Bug 293576

Looking at the forum pages, this is *really* a corner usecase. 
You are free to break your system by choosing VLC as your file manager.

Hi,

I made a video showing what's happening:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tPQaUKIBwCc

As you see i didn't mean at all "choosing VLC as my file manager". I just wanted to add VLC to folders' context menu to be able to open folder with VLC. 

If i did it the right way, then there is a bug somewhere. Possible issues:
1. I added VLC to folders' context menu the wrong way. If so, tell me how to it the right way. Manually fixing the application priority - i think this is not the right way.
2. I added VLC correctly, but there is a bug that VLC has priority over Dolphin.
3. I added VLC correctly, but there is a bug that device notifier open the first application associated with folder instead of Dolphin (the bug i reported). An alternative solution would be to show all applications in the actions: Open with VLC, Open in File Manager, Open with Qmmp, etc.

Please comment

I'm having the same issue. Open with VLC should open in VLC only when you right click on folder and explicitly choose open with VLC (or other for that matter). When opening (mounting) devices it should be dolphin.

Why was thi marked "RESOLVED INVALID" ? I think think is a valid point.

First of all, I apologize for polluting with 3 posts but I have forgot to mention that the workaround is to o to System Settings > File associations and for 'inode' set Dolphin the fist one in Application Preference Order.

I discussed this with David in IRC.
The intention was:
"if you want kde to "remember openoffice for text files", that means
"use openoffice next time I click on a text file" (i.e. make it
default)"

So the intention with it's current behavior is as it should be. The
text could be more descriptive as in "Remember and use as default" (or
something alike). This won't be changed in KDE 4.9 specially since you
can already change the file associations in System Settings if
desired. The string name might be changed for KDE 5 to state more
clearly what it's doing.

Cheers,
Mark

I understand the intention and i agree that's the behavior is correct (from developer's point of view).So this in not a 'bug'.

Still the behavior can be improved and made more intuitive for users who don't know what's happening in the internals.

My suggestion:
Do not write 'Open with File Manager', but write 'Open with VLC' (or whatever is the current "File manager" according to the associations)

Or even better - enumerate all the associations for folders:
- Open with VLC
- Open with Dolphin
- Open with Qmmp
...

(In reply to comment #7)
> I understand the intention and i agree that's the behavior is correct (from
> developer's point of view).So this in not a 'bug'.
> 
> Still the behavior can be improved and made more intuitive for users who
> don't know what's happening in the internals.
> 
> My suggestion:
> Do not write 'Open with File Manager', but write 'Open with VLC' (or
> whatever is the current "File manager" according to the associations)
> 
> Or even better - enumerate all the associations for folders:
> - Open with VLC
> - Open with Dolphin
> - Open with Qmmp
> ...

Hi,

That's a different beast. I'd suggest you to open a feature request for that.
However, prefixing every application with "Open with " is not going to happen. Remember, you came in that sub menu through the "Open with" right mouse button menu entry.

Cheers,
Mark

Hi, 

>That's a different beast. I'd suggest you to open a feature request for that.
However, prefixing every application with "Open with " is not going to happen. Remember, you came in that sub menu through the "Open with" right mouse button menu entry.

I think there is a confusion of two different but related things in this discussion:
1. The original issue - that when you connect a disk in the device notifier there a menu entry called 'Open with File Manager' which being clicked opens sometimes not a file manager from user's point of view (though the devs say it is a file manager)
2. The other issue - how that default application is set - which came along the discussion.

But the original issue was #1.

>My suggestion:
Do not write 'Open with File Manager', but write 'Open with VLC' (or whatever is the current "File manager" according to the associations)

Or even better - enumerate all the associations for folders:
- Open with VLC
- Open with Dolphin
- Open with Qmmp
...

This suggestion is about device notifier.

Again, i think there is a misunderstanding - please reread the whole discussion.

Thanks

Right, okay.

It's very confusion that http://old.nabble.com/Default-file-manager-and-folder-associations-td34025108.html is talking about the default app stuff and that this bug is actually talking about the device notifier. Very confusing!

So to sum it up.
The real issue (for the device notifier) is still there and does indeed look like a corner case but a bug nevertheless. Reopening this one.

I don't quite know why "wilderkde" closed this bug...

I think the other issue is also very important, and these two should be done in a nice, intuitive, related way.

Thanks!

And which exact KDE version is this about? Please always specify the latest version and set the version field.

I use KDE 4.8.3 and the specified behavior is here. I set it.

Thank you for the fast feedback.

> It's very confusion that
> http://old.nabble.com/Default-file-manager-and-folder-associations-
> td34025108.html is talking about the default app stuff and that this bug is
> actually talking about the device notifier. Very confusing!

As it often happens, the bug has been reported against a component, but the real reason behind it is somewhere else

> So to sum it up.
> The real issue (for the device notifier) is still there and does indeed look
> like a corner case but a bug nevertheless. Reopening this one.

if VLC is the default file manager, then “Open in file manager” is a correct description of what is going to happen (what is not correct, is the icon, indeed). It could be possible to fix this issue in the notifier, but this would be a bad hack. 
Let me explain why with a few examples; consider a system in the above situation, so that VLC has been effectively set as the default file manager;

- type some path in krunner; krunner offers the option "Open <path>" with a nice dolphin icon on the side; you click on the option, but it is VLC that fires up, not dolphin

- download a file with firefox, then, in the downloads window, rightclick on the file and select "Open containing folder"; here we go again, VLC starts up. 

- you receive a picture with skype; again select “Open containing folder”; yet again VLC will start up.

Are krunner, firefox and skype all affected by this bug? Or is it the workspace which provides all these different applications with an insane default setting? 

> I don't quite know why "wilderkde" closed this bug...
I insist, that this is not a bug in the device notifier. When I closed the bug I should have instead moved it to the right component, but I had not figured out yet which that was. I could do it now, if you like. 

I hope the above examples provided you a convincing argument 

Best,
 __J

Hi Jacopo,

You wrote:

> if VLC is the default file manager, then “Open in file manager” ...

I think here lies the problem. You say the default program set to open directories is a 'file manager'. But why you call it a file manager?

Maybe you have your reasons why you call it a file manager, but a regular user thinks that a file manager is a program for managing files, which in KDE is Dolphin. Calling VLC a file manager is strange - this is the issue i reported.

With respect.

(In reply to comment #16)
> Hi Jacopo,
> 
> You wrote:
> 
> > if VLC is the default file manager, then “Open in file manager” ...
> 
> I think here lies the problem. You say the default program set to open
> directories is a 'file manager'. But why you call it a file manager?
 
That is precisely the issue, here. My personal opinion is that the two things should be unrelated, but, apparently, this is a de-facto standard; you can check by yourself: go to “Default applications” and check that the file manager settings are following the setting for the default mimetipe for folders. 
If you check the mailing list thread that I raised the other day, you will see that I express my concern about this issue as you do, so we perfectly agree on that :)

What I am trying to say is that, fixing this issue at the level of the device notifier is not the right thing to do, and I hope to have provided enough arguments to support this position

> Maybe you have your reasons why you call it a file manager, but a regular
> user thinks that a file manager is a program for managing files, which in
> KDE is Dolphin. 

This is just the default. People could use Konqueror, or even nautilus, and we want to honor that choice. You see, it is not as simple as it seems :)

>Calling VLC a file manager is strange - this is the issue i reported.
Indeed, that is why I believe that we should treat this issue carefully
 
> With respect.
Thanks a lot, 
 All the best
  __J

Thanks for the response. 

I don't understand all the picture you are trying to show, but i cannot do more than i did - to report the issue.

Hope someone with more vision and authority will be able to fix that global issue you are talking about.

Thank you for your work

(In reply to comment #17)
> (In reply to comment #16)
> > Hi Jacopo,
> > 
> > You wrote:
> > 
> > > if VLC is the default file manager, then “Open in file manager” ...
> > 
> > I think here lies the problem. You say the default program set to open
> > directories is a 'file manager'. But why you call it a file manager?
>  
> That is precisely the issue, here. My personal opinion is that the two
> things should be unrelated, but, apparently, this is a de-facto standard;
> you can check by yourself: go to “Default applications” and check that the
> file manager settings are following the setting for the default mimetipe for
> folders. 
> If you check the mailing list thread that I raised the other day, you will
> see that I express my concern about this issue as you do, so we perfectly
> agree on that :)
> 
> What I am trying to say is that, fixing this issue at the level of the
> device notifier is not the right thing to do, and I hope to have provided
> enough arguments to support this position
> 
> > Maybe you have your reasons why you call it a file manager, but a regular
> > user thinks that a file manager is a program for managing files, which in
> > KDE is Dolphin. 
> 
> This is just the default. People could use Konqueror, or even nautilus, and
> we want to honor that choice. You see, it is not as simple as it seems :)
> 
> >Calling VLC a file manager is strange - this is the issue i reported.
> Indeed, that is why I believe that we should treat this issue carefully
>  
> > With respect.
> Thanks a lot, 
>  All the best
>   __J

Hi,

I fully understand your reasoning now. It's solid or seems solid to me.
I however still don't know where the root cause of this issue may be.. Sounds like a very interesting in depth issue to tell you the truth :)

Could you perhaps assign it to the component where you think this belongs. Obviously the device notifier only shows data some probably the place where it fetches the data from is is the part that is "broken". I'm guessing it's somewhere in kdelibs..

Cheers,
Mark

Hi Mark,

> Obviously the device notifier only shows data some probably the place where it fetches the data from is is the part that is "broken".

I don't have any other suggestion except the one i already had.
If we cannot find a solution with default association for folders, let's minimize its negative impact and even use it. If inode/directory has associated these programs: Dolphin, VLC, Qmmp or VLC, Dolphin, Qmmp instead of showing in the device notifier only option 'Open in File Manager' which opens the default program, show several options: 'Open with VLC', 'Open with Dolphin', 'Open with Qmmp', i.e. show options with all programs associated with directories.

Best regards

(In reply to comment #20)
> Hi Mark,
> 
> > Obviously the device notifier only shows data some probably the place where it fetches the data from is is the part that is "broken".
> 
> I don't have any other suggestion except the one i already had.
> If we cannot find a solution with default association for folders, let's
> minimize its negative impact and even use it. If inode/directory has
> associated these programs: Dolphin, VLC, Qmmp or VLC, Dolphin, Qmmp instead
> of showing in the device notifier only option 'Open in File Manager' which
> opens the default program, show several options: 'Open with VLC', 'Open with
> Dolphin', 'Open with Qmmp', i.e. show options with all programs associated
> with directories.
> 
> Best regards

Don't look at me :p
I'm just doing some bug triaging every now and then. Then some bug fixing/developing. This issue, even though annoying if you have it, is not really a big issue. Remember, the result stays the same only the icon differs once properly fixed. There are a lot of other more pressing issues that need to be solved, this one is certainly not on top of anyone's list. It's something that will probably get fixed "sometime". Don't expect it to be anytime soon. It could easily take a year or more.

Well, how about ye try this one on top of it, eh? I feel like reopening this bug! Mageia 2 (KDE4.8.5; older version they're still on):
If you place a dolphin executable in your panel, when you click it, it opens with VLC??? What the heck? I want Dolphin if I open Dolphin!!!
If you're in Firefox, and download an executable file, go to the Download Manager in Firefox (even in the tar.gz updated version), right-click that file and Open, it opens with VLC, even if it's an .exe that you want to open in Wine!!!
It's not ONLY ANNOYING, it's WRONG.

So, opening Dolphin directly with a Dolphin shortcut gives you VLC??? That wouldn't be a bug??? Give me a break.

"Open containing folder" to see its contents, one DOESN'T want to do in Dolphin??? WHAT???

I want to know what's in that folder, tyvm!!! I'll tell it if I want anything else (using Open With)!

Hi Dedanna,

I think you've made it clear that this issue is bothering you very much.
You also seem to be very keen on seeing this fixed. As "Jacopo De Simoi" stated before: "I insist, that this is not a bug in the device notifier. When I closed the bug I should have instead moved it to the right component, but I had not figured out yet which that was. I could do it now, if you like."

I fully agree with him here, but i guess he forgot to change the component ;)
I'm guessing this issue goes back into kdelibs, but i still leave it as it is at this moment because i just don't know.

Also, you have to know that this issue _only_ occurs if you yourself somehow made VLC as the default for a folder. You can "fix" that by setting dolphin as the default for opening folders. Why would you even want to open a folder in VLC..? I'm guessing for DVD/Blu-Ray folders?

No. I have_not_made VLC default for anything! I have opened video_ts folders with it, but ticked nothing to make it default!!! I would NEVER do that!!!
And, upon checking just now, it still isn't default!!! That's the point!!!

(In reply to comment #26)
> No. I have_not_made VLC default for anything! I have opened video_ts folders
> with it, but ticked nothing to make it default!!! I would NEVER do that!!!
> And, upon checking just now, it still isn't default!!! That's the point!!!

could you please paste the content of the following file:

.local/share/applications/mimeapps.list

Thanks.

If there is anything else you need, please let me know. I may not be able to get here right away, as I'm heading back to the states day after tomorrow, and things are busy right now. I'll get to it as soon as I can, though. Anything to get this resolved.

:( cat ~/.local/share/applications/mimeapps.list
[Added Associations]
application/x-cd-image=vlc.desktop;
audio/x-vorbis+ogg=audacious.desktop;
inode/directory=kde4-dolphin.desktop;kde4-kfmclient_dir.desktop;pcmanfm.desktop;kde4-gwenview.desktop;easytag.desktop;vlc.desktop;kde4-cervisia.desktop;audacious.desktop;
text/html=google-chrome.desktop;
video/x-msvideo=vlc.desktop;
video/x-ogm+ogg=totem.desktop;gnome-mplayer.desktop;
x-scheme-handler/http=google-chrome.desktop;
x-scheme-handler/https=google-chrome.desktop;
x-scheme-handler/mailto=thunderbird.desktop;

[Default Applications]
application/x-extension-htm=userapp-Firefox-M5NWUW.desktop
application/x-extension-html=userapp-Firefox-M5NWUW.desktop
application/x-extension-shtml=userapp-Firefox-M5NWUW.desktop
application/x-extension-xht=userapp-Firefox-M5NWUW.desktop
application/x-extension-xhtml=userapp-Firefox-M5NWUW.desktop
application/xhtml+xml=userapp-Firefox-M5NWUW.desktop
audio/x-vorbis+ogg=audacious.desktop
text/html=userapp-Firefox-M5NWUW.desktop
video/x-ogm+ogg=gnome-mplayer.desktop
x-scheme-handler/chrome=userapp-Firefox-M5NWUW.desktop
x-scheme-handler/ftp=userapp-Firefox-M5NWUW.desktop
x-scheme-handler/http=userapp-Firefox-M5NWUW.desktop
x-scheme-handler/https=userapp-Firefox-M5NWUW.desktop
x-scheme-handler/mailto=thunderbird.desktop
.:[ dedanna@dedanna.rockz.net : 17:19:43 : ~/Documents ]:.
:)

(In reply to comment #25)
> Why would you even want to open a folder
> in VLC..? I'm guessing for DVD/Blu-Ray folders?

If you open a folder in VLC with media content, it can play what is in that folder or create it as a play list. This saves one the trouble of opening VLC and adding the folder to media on the computer.

*** Bug 323347 has been marked as a duplicate of this bug. ***

(In reply to comment #29)
> (In reply to comment #25)
> > Why would you even want to open a folder
> > in VLC..? I'm guessing for DVD/Blu-Ray folders?
> 
> If you open a folder in VLC with media content, it can play what is in that
> folder or create it as a play list. This saves one the trouble of opening
> VLC and adding the folder to media on the computer.

But how often is one going to want to make that as a default, vs. just an option to open with from file manager when they play their dvd or whatever? I want to be able to get to my files in file manager, not have them open with something I don't want them to open in! I want to tell them again what to open my files with from file manager, anything else is taking away my freedom of choice. There are many different types of files and folders. A file manager is a file manager, it is not VLC, in particular when VLC was never requested to open for anything to begin with. Who would, to view any random file or folder either one, ask for it to open in VLC all the time? A file manager is a file manager. A video player is a video player, and should only be used for video files/folders, not for all types.

The very statement seems rather silly to me, that one would want folders to open in VLC by default. No, one would much more often than not want folders to open in file manager. It also seems ridiculous to me than when one opens file manager from their desktop, that they would for any reason get anything other than file manager to open. The click when I tried to open file manager from my desktop, system tray, anywhere, opened in VLC. I can not believe there would be any excuses for this happening. Dolphin, Konqueror, an actual file manager is what should have opened, then I should be able from there to open whichever file or folder in whatever program I wanted it to open in.

I don't think I should have to say, "Read my lips, VLC is not a file manager, it's a video player," so I won't. However, I think that you do need to see that when one opens one thing, another shouldn't open. They are two completely different things.

This is a bug that VLC is opening rather than an actual file manager, and should be fixed, and yes, the "Open with..." sub-menu should be there in file manager for people to choose what to open when they right-click on that file or folder.

This has in the past happened with other file managers such as Nautilus, and was considered a bug. It should be now as well for Dolphin.

Created attachment 97313 [details]
Screenshot of Systemsettings5

Hallo!!

In advance: English is not my native language. But i try my very best:

I am using openSUSE tumbleweed; I have currently and today Plasma 5.5.4; I was hanging around in #suse on freenode. I was suddenly asked about exactly this issue. Because one user accidentially did that. So i reproduced it. And it still works.

Sorry -- i did not dare to open a fresh report.

In attachement you can see a screenshot. Intention for the screenshot:
Whenever i add any new application for associating with inode directory, this list stacks. An new entry gets added for this action.

In case of VLC the File being created for this list is:
$/home/$user/.local/share/applications/vlc-2.desktop

So if I --- as workaround --- remove it. The list can be reduced to the normal size.

Another thing:
As this behaviour is valid --- then for german Language translation theres a glitch:

The translation at the point (button):
 "Anderer: Klicken Sie auf Hinzufügen in diesem Dialog:"  
Is truly intentional and proper talking of "File Managers" only. But if talking of any sort and kind of Associations or application the translation should be "Andere" -- without the 'r' at the end.

Another glitch is:
For the seperate File Associations. In the subs about File associations for INODE if i want to remove that created 'vlc-2.desktop' that also properly holds the added inode metahandler in its settings as intended and mentioned initially --- it just reappears even if removed via the button. I believe it fails to be deleted?

Solution for the user that asked me in IRC would be:
1. Try to report a bug, even if this was reported invalid for Plasma4 already
2. Delete the created file manually when systemsettings is closed.
3. Use systemsettings5 to assign Dolphin for Inode. Because due to a glitch systemsettings from kde4 can be used but will fail to assign dolphin.

I was asked to report it.  This is what i try here actually. I am no programmer or such. But couldn't you add something like a rule to that, such that for INODE -- only File Managers are valid and accepted.

This would make it more fault tolerant. Even unintentional unwanted fault tolerant. I hope this posting does not make me a necro bugreopener and is not offensive. I suffer some english and programming skills. 

With best reguards and many thanks to any answers, prior. 

Greetings,

Btw. i did not look proper about the translation. Also the text in tile would need a rework to:

Ordner mit folgendem Programm öffnen:

But just for the case that it is really valid to assign every type of application.

Thank you.

Hello!

This bug report was filed for KDE Plasma 4, which reached end-of-support status in August 2015. KDE Plasma 5's desktop shell has been almost completely rewritten for better performance and usability, so it is likely that this bug has already been resolved in Plasma 5.

Accordingly, we hope you understand why we must close this bug report. If the issue described  here is still present in KDE Plasma 5.12 or later, please feel free to open a new ticket in the "plasmashell" product after reading https://community.kde.org/Get_Involved/Bug_Reporting

If you would like to get involved in KDE's bug triaging effort so that future mass bug closes like this are less likely, please read https://community.kde.org/Get_Involved#Bug_Triaging

Thanks for your understanding!

Nate Graham