Apps and files association on update

Support KDE Plasma
1

So each update I have the same behaviour.

For the files *.mkv the default app change order.
I have vlc first like this: vlc.desktop;mpv.desktop;com.github.Bleuzen.FFaudioConverter.desktop;
But after each upgrade, vlc become last and FFaudioConverter first.

Same with the defaults apps.
web browser: I select firefox then others. but firefox switch to last every upgrade.
email client: thunterbird switch to last every upgrade.
map: openstreetmap switch to last every upgrade.

2

Hi @derweise,

Where/how do you set the value?

3

If you edited configuration files under the /usr tree - it is normal.

You should always make such changes locally - in your /home/$USER

2 Likes
4

From https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/XDG_MIME_Applications:

The XDG MIME Applications specification builds upon the shared MIME database and desktop entries to provide default applications.

So look here, specifically:

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/XDG_MIME_Applications#mimeapps.list

What you’re looking for will be the first option:

~/.config/mimeapps.list

Mine is customized quite heavily and doesn’t get overridden.

2 Likes
5

For the first part I do right click > settings > modify open with, and here I modify the list order.

For the second part:
System config > applications > default apps

6

Well, my post is still applicable:

7

My ~/.config/mimeapps.list now without direct action from me

[Added Associations]
inode/directory=org.kde.dolphin.desktop;
video/x-matroska=vlc.desktop;mpv.desktop;com.github.Bleuzen.FFaudioConverter.desktop;
x-scheme-handler/geo=openstreetmap-geo-handler.desktop;
x-scheme-handler/http=firefox.desktop;
x-scheme-handler/https=firefox.desktop;
x-scheme-handler/mailto=org.mozilla.Thunderbird.desktop;

[Default Applications]
inode/directory=org.kde.dolphin.desktop;
video/x-matroska=vlc.desktop;
x-scheme-handler/geo=openstreetmap-geo-handler.desktop;
x-scheme-handler/http=firefox.desktop;
x-scheme-handler/https=firefox.desktop;
x-scheme-handler/mailto=org.mozilla.Thunderbird.desktop;
8

So the update override it to default?

9

Software updates never ever change anything inside your $HOME directory.
If anything, this is confined to the system wide config in /etc

I have here a almost pristine installation of Plasma in a VM.
It never had or saw any video or audio file.
and:
~/.config/mimeapps.list
does not even exist here.

If something changes on you inside your $HOME without you doing it - it has got to be some “bug” in KDE/Plasma.

10

Maybe changing the file associations by right-clicking on the file => Properties => Open With => Change isn’t creating a permanent change to the file associations. Try changing them via System Settings => Applications => File Associations (and make sure you save the changes by clicking the “Apply” button at bottom right of the screen afterwards).

11

And since nobody else is experiencing said “bug” it must be caused by user configuration or else it would’ve been much more wide-spread.

12

It may just be 2 ways of editing the same file, mimeapps.list. Anyway they show the same thing.

13

So what user configuration?
I didn’t do anything more than the last update. So I expect that at the next update it will again be modified.

14

No update will ever modify anything which is in your $HOME directory.
. ← period :wink:

15

It’s happened again.
mimeapps.list has been created.
I didn’t do any update, didn’t use pamac nor the terminal, nor the system settings.

How can I find what modified this file?

16

Any time you want to open a file via the file manager and do not chose the default application, but another one instead, this change is reflected in that file - if the file isn’t there, it gets created.
That is how it is in Xfce4 at least.
Did not test this in Plasma yet but I’d think it works the same way.