Default browser with FC5 Gnome 2.14

BradW · #1 30th March 2006, 08:19 AM

Hello,

When I click on a Web URL on my desktop, Mozilla is launched and the page is loaded. I want the default to be Firefox. I have Firefox set in Gnome's Preferred Applications applet. In fact, it doesn't matter WHAT I select in Preferred Applications. Can anyone tell me how to default a desktop URL launcher to Firefox?

Brad

giulix · #2 30th March 2006, 09:54 AM

You should have a file named /usr/share/applications/default.list with a MIME entry for web pages that looks like this:

Code:

text/html=redhat-web.desktop

In the same directory you should also find the file redhat-web.desktop which specifies the executable path and name for the application in charge of handling web pages. In my (default) installation it looks like this:

Code:

Exec=htmlview %u

If you change the MIME settings in /usr/share/applications/default.list, remember to run

Code:

update-mime-database /usr/share/mime

htmlview is a bash script in /usr/bin which will run
gconftool-2 -g /desktop/gnome/url-handlers/http/command
which, in turn, should return 'firefox %s', which is what I set as my preferred application.
What a mess,uh?

BradW · #3 31st March 2006, 02:40 AM

Hi Giulix,

I have the configuration exactly as you described it. I also tried blindly substituting "firefox" and "firefox %s" in a couple of places. No difference. No matter what I do, Mozilla keeps starting!

Anyway, I do thank you for the help. If you have any other ideas, please let me know.

Brad

giulix · #4 31st March 2006, 12:05 PM

Yeah, well.... I would start trying to pinpoint where exactly the problem lies. For instance, what is the outcome of

Code:

gconftool-2 -g /desktop/gnome/url-handlers/http/command

issued from a terminal while you're logged in as the user who is having this problem ?

BradW · #5 1st April 2006, 11:04 AM

Hi Giulix,

Gconf returns:

/usr/lib/firefox/firefox "%s"

which is correct. Any thoughts? Thanks again!

Brad

BradW · #6 4th April 2006, 03:53 AM

Re: Default browser with FC5 Gnome 2.14

Bump.

Omega Blue · #7 4th April 2006, 03:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BradW

Hello,

When I click on a Web URL on my desktop, Mozilla is launched and the page is loaded. I want the default to be Firefox. I have Firefox set in Gnome's Preferred Applications applet. In fact, it doesn't matter WHAT I select in Preferred Applications. Can anyone tell me how to default a desktop URL launcher to Firefox?

Brad

Huh?

From the release notes (2.1.1 Desktop)

Quote:

The default Web browser is Firefox 1.5 (http://www.mozilla.com/firefox/releases/1.5.html), which has many new features for faster, safer, and more efficient browsing.

giulix · #8 4th April 2006, 11:00 AM

Ok. I reviewed my previous instructions and there's one more: in /usr/share/applications there's a file named mimeinfo.cache that needs to be updated too. There a few entries in there, related to web browsers:

Code:

text/html=mozilla.desktop;fedora-bluefish.desktop;mozilla-firefox.desktop;
application/vnd.mozilla.xul+xml=mozilla.desktop;mozilla-firefox.desktop;
text/mml=mozilla.desktop;mozilla-firefox.desktop;

I have tweaked the afore mentioned files for audio and video and I managed to get Gnome select the applications I wanted (xmms instead of mplayer and xine instead of totem or whatever). I hope this applies for web browsers, too...

BradW · #9 5th April 2006, 01:54 AM

Hi Giulix,

Thanks! I will check that file and let you know how it goes.

Brad

BradW · #10 5th April 2006, 10:56 PM

Hi Giulix,

Editing /usr/share/applications/mimeinfo.cache didn't seem to make any difference either.

I also used:

update-mime-database /usr/share/mime

It's a good thing this problem isn't really that critical; just annoying.

Thanks very much for all your help!

Brad

giulix · #11 6th April 2006, 08:33 AM

Well... I give up. Any other taker ?

lmo · #12 6th March 2007, 05:43 AM

Quote:

What a mess,uh?

I found way to do it.
I have a firefox-1.5 from 'Firefox' installed in the directory /usr/local/firefox-downloaded/firefox-1.5/firefox

Code:

cd /usr/bin
mv firefox firefox.orig
ln -s /usr/local/firefox-downloaded/firefox-1.5/firefox/firefox firefox

Shazam!

Now ... How do you do a similarly easy thing to default to use Thunderbird email?

DOH

Code:

cd /usr/share/applications
mv redhat-evolution-mail.desktop redhat-evolution-mail.desktop.orig
cp redhat-evolution-mail.desktop.orig redhat-evolution-mail.desktop

Now, edit redhat-evolution-mail.desktop

Change

Code:

Exec=evolution --component=mail

To

Code:

Exec=thunderbird

And

Code:

cd /usr/bin
ln -s /usr/local/firefox-downloaded/thunderbird/thunderbird thunderbird

Sha-za-um!