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ninian

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From: United Kingdom

Registered: 2008-02-24

Posts: 726

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XDG standards updated re MIME-type associations + default applications

In April the XDG standards regarding Association between MIME types and applications was updated, and the changes are quite significant. For example, to specify default applications you should now list them in the [Default Applications] section of a mimeapps.list; placing them in the [Added Associations] section is no longer sufficient. Also, mimeapps.list files may now also be located in the $HOME/config ($XDG_CONFIG_HOME) and /etc/xdg ($XDG_CONFIG_DIRS) directories. The file defaults.list is confirmed as deprecated, as well as a mimeapps.list file in $HOME/.local/share/applications ($XDG_DATA_HOME/applications).

Just to muddy the waters further, there are $desktop-mimeapps.list ($desktop is the desktop environment: kde, gnome, etc) which may accompany mimeapps.list files on all the paths!

I'm implementing these new standards in my ayr launcher, but no doubt there will be many applications which will lag behind these new standards. The biggest immediate problem will probably be with file managers which often write the default associations they create to the [Added Associations] section in $HOME/.local/share/applications/mimeapps.list.

This will not be much fun, but if it's standardising better, then so be it!

Edit: There is a worked example, but there seems to be a mistake in this - $XDG_CONFIG_DIRS  should come before $XDG_DATA_HOME according to the standard.

Also, the Default applications page on the Wiki is going to need a substantial revamp.

Edit2: Overview of main changes

Last edited by ninian (2014-06-18 23:27:39)

ninian

Member

From: United Kingdom

Registered: 2008-02-24

Posts: 726

Website

Re: XDG standards updated re MIME-type associations + default applications

Have now updated the Wiki section on:
Using MIME types and desktop entries
to reflect the new changes.