Adding a file to the list of startup applications

Question

In Windows, it's possible to make files open at startup (using the default program for opening the file) by adding the files to the startup folder. However, in Ubuntu, it isn't possible to drag a file onto the list of startup applications so that it runs at startup. Is there another way to make a file open at startup, using the default program for opening that file?

Answer 1

I assume that you use Unity, however the process is quite similar with other Desktop Environments aswell.

Open the Dash and search for:

startup application

Click add and specify the command you'd like to use. You can then use two approaches, either you open the file by selecting the application you'd like to start with the file as an parameter, or you can use xdg-open as mentioned in this askubuntu-thread:

xdg-open [/path/]filename

Answer 2

To open a file at startup using the default application, add this terminal command to the list of startup applications:

xdg-open (file path, without parentheses)

Answer 3

You may drag files to be executed at startup into ~/.config/autostart
However, they must be shortcuts (*.desktop files)
If you want to start scripts or documents,
put them in subfolders scripts and documents inside autostart
and create the following shortcuts in autostart:

scripts.desktop:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Applications in scripts folder
Exec=/bin/bash -c 'for f in ~/.config/autostart/scripts/*; do "$f"; done'
Type=Application

documents.desktop:

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Applications in documents folder
Exec=/bin/bash -c 'for f in ~/.config/autostart/documents/*; do xdg-open "$f"; done'
Type=Application

Ubuntu should be bright enough to allow any .desktop, script, executable or document file to be put in autostart and execute it appropriately.