For example, I prefer to open RTF-files with GNOME Office's text processor AbiWord. But for compatibility purposes I have to keep installed Libre Office. After I've needed to open the exact rtf file with LibreOffice I was unpleased finding mime association for RTF changed to LibreOffice. I think it will be better, if open with menu itel willn't change default application for mime (possibly making app icon in properties window read-only indicator). Making global mime-settings in proper DE preferencies subsection.
I noticed the same problem with .jpg files. My default app is Ristretto Image Viewer. If I use 'open with' to open a .jpg in XnConvert, the default seems to change (ie. doubleclicking now opens in XnConvert...until I use 'open with' Ristretto, then Ristretto becomes default). So - same behaviour as already reported. However, last night I noticed the behaviour *isn't* happening with some file types. I can open a .js or a .php file in Atom via the 'open with' flyout, then afterwards if I doubleclick a .js or .php file it still opens in Pluma (the default, so in this case default didn't get changed by using 'open with'). ToZ on this thread https://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?pid=42309#p42309 mentions: "g-app-info-set-as-last-used-for-type which: Sets the application as the last used application for a given type. This will make the application appear as first in the list returned by g_app_info_get_recommended_for_type(), regardless of the default application for that content type." As a blind hypothesis, I wonder if there's a last-used-for-type and a proper-default-for-type and if proper-default isn't set it falls back to last-used-for-type? If so then maybe the behaviour is by-design but just not made very clear? I'm completely guessing.
(In reply to xfcebugzilla from comment #1) > I noticed the same problem with .jpg files. My default app is Ristretto > Image Viewer. If I use 'open with' to open a .jpg in XnConvert, the default > seems to change (ie. doubleclicking now opens in XnConvert...until I use > 'open with' Ristretto, then Ristretto becomes default). So - same behaviour > as already reported. > > However, last night I noticed the behaviour *isn't* happening with some file > types. I can open a .js or a .php file in Atom via the 'open with' flyout, > then afterwards if I doubleclick a .js or .php file it still opens in Pluma > (the default, so in this case default didn't get changed by using 'open > with'). > > ToZ on this thread https://forum.xfce.org/viewtopic.php?pid=42309#p42309 > mentions: > "g-app-info-set-as-last-used-for-type which: > > Sets the application as the last used application for a given type. This > will make the application appear as first in the list returned by > g_app_info_get_recommended_for_type(), regardless of the default application > for that content type." > > As a blind hypothesis, I wonder if there's a last-used-for-type and a > proper-default-for-type and if proper-default isn't set it falls back to > last-used-for-type? > > If so then maybe the behaviour is by-design but just not made very clear? > I'm completely guessing. EDITED TO ADD: Ok I just went and specifically set .jpg to open in Ristretto in MIME Type Editor. Now I can use 'open with' in XnConvert, close it, doubleclick a .jpg and it opens in Ristretto. So the 'fix' for this is to specifically set a default in MIME Type Editor. Presumably this means this behaviour is by-design (but I'd also humbly offer that it isn't very clear to the user). It also sounds like the fallback idea mentioned above might be what's happening.
This is by design. Thunar will only set the "Open with..." application as default when you activate the corresponding checkbox in the "Open with..." dialog. If you don't do this and switch applications in the "Open with..." dialog, then the normal open command will also follow the recently-used style.
Design decision.
I honestly think this is bad design. This is not the behaviour of any other file managers that I've ever used, and it took me months of frustration thinking this was a bug! Only after I read the explanation I figured I have to set the default MIME handler by hand for most file types! It would be less confusing if the first application the user has chosen is set as the default, and then he can change later if wanted!