[dash] When 'exo-utils' package is installed, opening files from the dash fails

[Duncan Lithgow]

Binary package hint: unity-2d

When searching for a document from the dash I find it easily but it won't open.
I get the same if I use 'Dash > Find files' and select the file I want, or the same from the launcher.

the system seems to expect a folder:

Could not display "file.odt"
The location is not a folder

So far (may 17 2011) removing the package exo-utils has solved this for everyone. XFCE needs exo-utils so this bug makes the unity dash not very useful for using with XFCE packages installed.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 11.04
Package: unity-2d 3.8.4.1-0ubuntu1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.38-8.42-generic 2.6.38.2
Uname: Linux 2.6.38-8-generic i686
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Architecture: i386
Date: Mon May 2 16:53:45 2011
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 10.04 "Lucid Lynx" - Beta i386 (20100318)
PackageArchitecture: all
ProcEnviron:
 LANGUAGE=en_DK:en
 PATH=(custom, user)
 LANG=en_DK.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: unity-2d
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to natty on 2011-04-28 (3 days ago)

[Olivier Tilloy (osomon)]

That is weird, I cannot observe this on my setup, all types of files open correctly from the dash, including odt documents.

After reproducing the issue, could you please attach to this bug report the file ~/.xsession-errors ?
Does this happen with all types of files, or just odt documents? Is it with only one specific document, or all of them?
When that happens, does LibreOffice launch at all and then display this error, or do you get the error message even before LibreOffice launches?

[Duncan Lithgow (duncan-lithgow)]

I couldn't see anything in the ~/.xsession-errors file that looked related, so I renamed it and created the problem again. No new ~/.xsession-errors file was created. Any other ideas for how to track down the cause of this?

[Jordan Hall (jordan-hall)]

I receive this issue also. It affects all file types (providing they are not folders).

[Jordan Hall (jordan-hall)]

Removing the 'exo-utils' package fixed this for me. It appears to be XCFE related. Possible a conflict with Thunar?

[Duncan Lithgow (duncan-lithgow)]

@Jordan: great, that solved it fro me as well, thanks. How did you work out that it might be that package? I've written to Cody A.W. Somerville of the XFCE project in Launchpad and asked him to subscribe someone to this bug who can investigate.

[yerfinojul (yerfinojul)]

@Jordan: works for me too, thanks.

[Duncan Lithgow (duncan-lithgow)]

Changed to confirmed as we are at least three people with the same problem and the same workaround.

[Alf Sagen (alfsagen)]

Hello all,
I just want to add that this is not related to only Unity 2D, but also happens in Unity 3D.

Brgds,
/alfs

[mmc (martin-campbell)]

If you want to simply fix the opening of files but retain XFCE/exo you can simply open "exo-preferred-applications" and change the preffered "file manager" under "utilities" back to "Thunar"

I'm guessing the install of XFCE changes this default, anyway flipping it back to thunar certainly fixes the behaviour in Unity for me.

[Bazon (bazonbloch)]

It's not only Unity, it happens also in Xubuntu if the preferred file-manager is set to nautilus.

[Bazon (bazonbloch)]

(e.g. when opening downloads in Firefox.)

[Omer Akram (om26er)]

from comments it also happens in Xubuntu so not unity's fault.