*.desktop files are opened like "plain text"

[vovane]

By accident,i've set files *.desktop to be opened with medit,and so all my desktop links are plain text,for example,"vector-docs" opens with medit.How to get it back normal?
I use xfce and vl 5.9 standart

[Daniel]

If you right-click on a file, you have an option to open "document name" and other files of type with:. You will be presented with a list of applications. You also have an option to browse for other applications not on the list. Select the one you want and make sure that any check boxes for "remember this" or something like that are checked. (note: I know this works in the file manager but I don't know about from the desktop)

[vovane]

I do not need an application to open shortcuts,thanks I need them to be launched,but there's no checkbox at the properties "allow this file to be launched like an application",or something like that(dont remember exactly the text).

[overthere]

Hi
double click home then desktop, right click "vector docs" and open with medit..it should look like this..or alter and save

[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Encoding=UTF-8
Type=Application
Name=Vector-Docs
Comment=web browser
Categories=Application;
Exec=firefox /usr/doc/VLHelpCenter/index.html
Icon=globe-bubble
Terminal=false
StartupNotify=false
GenericName=

or right click the desktop icon and choose edit launcher
the command is the same as exec=

is that helpfull?

edit: you may also create a new .desktop file..open the file manager...click desktop..in desktop, right click...choose create document/empty file...name the file vec-docs.desktop and save...open the file with medit and copy/paste the entry above and save.

you may also open the file manager...goto /usr/share/applications and add launchers for any program here by right click copy...click desktop (upper left pane) then right click/ paste in the desktop (right pane)

[vovane]

It almost was.The *.desktop files are identified like plain text,so if i change launcher for plain text,shortcuts will not be lauhcned,but will be opened.And there's no icons for them on desktop.

[overthere]

Hmm...so what did you do? how did you get all the .desktops to open as text files? do you remenber?

you say if you create a new .desktop file as suggested above that it does not launch a program or show an icon?

that all usr/share/applications items open as text files in medit?

[newt]

I've read, and re-read, this post several times.  I'm pretty sure I understand the problem correctly, yet trying to search for a solution is quite difficult considering the wording involved (i.e. desktop, open, problem, trouble, linux) - you can imagine the search results.

I keep thinking along the lines of filetype associations or mime-types.  I have yet to produce anything useful to the problem at hand related to those two _possibilities_.  Another guess is that the problem lies in xfce, perhaps the desktop handling components of xfce (e.g. xfwm or some such thing).  Maybe a component of xfce is broken???  Maybe it's user-specific.

Have you tried creating a new user (via vasm) and then logging into the new user account to see if the problem persists?  Might be worth a shot.

Good luck and if I think of anything more I'll post here.

[Sengir]

I can't seem to duplicate this problem, but IIRC filetype associations en mimetypes in xfce are listed in .local/share/applications/defaults.list and .local/share/applications/mimeapps.list. Maybe you can post the contents of those files, so that we can see whether there is anything unusual there.

[vovane]

Defaults.list
[Default Applications]
application/x-extension-avi=xine.desktop
application/pdf=xpdf.desktop
application/x-extension-faillog=mousepad.desktop
audio/mpeg=xmms.desktop
text/html=mozilla-firefox.desktop
application/x-pak=mousepad.desktop
application/x-bittorrent=transmission.desktop
video/x-ms-wmv=xine.desktop;xmms.desktop
audio/x-mpegurl=xmms.desktop
text/plain=sh-usercreated.desktop;mousepad.desktop;xmms.desktop;medit.desktop;abiword.desktop
application/x-extension-png=gqview.desktop
application/x-executable=xine.desktop;wine-usercreated.desktop
video/x-msvideo=xine.desktop
audio/x-wav=xmms.desktop
application/x-extension-cab=xarchiver.desktop
And there's no mimeapps.list

[overthere]

in mine.. text/plain=medit.desktop

perhaps mimeinfo.cache is what was meant

[Sengir]

Mine is a bit shorter, but I don't see anything that would cause the problems you describe. Have you tried Newtors suggestion of creating a new user to see whether the problem occurs systemwide or only with your current user?

[vovane]

I think it's only current user's trouble,but i will try to create another one.Btw,if another one is ok,i can simply copy my home folder to another's one to make it work?

[newt]

I think it's only current user's trouble,but i will try to create another one.Btw,if another one is ok,i can simply copy my home folder to another's one to make it work?

That should work, however you would need to change ownership to the appropriate user once you've copied/created the new home directory.

[vovane]

Ok,thanks.Had some hardware troubles,so couldnt answer