Arch Linux

grafin

Member

Registered: 2025-05-08

Posts: 3

Apps don't use file manager by default [SOLVED]

I installed Arch Linux with i3 and many features didn't work out of the box, so I set them up manually. However, I ran into a problem that I can't seem to solve. When I try to manipulate files through some application (for example, to select a file or choose a directory to save it to in the browser), instead of the familiar file manager interface, I see a white screen and literally nothing else.

I tried using

xdg-mime default thunar.desktop inode/directory

to set thunar as the default file manager, but it didn't change anything. What am I doing wrong?

Last edited by grafin (2025-05-08 11:07:03)

Lone_Wolf

Administrator

From: Netherlands, Europe

Registered: 2005-10-04

Posts: 14,893

Re: Apps don't use file manager by default [SOLVED]

Many applications don't use a file manager for that, but a file picker.

Those that do allow choosing one typically use a custom method for it.
You should start with reading https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Unifor … plications.

Note that you may have to configure things per application .

Libreoffice for example uses environment variables that are listed/can be set in /etc/profile.d/libreoffice-still.sh or /etc/profile.d/libreoffice-fresh.sh

---

Disliking systemd intensely, but not satisfied with alternatives so focusing on taming systemd.

clean chroot building not flexible enough ?
Try clean chroot manager by graysky

grafin

Member

Registered: 2025-05-08

Posts: 3

Re: Apps don't use file manager by default [SOLVED]

Many applications don't use a file manager for that, but a file picker.

You put me on the right way. I've found out that my gtk file chooser works properly, but is to big for some reason. Its window is literally bigger than my screen, I don't know how to change it

grafin

Member

Registered: 2025-05-08

Posts: 3

Re: Apps don't use file manager by default [SOLVED]

I've found a solution. The problem was neither with file browser nor with gtk packages. It was i3 config. File picker opened in floating mod and maximum size wasn't configured for it: https://i3wm.org/docs/userguide.html#_c … indow_size

I am very ashamed of such a stupid mistake, but Arch is new for me and I didn't even thought that something wrong with my i3 config