Return to desktop from software / game

Question

When I launch an application / a game and while I'm using it, it hangs up and I can't quit to return to desktop by Alt+Tab or something like this.

I want to return to desktop, open a terminal and kill the app / game.

Do you have any solution?

score 5 · Accepted Answer · edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:24

5

You can open a TTY by pressing Ctrl+Alt+F1.

It'll look like a terminal, just login as usual with your login name and password.

Then two options to stop the game:

type ps -aef to identify the process id of your game (it should be one of the last entries) and kill it with kill -9 <pid>
type pkill <game name>

Once the game process is killed, you can reopen the Desktop session by pressing Ctrl+Alt+F7. (Note that opening a TTY did not stop or close your active sesssion)

edited Apr 13 '17 at 12:24

Community

1

answered Oct 14 '14 at 10:16

Sylvain Pineau

61,564
18
149
183

1

May be better use `kill -15` instead – c0rp Oct 14 '14 at 10:55
@c0rp maybe if the game is still responsive, but I agree that sending SIGTERM before SIGKILL is a good idea. – Sylvain Pineau Oct 14 '14 at 11:01

score 1 · Answer 2 · edited Oct 14 '14 at 12:19

1

You can use the Ubuntu "Desktop" shortcut. Press Ctrl+Super+d on your keyboard.

edited Oct 14 '14 at 12:19

Sylvain Pineau

61,564
18
149
183

answered Oct 14 '14 at 11:54

kashminder

1,360
1
10
16

1

What if one doesn't have a "super" key on the keyboard? – Brian Knoblauch Oct 14 '14 at 14:03
1

The 'Super' key is (usually) the Windows key on a Windows keyboard, or the Command key on a Mac. There's also [these options](http://askubuntu.com/questions/18120/an-alternative-to-the-super-key-on-an-old-keyboard) if your keyboard lacks any kind of Super key – Kai Oct 14 '14 at 15:14

Return to desktop from software / game

2 Answers2