Launch Linux GUI applications / window managers on Windows

Scripts to launch GUI applications / window managers installed on a Linux distribution from Windows Store.

Requires VcXsrv installed in %programfiles% (e.g. C:\Program Files\VcXsrv).

Features

• checks if X server is running and automatically launches one
• option to hide cmd window

Syntax

run_app.bat/run_app_no_console.bat app_to_lauch window_mode screen_number bash_path pause_cmd_window_at_exit vcxsrv_executable

Defaults:

• app_to_launch: xterm
• window_mode: multiwindow
• screen_number: 0
• bash_path: %systemroot%\system32\bash.exe
• pause_cmd_window_at_exit: false
• vcxsrv_executable: vcxsrv.exe

Tip

For high-DPI displays tick "Override high DPI scaling behavior" and select "Application" in "Compatibility" tab of vcxsrv.exe properties.

Examples

It is convenient to create a shortcut to either run_app.bat or run_app_no_console.bat, with "Start in" parameter set to this repository directory and "Target" parameter specifying application to launch, e.g.:

• urxvt terminal on Ubuntu: cmd /C %userprofile%\projects\WSL-launch-GUI\run_app_no_console.bat urxvt multiwindow 0
• i3 on Ubuntu: cmd /C %userprofile%\projects\WSL-launch-GUI\run_app_no_console.bat i3 nodecoration 1
• mate on openSUSE: cmd /C %userprofile%\projects\WSL-launch-GUI\run_app_no_console.bat mate-session nodecoration 2 %userprofile%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\WindowsApps\openSUSE-42.exe