How to open the default GUI text editor in Ubuntu or Lubuntu via a script?

Question

I have a script that uses gedit to open text file in Ubuntu. That script does not work under Lubuntu. What command is required to execute the default text editor?

I want to make the script usable under Ubuntu and Lubuntu.

Answer 1

You might get somewhere with /usr/bin/gnome-text-editor, as that's set using the alternatives system and points to the default editor under a gnome-ish environment. Not quite sure whether it is actually useful under lubuntu/kubuntu, but you could try.

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Just to supplement Dennis' answer, with respect to Lubuntu 12.10, if one runs sudo update-alternatives --display gnome-text-editor, the output is:

gnome-text-editor - auto mode
  link currently points to /usr/bin/leafpad
/usr/bin/leafpad - priority 40
  slave gnome-text-editor.1.gz: /usr/share/man/man1/leafpad.1.gz
Current 'best' version is '/usr/bin/leafpad'.

And, as Dennis suggested, /usr/bin/gnome-text-editor does open Leafpad in Lubuntu.

Answer 2

In addition to Dennis Kaarsemaker's answer, you could try using /usr/bin/editor for something even more generic. This will likely lead to a terminal-based editor be launched, though.

Cf. the update-alternatives manpage.

Answer 3

Or you can install gedit

sudo apt-get install gedit

Then:

right-click a text or php file;

select "properties";

select "open with" tab

choose among the listed/installed text editors;

click "set as defalut"

click "close"