How to set default layout/profile for Terminator for tabs on start?

Question

My Terminator starts with solarized-dark layout, but then when I open new tabs, it uses default layout. How can I make it solarized-dark for any tab?

[global_config]
  title_transmit_bg_color = "#d30102"
  focus = system
[keybindings]
[profiles]
  [[default]]
    # solarized-dark
    #palette = "#073642:#dc322f:#859900:#b58900:#268bd2:#d33682:#2aa198:#eee8d5:#002b36:#cb4b16:#586e75:#657b83:#839496:#6c71c4:#93a1a1:#fdf6e3"
    #foreground_color = "#eee8d5"
    #background_color = "#002b36"
    #cursor_color = "#eee8d5"

  [[solarized-dark]]
    palette = "#073642:#dc322f:#859900:#b58900:#268bd2:#d33682:#2aa198:#eee8d5:#002b36:#cb4b16:#586e75:#657b83:#839496:#6c71c4:#93a1a1:#fdf6e3"
    foreground_color = "#eee8d5"
    background_color = "#002b36"
    cursor_color = "#eee8d5"

  [[solarized-light]]
    palette = "#073642:#dc322f:#859900:#b58900:#268bd2:#d33682:#2aa198:#eee8d5:#002b36:#cb4b16:#586e75:#657b83:#839496:#6c71c4:#93a1a1:#fdf6e3"
    background_color = "#eee8d5"
    foreground_color = "#002b36"
    cursor_color = "#002b36"

[layouts]
  [[default]]
    [[[child1]]]
      type = Terminal
      parent = window0
      profile = solarized-dark
    [[[window0]]]
      type = Window
      parent = ""
[plugins]

Answer 1

Your terminator starts with the solarized-dark layout because of your layout config for the first child specifies so.

[layouts]
  [[default]]
    [[[child1]]]
      ...
      profile = solarized-dark

If you want to make solarized-dark your default profile change your profile default config (you can copy/paste or rename your current solarized-dark profile to default)

[profiles]
  [[default]]
    # solarized-dark
    palette = "#073642:#dc322f:#859900:#b58900:#268bd2:#d33682:#2aa198:#eee8d5:#002b36:#cb4b16:#586e75:#657b83:#839496:#6c71c4:#93a1a1:#fdf6e3"
    foreground_color = "#eee8d5"
    background_color = "#002b36"
    cursor_color = "#eee8d5"

Ideally we would have the option of referencing a profile config on the default section (instead of having to have a copy) but AFAIK that is not possible.

PS: I don't like the idea of always_split_with_profile = True because it forces to inherit the profile which might not be desired in all situations.

Answer 2

Just be sure to have always_split_with_profile = True in your configuration file, under [global_config] section.

That makes terminator inherit the selected profile when creating new splits and/or tabs.

To select a different profile right from the start invoke it with terminator -p solarized-dark.

But beware, because always_split_with_profile is not honored when --new-tab option is in use [1]. You should always add -p explicitly in that case.

[1]: https://bugs.launchpad.net/terminator/+bug/1283178 ""