"Open with" not quite solved

[dougmack]

There is something seriously wrong with the way the "open with" dialog is set up.  I get an attachment to a Thunderbird email, a .png file, and it pops up
"open with" and the only option is Wine Internet Explorer (default).  Well, Intrenet Explorer can't open .png files, and the down arrow does not offer another program.
If you choose "other" you get a list of directories.  Maybe some directory has GIMP in it, but who knows whether or which?
Just because you can choose "detach file" and then go find it and open it with GIMP  or Gwenview is no excuse for the way this operates!
The way it ought to operate is either the down arrow should offer programs that might work (like GIMP, or Gwenview) or the "other" option should include every
program in the PC menu (the menu that opens with the PC logo at the bottom left of the task bar), not a list of directories.
I have mentioned a similar problem with this function at least a year ago, and there was some way to fix it then, on a case-by-case basis, but it really needs to be
reconfigured altogether!  
/rant off/
--doug

[dougmack]

Running KDE 4.9.2.  This is the standard installation, started from the live CD many moons ago and updated every few days ever since.
Kernel is:  Linux Linux1 3.2.18-pclos1.pae.bfs #1 SMP PREEMPT Tue May 22 04:56:12 CEST 2012 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux

--doug

[johnmart]

Hi Doug,
I have had this issue before. I remembered it being addressed here, & kinda remembered this;

in a terminal;

[newguy@localhost ~]$ locate gwenview   (lots of returns, but this is what you want)
/usr/share/apps/gwenview

Now back to TB.
click save-open-other
now enter the result of the locate command
/usr/share/apps/gwenview

tick the "do this automatically" box


You should get this

Works for me. Wish you success.
Who says rants are useless?  

btw.....here's my test foto. Me & my family at friends wedding.

[dougmack]

Running Thunderbird 17.0.2.  I cannot find anywhere on the GUI where there is "save-open-other" and I think I have looked thoroughly, but maybe I missed something.
I looked in preferences and account settings, and tools and everyplace but no such line.  If you meant in the terminal, tb or TB produces "command not found"  so
what am I doing wrong?

Thanx for your thorough answer, but somehow I'm not getting it.

--doug

[pags]

Hi Doug,
I have had this issue before. I remembered it being addressed here, & kinda remembered this;

in a terminal;

[newguy@localhost ~]$ locate gwenview   (lots of returns, but this is what you want)
/usr/share/apps/gwenview

...

Another command, that won't produce as many (false?) results is which

Code: [Select]

[jpaglia@paglia-e6500 ~]$ which gwenview
/usr/bin/gwenview
[jpaglia@paglia-e6500 ~]$

This command search your $PATH environment for the search term, instead of the entire system...


[dougmack]

I made it worse.  I realized that you meant  the choices in the box that comes up when you snap on the attachment. When I got to "other" it opened up that list of directories that I mentioned, and I found a way to enter something in it, so I entered /usr/share/apps/gwenview as requested, and then clicked do this automatically from now on.  So now it automatically
goes to Internet Explorer without giving me any choice at all.
Is there any way to fix the mess I made?

Thanx, folks!

--doug

[dougmack]

Reply to myself and the forum:
I fixed the "made it worse" problem--I went to edit.preferences>attachments and changed from "do this automatically." 
However I also changed "Use Internet Explorer: to "Always Ask: but that does not work--the box still comes up "Use Internet Explorer-default" and there is no other choice.

I guess this is not an OS but a Thunderbird problem.  Can I get to their site and convince them to fix this?

Anyway, before giving up, I tried JohnMart's advice again, but I can't find a place to put in the /usr/share/apps/gwenview line.  To refresh:

     Now back to TB.
     click save-open-other
     now enter the result of the locate command  <-----
     /usr/share/apps/gwenview
     tick the "do this automatically" box

Thanx for the input, folks!  --doug

[johnmart]

Hey Doug.
Sorry my post was unclear.

I clicked my email with photo attachment.
Then clicked the arrow beside the save button at the bottom of TB
Choose Open



Choose Open with - Other

Navigate to /usr/bin/


Select gwenview

Select Open

Select OK

Should be set.  
btw....the command line stuff was meant to show how to find the location of the program you are looking for.....I forgot to clarify that.
Hope it's a help.   
John

[dougmack]

Thank you, JohnMart. Now I see just how it's supposed to work, and I followed your instructions to go down the file system and find Gwenview and select it, and
much to my amazement, the fix sticks in the "Open with" box. (I haven't rebooted, but other wise it sticks.) 

I'm still convinced that the way this operates is faulty. How is the user to know what directory to open to find the program he needs? Yes, you can find it with locate, or
in the GUI with the Find Files/Folders app, but you shouldn't have to. If the "other" choice were a list of the programs in the PCMenu, as I suggested in my first post,
none of this would have occurred. With all the fiddling that Mozilla keeps doing with their programs, you'd think they could at least fix this!

--doug

[dougmack]

I tried to use the same formula with a jpeg file, and it didn't work.  Is there any way I can get an earlier version of Thunderbird? Without losing all my filters and the address book?
This is just getting ridiculous!

--doug

[johnmart]

My first effort was with a jpg file, the second was a png. Both worked for me.
It is pretty safe to save mozilla settings by copying the hidden folder from your working TB to a new installation;
/home/newguy/.thunderbird/
The forum has many mentions of this.
Good luck

[pclinmike]

There is something seriously wrong   I get an attachment to a Thunderbird email, a .png file, and it pops up
"open with" and the only option is Wine Internet Explorer (default).  

If that was me who got that email with an attachment and it wanted to open in a windows program I be very suspicious , I would say the png file has hidden .exe file imbedded in it and it could be some nasty virus/trojan etc wanting to infest a windows computer  good job you use PCLinux !.

[johnmart]

I did have the same experience as OP. For some reason TB defaults to Internet Explorer (wine) for jpg & png. attachments.
Not sure why, but the problem doesn't seem to be a defective attachment.

[kjpetrie]

Firefox does too!

(Why would a web browser default to another web browser to display content that's a normal part of the web?)

[johnmart]

Firefox does too!

(Why would a web browser default to another web browser to display content that's a normal part of the web?)

Do you have Wine installed?
Maybe FF & TB scan for apps to associate with during installation & IE is in the list from Wine?