GOPEN(1)

📦 version 0.32.0, in debian bookworm, debian trixie, ubuntu jammy, ubuntu noble, ubuntu questing, ubuntu resolute, ubuntu stonking

💖 GOPEN(1) — like, the GNUstep System Manual one 💖

okay bestie, sit DOWN, because we're talking about gopen, a lil GNUstep System Manual icon that opens your files for you. no cap, it's giving personal assistant energy. 🎀

✨ NAME ✨

gopen — open files. that's it. that's the whole job. slay. 💅

✨ SYNOPSIS ✨

gopen [-a application] [-o] [-p] [-NXHost hostname] [filename]

look at her. iconic. ✨

🌸 DESCRIPTION 🌸

so basically, gopen lets you open a file (or a directory, she's not picky) exactly like you'd double-click the object's icon. same vibe, terminal edition. 🦋

and you can absolutely name one or more filenames, which get interpreted relative to the current working directory. so yes, wildcards are your bestie here.

by default, gopen opens filename with whatever application is currently assigned to the file's extension. but the moment you slap the -a flag on the command line, you can tell gopen to open that file with a totally different application. main character move tbh. 👑

you can also directly print a file without (-p) or with (-p -o) opening it. printing rights without the opening drama, periodt.

and fr fr, like most other GNUstep software, it's easily possible to attach the process to a remote window server using the -NXHost flag. long-distance relationship with your display server, we love to see it. 🌈

✨ OPTIONS ✨

  • -a application — use application to open filename. pick your fighter. 🔥
  • -o — open filename (may be used in conjunction with -p). yes, she can do both. multitasking queen.
  • -p — print filename instead of opening. paper > pixels sometimes. 🍓
  • -NXHost hostname — attach to remote window server on hostname. long distance but make it ✨networking✨.

💜 EXAMPLES 💜

open all the files with a .txt extension in the current directory:

gopen *.txt

to open a source file in CodeEditor (instead of the current default application), type:

gopen -a CodeEditor MySourceFile.m

to print the .plan file in your home folder, use the -p flag:

gopen -p ~/.plan

see how clean that is?? obsessed. 😭💖

💀 BUGS 💀

okay so this is the part where we keep it real. using the -a application argument, gopen allows you to open any kind of file with any application you want. sounds iconic, right? yeah, well, this does not work with applications employing the NSDocument architecture, because they will only receive filenames whose types the application has registered. rude, honestly. 🙈

to circumvent this limitation, applications may advertise their ability to open all kinds of files through the "*" filetype. so there's a loophole, bestie, there's always a loophole.

also, when gopen is used with only the -a application argument but no filename present, the application is simply launched without opening a specific file. it's just, like, showing up to the party with no plan. valid.

⚠️ real talk: the NSDocument thing is a genuine limitation, not a skill issue on your end. don't fight it, use the "*" filetype workaround. 💅

🌟 SEE ALSO 🌟

GNUstep(7), openapp(1)

go read those too, they're also slay. iykyk. 🦋

🧚 HISTORY 🧚

gopen was written November 2001. this manual page was first written July 2003. she's an elder icon and we respect her. 👑

🌈 AUTHORS 🌈

gopen was written by Gregory Casamento <greg_casamento@yahoo.com>.

this man page was written by Martin Brecher <martin@mb-itconsulting.com>.

thank you for your service, legends. 🫶

okay that's the whole page, bestie!! this is from the GNUstep System Manual, dated August 2003, and it literally ate. no crumbs. periodt. 💖✨🎀🦋🌸💅

📦 where this page comes from