Custom file associations - for opening links to files

[Groberen]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.
Quite often, I find it useful to open a specific file in a software that is not the default app that opens when a file with a certain extension are opened in file explorer.
Example - link to svg files will in most cases open in a web browser, but in my case I almost always need to open this files in Inkscape.

Describe the solution you'd like
Similar solution as seen in Q-dir (alternative file explorer for Windows). There are a multi-line text field where user can define a series of file extension filters in order to redirect what software is to be invoked for a particular (or a set of) file extension. All ini-files, bat files, will always opens in Notepad3 text editor.

This is how it looks like at my place, working example in Q-dir

Span of settings
For my own part, such custom association settings may be stored in the general program settings in CT.

But, have such custom settings for each CT database may be a better choice.

In addition, the existing "file link" feature could be upgraded so that it accept a command + file path.
e.g. "c:\program files(x86)\Inkscape\inkscape.exe c:\users\grobe\greatdrawing.svg".
Or add a new type of link that refer to a command prompt, so that any link of this type can run any local executable with any parameters.

[innovationvectors]

Just observing as a user who juggles many files including svg. Rarely do I find a need to effect changes in CT. Sometimes I open CT *.ctd not database in Sublime Test to edit the internal nodes. The feature you request .. to open with another app can be realised in a number of ways. I am in Ubuntu, you are in Windows. But often I use a helper app for that operation. Lookup actiona (jmgr author) and you can write your own actions to do virtually anything you want like associating file to open with a particular app. Another useful helper is RECOLL. If you RECOLL index your entire desktop you can search your entire desktop .. eg. [ext:ctd] .. or in your case .. [ext:ctb] .. or [ext:svg] and then associate not with default app but a different viewer.

[Groberen]

I use CT both on Linux (at home) and windows 11 at work.

The need is greatest on windows. This is mainly because windows tend to enforce ruling on what app to open each file type, especially for office file types - that I'd strongly prefer to open in Libre Office instead.

One more aspect I didn't lay out in detail in first post. In a windows environment, one often relies on portable software either truly portable as for those packaged by portableapps.com or software that normally comes with an installer, but also work if the software directory itself are moved to a new windows installation.
One of the work computers I use, have an environment where I use Q-dir as a starting point for everything, and as long I stay into Q-dir, any double click to open any files will then be opened by the app of my choice.
However, when using a file link within CT, any file type will open in whatever windows decide, and some won't open at all.

Also, from previous experience I know that windows have a tendency of resetting registry changes for users that attempt to override some of the default app associations.

Any "helper app" that is running in the background I feel defeats the purpose of standalone/portable apps. However, I'm grateful for the suggestion and I'll have a look into what this Recoll software can do.

[innovationvectors]

Actually I can dualboot Dell (via rEFInd) into Ubuntu (primary) or old Windows 10.

When navigating I tend to use helper scripts a lot. That way you are simply emulating what your fingers are doing at the desktop. So “actions” can be devised (like user macros) without limits.

I am setting up a framework where there is a chain of actions. So files can be opened in different ways associated with different apps.

CherryTree is chosen as the repository of commands.

So I create a hirearchy of codeboxes (each subnode contains a CodeBox) in a CherryTree container.

You can devise any series of commands which come to mind.

And not just sh syntax but any syntax under the sun. The beauty of Codeb
Boxes.

So we have a CherryTree repository of scripts in CodeBoxes.

Now what I do for bespoke usage is think through what manual actions to take. Such as your example.

Searching here ..

Ubuntu+Q-dir

I find that Q-Dir is Windows only.

There are alternatives.

https://www.google.com/search?q=can+krusader+run+in+windows

Q-Dir apparaently does not offer “UserActions” as in Krusader.

In Krusader you can apply any number of Krusader useractions to launch files mapped to different applications.

Also adopt Actiona (which runs cross platform) .

This explains installing Krusader in Windows.

https://www.google.com/search?can+krusader+run+on+windows

So one idea is install Krusader in Windows and harness UserActions to map different files.

Might seen overkill but I use Krusader extensively for desktop navigation, opening assets in different ways. I have not tried Krusader yet in Windows. I have Total Commander and Listary (Pro) when rarely I hit Windows world.

Here is another now dated development.

http://www.sikulix.com/

My suggestion is that you experiment with Krusader and Actiona, https://www.google.com/search?q=actiona&oq=actiona

And RECOLL wthout doubt. All different ways of viewing files from different runners. To give one example in Krusader I open CherryTree *.ctd in Sublime Text using XML syntax. I can then edit the interior of CherryTree and draw on the power of Sublime Text to include snippets into CherryTree. Blending.

[Groberen]

If there is an actual solution that just takes that CT being opened by another app/wrapper, then yes - maybe it works.

However, what google says about Krusader: Krusader, a powerful dual-pane file manager for Linux/KDE,
doesn't run natively on Windows. . . - it does mention add some way to run in on a docker/server - bot overall it doesn't looks like a viable solution on a simple windows desktop.

Also, I did some extensive searches of the capabilities of the Actiona automation tool. According to parplexity.ai search engine, when asked Can Actiona automation tool intercept a program that sends call to open a specific file ? - then it seems negative. This is it's answer.

Actiona does not:
Hook or modify system calls such as openopen or CreateFile across the OS in order to see or alter other processes’ file‑open requests.
Transparently replace or pre‑process any file that some random application decides to open, without that application being automated through higher‑level UI actions.

Recoll is an advanced/indexing search tool. Thanks for suggestion, I'll probably use this tool. However, it isn't relevant for the original post / feature request.

ON TOPIC

I've realized that a feature that override Windows default app to a specific file extension should not be stored in the CT database. That is because is the database are transferred to another computer, the locations of the executable files would (most probably) be different, or the program simply isn't installed.
This is an argument for such feature (as for Q-dir) should be tied to the installation, and thus to the specific computer.
How that will play out for a portable version of CT? Accept relative path to executable files. And if the executable file is not present according to user setting (table of file extensions and path to executable to open with) - then fall back to windows default app.

[innovationvectors]

In Windows you might look at Total Commander instead of Krusader. Here is another rabbit from hat. I learned the trick of creating different (custom) MIME types (file extensions) to allow them to be launched in different applications. That is you would need to simply edit the extension then reopen/run and it launches in the app specified in MIME files for that extension. I'll offer just one example but I use it for multiple custom effects. You mentioned *.svg. I have created a custom MIME type *.psvg. This allows me to build PHP vars into SVG elements and open in PHP server injecting the PHP vars to create a custom SVG. Likewise in CherryTree there could be a custom .pctd to open CherryTree in PHP server such as XAMPP and generate a new dynamically changed CherryTree (.ctd or other ct derivative). Or even the developer server for php without need for XAMPP. A tip worth keeping up your sleeve. You could use Actiona to modify a file extension dynamically and launch with new custom extension to streamline workflow. It is good for that. Very good. Look at MIMES file. By golly I believe that you could build a CT codebox to do that operation instead of Actiona. Or together.

[innovationvectors]

In short .. RECOLL is not OT. _

"However, it isn't relevant for the original post / feature request".

But I should have pointed out that RECOLL has a built in mechanism to map alternatives viewers (Apps) to Default Viewers. You can create your custom mappings, Indeed later you can have multiple mappings per app. But that is advanced. I can explain how if interested. Thus you might want to map *.svg to Inkscape OR BoxySVG OR other. But let us go back to one mapping session.

Go to User Preferences > User Interfaces > Choose Editor Applications > Native Viewers .. to customise mappings.

Native Viewers

Select one or several mime types then use the controls in the bottom frame to change how they are processed.

For example I prefer my PDF's to be opened by installed masterpdfeditor5

I set:

application/pdf masterpdfeditor5 %f

Which means when I find a pdf using Recoll command [ext:pdf] and they are listed in GUI when I view it opens automatically in MasterPDFEditor rather than default viewer.

This is a useful clearing house to find files and open in your application(s) of choice.

image/svg+xml
text/markdown
text/x-python geany %f
text/xml Desktop Default
application/x-ipynb+json jupyter notebook %f

And ... I share the old tip which led to me dynamically processing SVG .. via custom extension *.psvg .. rather than Default Viewer Inkscape

https://old.carto.net/papers/svg/samples/