Setting Default Applications

Sometimes you will want to change the default application that Bodhi uses to open a certain type of file. Doing so is easy. Open a terminal and enter the command:

sudo update-alternatives --all

This command will run through all the alternatives present on the system for different application choices. Where there is more than one choice update-alternatives will present a list for you to choose from. As in this example:

There are 2 choices for the alternative gnome-text-editor (providing /usr/bin/gnome-text-editor).

  Selection    Path              Priority   Status
------------------------------------------------------------
* 0            /usr/bin/gedit     50        auto mode
  1            /usr/bin/gedit     50        manual mode
  2            /usr/bin/leafpad   40        manual mode

The alternative that is already in use is shown with an asterisk, and to keep that one just press Enter. If you would like another choice, enter the appropriate number then press Enter.

To configure individual associations, you can enter that type individually with the command:

sudo update-alternatives --config --x-www-browser

The full list of alternative categories in listed in the /etc/alternatives/ directory.

As with all commands, the authoritative reference is

man update-alternatives

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original article by Mark Strawser