Bug 328748

Summary:	Changing the Web Browser in Default Applications sets xdg-settings default-web-browser to an unrelated .desktop file.
Product:	[Applications] systemsettings	Reporter:	Vince Aggrippino <vinceaggrippino>
Component:	kcm_componentchooser	Assignee:	Unassigned bugs <unassigned-bugs-null>
Status:	RESOLVED NOT A BUG
Severity:	minor	CC:	haakondr, nate, vinceaggrippino
Priority:	NOR
Version First Reported In:	4.11.3
Target Milestone:	---
Platform:	Kubuntu
OS:	Linux
Latest Commit:		Version Fixed/Implemented In:
Sentry Crash Report:

Description Vince Aggrippino 2013-12-13 07:35:53 UTC

When I change the Web Browser to sensible-browser in System Settings Default Applications it also sets the xdg-settings default-web-browser to phpmyadmin.desktop.

This desktop file isn't part of any package and if it was used it would load http://localhost/phpmyadmin/

Contents of phpmyadmin.desktop:
[Desktop Entry]
Name=phpMyAdmin
Comment=MySQL management over web
Exec=sensible-browser http://localhost/phpmyadmin/
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Icon=phpmyadmin
Categories=Development;Database;

It doesn't seem to actually be using the command line from the desktop file.  It's just weird.

If I change it back with xdg-settings set google-chrome.desktop, the change will also happen in System Settings.

Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1.Change Web Browser in Default Applications dialog of System Settings to sensible-browser
2.(command line) xdg-settings get default-web-browser
3.(command line) xdg-settings set default-web-browser google-chrome.desktop
4.Check the Web Browser in the Default Applications dialog in System Settings
Actual Results:  
xdg-settings get default-web-browser shows that the browser has been changed to phpmyadmin.desktop.

When I change it back with xdg-settings set, it's also changed in System Settings.

Expected Results:  
KDE uses /usr/bin/sensible-browser (a command, not a .desktop file) and xdg-settings uses google-chrome.desktop

If KDE can only use .desktop files for default applications, the setting shouldn't be a text input field.

If it's supposed to automagically find the right desktop file, then it should match the full Exec value, not just part of the field.

A better solution would be a drop-down for app-selection (from existing apps with desktop files) and a button to create a new app which brings up the kmenuedit interface.

systemsettings  4:4.11.1-0ubuntu1~ubuntu12.10~ppa2

Comment 1 HD 2017-02-27 21:49:46 UTC

Not sure if this is connected, but I have the issue of not being able to change the default browser in "Default Applications" at all. When I change it and press apply or ok, it reverts back to "in an application based on the contents of the URL". 

My reason for changing it was that I get the error "KDEInit could not launch '/usr/lib/firefox/firefox'", and I can't figure out how to solve that or why it would even look for firefox there.

I'm on debian stretch with plasma 5.8.4.

Comment 2 Nate Graham 2018-11-26 05:50:08 UTC

Though there are many issues with setting a default browser, this particular one is an issue with xdg-settings or its invocation.