# External programs, custom terminal

**URL:** <https://discourse.jabref.org/t/external-programs-custom-terminal/5418>\
**Category:** Help\
**Created:** [February 2, 2025, 11:14am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/external-programs-custom-terminal/5418 "2025-02-02T11:14:56Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![i\_ngli](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/i_ngli/32/677_2.png) [@i\_ngli](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/i_ngli)\
**Post date:** [February 2, 2025, 11:14am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/external-programs-custom-terminal/5418/1 "2025-02-02T11:14:56Z")

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In the preferences, external programmes, I am trying to call a specific terminal.  
With `/usr/bin/ptyxis cd %DIR%` I open the terminal, but not the location of the library.

What is the call to open the shell/terminal at the dir?

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**Author:** ![ryan-carpenter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b487fb/32.png) [@ryan-carpenter](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/ryan-carpenter)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 6:21am UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/external-programs-custom-terminal/5418/2 "2025-02-19T06:21:25Z")

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With KDE Konsole, `konsole --workdir=%DIR` opens to the correct directory. I had to work out the right command and remove the additional `%` from `%DIR%`.

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**Author:** ![i\_ngli](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex030/user_avatar/discourse.jabref.org/i_ngli/32/677_2.png) [@i\_ngli](https://discourse.jabref.org/u/i_ngli)\
**Post date:** [February 19, 2025, 2:14pm UTC](https://discourse.jabref.org/t/external-programs-custom-terminal/5418/3 "2025-02-19T14:14:40Z")

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thanks a lot!

ok, in my case I use  
`/usr/bin/gnome-terminal --working-directory='%DIR'`

and the ‘’ is important to generate a valid path (including blanks). At least, this should work; for jabref resolves this line into a string that I can copy and paste into a gnome-terminal and there the command works effectively.

`man gnome-terminal` pointed me to `--working-directory`.

However, called via JabRef, the command does not open any window on my fedora linux, maybe a wayland issue?

I am on JabRef 6.0-alpha.43–2025-01-20–4aa313d  
Linux 6.12.12-200.fc41.x86\_64 amd64  
Java 23.0.1  
JavaFX 23.0.1+4

Ok, here is a github [issue](https://github.com/JabRef/jabref/issues/12531).