Why doesn't my autostart file run a simple shell script

Question

I am trying to launch a simple script (let's say it is /home/pi/python/python_code/hello-world.sh) from the /home/pi/.config/lxsession/LXDE-pi/autostart file.

I have added the following line to the autostart file to do this:

@lxterminal -e "/home/pi/python/python_code/hello-world.sh"

The hello-world.sh script runs fine from the command line, but when I boot the Pi, autostart opens a terminal window with hello-world" (note the trailing double quotes) in the title bar and does nothing else.

Answer 1

Alternatively you could directly add your hello-world.sh to /etc/rc.local

For Example, try this

sudo nano /etc/rc.local

Add your script to end of the file

#!/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.

bash /home/pi/python/python_code/hello-world.sh

To save and exit, type Ctrl-x, and then Y

Answer 2

The lxterminal -e "..." is presenting an error when it is started in the autostart file. Example, with the lxterminal -e "Hello World" in the autostart file, the error will display "Hello World" in the title bar. Change that to lxterminal -e "Hello/World" and the error will be World".

Without the quotes around the executable file, it should run fine. However, remember that the executable files in autostart file are forked to run in their own process and when they (lxterminal -e ...) end the process ends also.

If your program is a shell script, add sleep 15 at the end (before the exit command if present) and the terminal will display the information for 15 seconds and then exit. For a Python script add input() to hold the terminal window open.