Register / mime file extensions on Linux

Question

I am developing a Linux application that has its own file format. I want my application to open when you double-click on these files.

How to register a file extension and associate it with my Linux application? I am looking for a method that is standard (works with GNOME and KDE systems) and can be executed automatically when my program is installed or launched for the first time.

Answer 1

Use xdg-utils from freedesktop.org Portland .

Register an icon for the MIME type:

 xdg-icon-resource install --context mimetypes --size 48 myicon-file-type.png x-application-mytype 

Create a configuration file ( freedesktop General MIME documentation) :

 <?xml version="1.0"?> <mime-info xmlns='http://www.freedesktop.org/standards/shared-mime-info'> <mime-type type="application/x-mytype"> <comment>A witty comment</comment> <comment xml:lang="it">Uno Commento</comment> <glob pattern="*.myapp"/> </mime-type> </mime-info> 

Install the configuration file:

 xdg-mime install mytype-mime.xml 

It recognizes your files and is associated with an icon. xdg-mime default can be used to bind the application to the MIME type after receiving .desktop .

Answer 2

There are two parts. You need to register a new file type and then create a desktop entry for your application . A desktop entry associates your application with your new mime type.

I thought that both Gnome and KDE (maybe only 4+?) Used freesktop shared mime info spec , but I could be completely wrong.

Answer 3

1) on linux, this is a feature of the desktop environment, not os itself. 2) GNOME and KDE have different methods to achieve this.
3) There is nothing stopping you from doing this in both directions.

Answer 4

Try this script: required:

 1. your application icon -> $APP = FIREFOX.png 2. your mimetype icon -> application-x-$APP = HTML.png 

in the current directory:

---

 #BASH SCRIPT: Register_my_new_app_and_its_extension.sh APP="FOO" EXT="BAR" COMMENT="$APP data file" # Create directories if missing mkdir -p ~/.local/share/mime/packages mkdir -p ~/.local/share/applications # Create mime xml echo "<?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"UTF-8\"?> <mime-info xmlns=\"http://www.freedesktop.org/standards/shared-mime-info\"> <mime-type type=\"application/x-$APP\"> <comment>$COMMENT</comment> <icon name=\"application-x-$APP\"/> <glob pattern=\"*.$EXT\"/> </mime-type> </mime-info>" > ~/.local/share/mime/packages/application-x-$APP.xml # Create application desktop echo "[Desktop Entry] Name=$APP Exec=/usr/bin/$APP %U MimeType=application/x-$APP Icon=$APP Terminal=false Type=Application Categories= Comment= "> ~/.local/share/applications/$APP.desktop # update databases for both application and mime update-desktop-database ~/.local/share/applications update-mime-database ~/.local/share/mime # copy associated icons to pixmaps cp $APP.png ~/.local/share/pixmaps cp application-x-$APP.png ~/.local/share/pixmaps 

make sure: FOO exists in / usr / bin (or in $ PATH)