In Files, cannot change default application

[Siniša Perović]

In Freya Beta 2, in Files, cannot change default application.

My case:
1. SVG gets open with Scratch, Inkscape installed, stable branch.
2. Right Click - Open with... shows 6 applications, one of them is Inkscape
3. Right Click - Open with... - Different application shows only Inkscape, GIMP and Midori (no Scratch!). Right click - Forget association does not work (no error, just do nothing) and also I cannot set default application from the list of installed applications. Selected application will open the file, but not the next time.

[Jeremy Wootten (jeremywootten)]

I just tried this with revision 1752.

1. Confirmed
2. Confirmed
3. Confirmed to the extent that if you just choose Inkscape from the Open with ... menu or from the Other Applications dialog the default application is not changed. Not confirmed to the extent that, if you tick the "Set as default" box in the Other Applications dialog, and then select Inkscape, the default application is changed to Inkscape.

The same applies to other file types such as text.

This behaviour is similar to Thunar and Dolphin except that Thunar has the "set as default" option set by default

Please could you indicate what you believe the correct behaviour to be? i.e. should the default app always be changed to the last one you used? Or only when explicitly changed through the "Other Applications" dialog?

[Siniša Perović (sinisa-p)]

Hi Jeremy.

As you said, this is also related to other file types.

The problem is that in Freya I don't have "set as default" box in Other Applications dialog, as it was in Luna. I couldn't say if that is just me or is this now the way that Files in Freya will handle this issue.

Regarding your question for correct behaviour, my two cents is to leave it as it was in Luna, that it needs to be explicitly checked in Other Applications dialog.

Cheers.

[Siniša Perović (sinisa-p)]

Sorry, maybe to elaborate more on my opinion regarding correct behaviour.

Working on HTML files I like to have default action to be open with browser. When I want to edit the file, I just use right click - open with. I wouldn't like the situation where every open with changes default application. I wouldn't be able to know what will my left click do. I would need to check it with my right click every time to see what Files "remembered" from the last time. Not nice.

[Jeremy Wootten (jeremywootten)]

You should be getting a "set as default" check box in the bottom left hand corner of the "Other Applications" dialog in Frey Beta 2. See attachment. (The dialog does need some work ...)

If you are not getting this please check the version of Files you are running.

[Jeremy Wootten (jeremywootten)]

Would you want the "Set as default" check box ticked by default in the Other Application dialog?

[Siniša Perović (sinisa-p)]

Hi Jeremy.

My Other application dialog looks differently, check the screen video. I think that "Set as default" should be ticked by default. Only if I have it ;-)

Thank you Jeremy for your time and effort.

[Siniša Perović (sinisa-p)]

Sorry, I forgot, my Files version is 0.1.5.1+r1760+pkg36~ubuntu0.3.1, I like to dist-upgrade :-)

[Jeremy Wootten (jeremywootten)]

OK, that's weird. I was on a slightly earlier revision when I attached the screenshot but this is not a new bug report so presumably you experienced it on earlier revisions? However, after running today's update I too have lost the checkbox (?!). I'll look into this today.

[Jeremy Wootten (jeremywootten)]

OK, I have fixed the problem now. Just waiting for comments from the design team. Hopefully the fix will be merged in the near future.

[Siniša Perović (sinisa-p)]

Yes, I'm having this issue with all revisions since beta2
Dana 28. 2. 2015. 10:23 osoba "Jeremy Wootten" <email address hidden>
napisala je:

> OK, that's weird. I was on a slightly earlier revision when I attached
> the screenshot but this is not a new bug report so presumably you
> experienced it on earlier revisions? However, after running today's
> update I too have lost the checkbox (?!). I'll look into this today.
>
> --
> You received this bug notification because you are subscribed to the bug
> report.
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/1424569
>
> Title:
> In Files, cannot change default application
>
> Status in Pantheon Files:
> Incomplete
>
> Bug description:
> In Freya Beta 2, in Files, cannot change default application.
>
> My case:
> 1. SVG gets open with Scratch, Inkscape installed, stable branch.
> 2. Right Click - Open with... shows 6 applications, one of them is
> Inkscape
> 3. Right Click - Open with... - Different application shows only
> Inkscape, GIMP and Midori (no Scratch!). Right click - Forget association
> does not work (no error, just do nothing) and also I cannot set default
> application from the list of installed applications. Selected application
> will open the file, but not the next time.
>
> To manage notifications about this bug go to:
> https://bugs.launchpad.net/pantheon-files/+bug/1424569/+subscriptions
>

[Siniša Perović (sinisa-p)]

I'm afraid that this is not the fix and here are the reasons:

1. Yes, I can change the default application now

2. In my "Open with" I still have numerous applications (see attached video) that I cannot remove because...

3a. Only fraction of those applications are displayed in "Different application" dialog
3b. Those applications I can see in "Different applications" dialog I cannot remove because "forget association" is still not working

4. Regression - pasting the content in folder does not display that content. Ever refresh with ctrl+r does not help. One must exit the folder and get back to see pasted content. This happened to me one or twice in my history of using Files.

[Jeremy Wootten (jeremywootten)]

If you can set the default application then the bug as described in the title is fixed.

If there are other bugs then it would be better to raise separate bug reports for those. It is easier to manage if each bug report relates to only one bug.

If you right click on a recommended application in the dialog you get a "Forget association" option and this works for me. However, you are right that the recommended application list can be incomplete. By using a different fie manager I have managed to get an "inappropriate" application to appear in the context menu but not in the "Other application" dialog. I will create a new bug report for this.

The "no refresh after pasting" bug you mentioned is the subject of existing bug reports and has been fixed by a branch that is still waiting for review and merging.

[Siniša Perović (sinisa-p)]

Thank you Jeremy for your time and effort.