bug#14110: 24.3.50; Add command to open files outside of Emacs (use xdg-open, open etc)

[Thierry Volpiatto <thierry.volpiatto@gmail.com>]

Eli Zaretskii <eliz@gnu.org> writes:

>> From: Jambunathan K <kjambunathan@gmail.com>
>> Date: Thu, 04 Apr 2013 23:22:37 +0530
>> Cc: 14110@debbugs.gnu.org
>> 
>> The alist is already maintained by the user's desktop (likely via
>> Explore->`Open with' -> `Always use this application for these files').
>> Emacs should at no point in time have any knowledge of this association.
>
> Emacs can easily know about the associations, at least on Windows.

Here what I do in helm:

Default action to open a file is always edit the file in emacs with the
right mode.

Use another command to open file externally (async).
This command can use a prefix to choose program to use (with
completion).
Once you choose this program your choice is stored in an alist with
customize. (So no need for user to customize complex alist)
Each time you want to change, you can press C-u to make another choice.
If you answer yes, this new program will replace the precedent in alist,
no will use the new program without storing it.
If you don't press C-u the last program used for this kind of file is
used.
If the command is called with no choice (not C-u) and nothing for this
file extension is found in alist helm looks for mailcap entries.

It is good to be able to change program at any time, e.g for foo.jpg,
you may use sometimes imagemagick, ristretto, or gimp etc....

I also have a command that use default tool with no choice (xdg-open)
but I don't like it.

-- 
Thierry
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