Try using the key combination Mod4+r it will display the word Run: on the top (besides the tags, assuming you're using a barebones configuration) then you can type the program you want to run, if it's installed you can use Tab key for auto-completion.

E.g.:

1. Press Mod4+r


2. Note the Run: dialog at the top


3. Type thun then press Tab key if installed you will see that it completes to thunderbird and cycle with other similar commands/applications after pressing several times the Tab key


4. Press Return/Enter key to execute the program

Another options are:

• Install dmenu found on package suckless-tools (something similar in Ubuntu?)




• Load a menu (if not loaded!) for instance in Debian is done like this on the rc.lua file under ~/config/awesome/:

  
  
  

  -- Load Debian menu entries
  
  require("debian.menu")
  
  
  
  -- {{{ Menu
  
  -- Create a laucher widget and a main menu
  
  myawesomemenu = {
  
      { "manual", terminal .. " -e man awesome" },
  
      { "edit config", editor_cmd .. " " .. awesome.conffile },
  
      { "restart", awesome.restart },
  
      { "quit", awesome.quit }
  
  }
  
  
  
  mymainmenu = awful.menu({ items = { { "awesome", myawesomemenu, beautiful.awesome_icon },
  
                                      { "Debian", debian.menu.Debian_menu.Debian },
  
                                      { "open terminal", terminal }
  
                                    }
  
                         })
  
  
  
  
  
  mylauncher = awful.widget.launcher({ image = image(beautiful.awesome_icon),
  
                                       menu = mymainmenu })
  
  

Of course the file /etc/xdg/awesome/debian/menu.lua must exist or something similar, you can create your own.