Ubuntu – Keyboard shortcut for Gnome-Terminal profile change

automationgnome-terminalshortcut-keys

I have two profiles in my Gnome Terminal, one uses specific image for background. Would like to switch between them when I enter/exit Vim.

So far, I do this by Alt+t and navigating to the other profile. But would like to have this automated.

Possible scenarios:

vim newFile # profile changes to Vim-one
:q # it changes back to default

vim confFile # profile changes to Vim-one
Ctrl-z # vim is suspended, default profile enters
cmd_that_uses_changed_config_file
fg # vim is brought back from suspension, profile changes again...

Now I realize that automating this fully may be difficult, so keyboard shortcut to do this is perfectly fine. I searched Gnome Terminal shortcuts but Terminal menu has three of them only: title, reset, reset and clear.

Any ideas, hints or pointers? 🙂

Best Answer

Preface: I am new, and having similar problems. In the absence of an answer by someone with a functional knowledge of these things, this is how I am approaching solving this.

'man gnome-terminal' offers some interesting options for starting new windows, or tabs using a specific profile. An alias to start an instance of gnome-terminal in a new tab using profile "X" seems like a reasonable quasi-kluge, and allows for existing keyboard shortcuts to switch between, and close tabs.

It would look something close to this:

    alias gtvim='gnome-terminal --tab-with-profile=X -t Vim -x vim >&1'
    gtvim filename

For alias permanency, it has to be added to bottom of ~/.bashrc

I need to work on other things now, but that was my first foray into it. It still seems to open the command in a new terminal window, but still easily accessible from keyboard shortcuts.

Just as a side note, I am attempting to have all terminals with ssh connections to remote terminals open with a different color profile to help prevent commands being issued to the wrong machine.

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