1

When I click on a file in chromium, it calls xdg-open to open the file based on its mime type.

For example, if I click on a file with a .torrent extension, it opens it in my torrent client.

Is it possible to disable the use of xdg-open, and instead specify which extensions should be opened in which applications?

Nordine Lotfi
  • 2,300
Martin Vegter
  • 358
  • 75
  • 236
  • 411

1 Answers1

0

Changing the defaults application that xdg-open use, and instead specifying your own/preferred one is an easy task, and also doesn't pertain to chromium directly:

  • Using perl-file-mimeinfo or mimeinfo
/usr/bin/vendor_perl/mimeopen -d $file.ext

which will then open a prompt where you can place the name of the wanted application, that you want to open it with.

  • Using xdg tooling
xdg-mime default Thunar.desktop inode/directory

You can look into your MIME database on ~/.local/share/applications/defaults.list or ~/.local/share/applications/mimeapps.list to see existing entries (you can edit them, but i don't recommend to) and check what you want to change.

Refer to the Archwiki for more information.

Do remember that application assigned with xdg/or other method can overlap. So be wary by first running xdg-mime query default protocol/filetype first, or by looking into the previously mentioned MIME database directories.

Nordine Lotfi
  • 2,300
  • I am not asking how to change xdg default application. I am asking how to launch application directly from chromium, without using xdg – Martin Vegter Sep 10 '20 at 11:58
  • So you basically want to do like what firefox does, and set the default application per filetype directly in chromium, without relying on xdg? – Nordine Lotfi Sep 10 '20 at 18:54
  • I just thought i would give an alternative, since xdg is pretty much anchored in Linux ecosystem, and while it's true that it's not the most documented piece of software, it is easier to use than it look like. – Nordine Lotfi Sep 10 '20 at 18:55
  • exactly. I want to do like what firefox does, and set the default application per filetype directly in chromium, without relying on xdg – Martin Vegter Sep 11 '20 at 06:33