app "$filepath"`

	`# If app is already running, activate it and use shortcuts to paste filepath into path bar.`
	`else`
	`xdotool windowactivate --sync $lastwid key ctrl+t ctrl+l # Activate pathbar in thunar`
	`xdotool type -delay 0 "$filepath" # "--delay 0" removes default 12ms between each keystroke`
	`xdotool key Return`
	`fi`
	`exit 0`

	`# Easy Installation:`
	`# cd ~/Downloads && tar -zxvf thunartab.tar.gz && sudo chmod 755 thunartab && sudo cp thunartab /usr/local/bin/`
	`# Install dependencies: sudo apt install gridsite-clients xdotool # gridsite-clients contains urlencode`
	`# Reboot # if you want to run "thunartab" as a command in terminal`
	`# Select script in the XFCE's GUI "Preferred Applications"`
	`#`
	`# For alternatives for script location run "echo $PATH" (without quotes) in terminal`
	`# Troubleshooting: If more than one thunar window opens with "Open All", try increasing sleep value on line 12`
	`#`
	`# For other file-managers (e.g., Nemo, Caja, Nautilus), change app name on line 21`
	`# You may also have to modified the xdotool shortcuts on line 31.`
	`# For example for Nemo, change line 31 to something like`
	`# xdotool windowactivate --sync $lastwid key ctrl+t ctrl+l ctrl+v Return ctrl+l Escape`
	`# Manually test shortcuts in file manager first.`
	`#`
	`# Main sources for learning bash for this script include:`
	`# http://ryanstutorials.net/bash-scripting-tutorial/ "Bash Scripting Tutorial" (Very good for beginners like myself"`
	`# http://jdimpson.livejournal.com/5685.html "Using flock to protect critical sections in shell scripts"`
	`# https://askubuntu.com/questions/55656/open-nautilus-as-new-tab-in-existing-window (the starting idea for this script)`
	`#`
	`# Bug reports or suggestions, please email me, Sam, at sampub@islandroots.ca`

The commands to open multiple directories would then be:

thunar /path/to/first
thunartab /path/to/second
thunartab /here/is/another

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