How to set default layout/profile for Terminator for tabs on start?

Solution 1:

Your terminator starts with the solarized-dark layout because of your layout config for the first child specifies so.

[layouts]
  [[default]]
    [[[child1]]]
      ...
      profile = solarized-dark

If you want to make solarized-dark your default profile change your profile default config (you can copy/paste or rename your current solarized-dark profile to default)

[profiles]
  [[default]]
    # solarized-dark
    palette = "#073642:#dc322f:#859900:#b58900:#268bd2:#d33682:#2aa198:#eee8d5:#002b36:#cb4b16:#586e75:#657b83:#839496:#6c71c4:#93a1a1:#fdf6e3"
    foreground_color = "#eee8d5"
    background_color = "#002b36"
    cursor_color = "#eee8d5"

Ideally we would have the option of referencing a profile config on the default section (instead of having to have a copy) but AFAIK that is not possible.

PS: I don't like the idea of always_split_with_profile = True because it forces to inherit the profile which might not be desired in all situations.

Solution 2:

Just be sure to have always_split_with_profile = True in your configuration file, under [global_config] section.

That makes terminator inherit the selected profile when creating new splits and/or tabs.

To select a different profile right from the start invoke it with terminator -p solarized-dark.

But beware, because always_split_with_profile is not honored when --new-tab option is in use [1]. You should always add -p explicitly in that case.

[1]: https://bugs.launchpad.net/terminator/+bug/1283178 ""