22.04 Startup Applications Skips Press Any Key To Continue Statements In .sh Script

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22.04 "Startup Applications" Skips "Press any key to continue" Statements in .sh Script

In this article, we will discuss a common issue encountered by users of Ubuntu 22.04 when using the "Startup Applications" feature to launch bash shell scripts. Specifically, we will explore why the "Press any key to continue" statements in .sh scripts are skipped when launched by the "Startup Applications" function.

The "Startup Applications" feature in Ubuntu allows users to configure their system to launch specific applications or scripts at startup. This feature is particularly useful for automating tasks, such as launching a web server or a database, when the system boots up. However, users have reported an issue where the "Press any key to continue" statements in .sh scripts are skipped when launched by the "Startup Applications" function.

Yesterday, I decided I wanted to add a couple of pauses to a bash shell script that gets launched by the "Startup Applications" function in 22.04. The script is designed to perform a series of tasks, including waiting for user input before proceeding. However, when I added the "Press any key to continue" statements to the script, I noticed that they were being skipped when launched by the "Startup Applications" function.

To investigate this issue, I started by reviewing the script and the "Startup Applications" configuration. I noticed that the script was being launched using the bash command, which is the default shell for Ubuntu. I also checked the "Startup Applications" configuration to ensure that the script was being launched with the correct permissions.

After investigating the issue, I discovered that the problem was due to the way the "Startup Applications" function handles the output of the script. When a script is launched by the "Startup Applications" function, it runs in the background, and any output from the script is not displayed on the screen. This means that the "Press any key to continue" statements in the script are not being displayed, and the script proceeds to the next line without waiting for user input.

To solve this issue, I needed to modify the script to wait for user input before proceeding. I added a read command to the script, which waits for the user to press a key before continuing.

Here is the modified script:

#!/bin/bash

echo "Press any key to continue..."
read -n 1 -s



echo "Task 1 completed"

In conclusion, the "Startup Applications" function in Ubuntu 22.04 skips "Press any key to continue" statements in .sh scripts due to the way it handles the output of the script. To solve this issue, users can modify their scripts to wait for user input before proceeding. By adding a read command to the script, users can ensure that the "Press any key to continue" statements are displayed and the script waits for user input before continuing.

  • To add a pause to the script, use the read command with the -n option to specify the number of characters to read.
  • To display a message before waiting for user input, use the echo command to print the message.
  • To make the script wait for a specific amount of time before proceeding, use the sleep command.
  • Issue: The script is not launching at startup.
  • Solution: Check the "Startup Applications" configuration to ensure that the script is being launched with the correct permissions.
  • Issue: The script is not waiting for user input.
  • Solution: Add a read command to the script to wait for user input before proceeding.
  • Ubuntu documentation: Startup Applications
  • Bash documentation: Read
  • Bash documentation: Sleep
    22.04 "Startup Applications" Skips "Press any key to continue" Statements in .sh Script: Q&A

In our previous article, we discussed a common issue encountered by users of Ubuntu 22.04 when using the "Startup Applications" feature to launch bash shell scripts. Specifically, we explored why the "Press any key to continue" statements in .sh scripts are skipped when launched by the "Startup Applications" function. In this article, we will provide a Q&A section to address some of the most frequently asked questions related to this issue.

A: The "Startup Applications" feature in Ubuntu allows users to configure their system to launch specific applications or scripts at startup. This feature is particularly useful for automating tasks, such as launching a web server or a database, when the system boots up.

A: The "Startup Applications" function in Ubuntu 22.04 skips "Press any key to continue" statements in .sh scripts due to the way it handles the output of the script. When a script is launched by the "Startup Applications" function, it runs in the background, and any output from the script is not displayed on the screen. This means that the "Press any key to continue" statements in the script are not being displayed, and the script proceeds to the next line without waiting for user input.

A: To modify your script to wait for user input before proceeding, you can add a read command to the script. The read command waits for the user to press a key before continuing. Here is an example of how to use the read command:

#!/bin/bash


echo "Press any key to continue..."
read -n 1 -s



echo "Task 1 completed"

A: The read command without any options will wait for the user to press a key and then display the key that was pressed. The read -n 1 -s command will wait for the user to press a key, but it will not display the key that was pressed. The -n 1 option specifies that only one character should be read, and the -s option specifies that the input should be silent, meaning that the key that was pressed will not be displayed.

A: Yes, you can use the sleep command to make the script wait for a specific amount of time before proceeding. The sleep command takes a time in seconds as an argument, and it will pause the script for that amount of time before continuing. Here is an example of how to use the sleep command:

#!/bin/bash


echo "Press any key to continue..."
sleep 5



echo "Task 1 completed"

This will pause the script for 5 seconds before proceeding.

A: Some common issues that can occur when using the "Startup Applications" feature include:

  • The script is not launching at startup.
  • The script is not waiting for user input.
  • The script is not performing the tasks that it is supposed to perform.

A: To troubleshoot issues with the "Startup Applications" feature, you can try the following:

  • Check the "Startup Applications" configuration to ensure that the script is being launched with the correct permissions.
  • Check the script to ensure that it is running correctly and performing the tasks that it is supposed to perform.
  • Check the system logs to see if there are any error messages related to the script or the "Startup Applications" feature.

In conclusion, the "Startup Applications" feature in Ubuntu 22.04 can skip "Press any key to continue" statements in .sh scripts due to the way it handles the output of the script. To solve this issue, users can modify their scripts to wait for user input before proceeding by adding a read command to the script. Additionally, users can use the sleep command to make the script wait for a specific amount of time before proceeding. By following these tips and troubleshooting common issues, users can ensure that their scripts run correctly and perform the tasks that they are supposed to perform.