file types and programs

[Fred Grant]

On Sun, 2004-03-14 at 14:19, Bob McClure Jr wrote:
> On Sun, Mar 14, 2004 at 01:53:44PM -0600, Fred Grant wrote:
> > On Sat, 2004-03-13 at 20:05, Bob McClure Jr wrote:
> > > On Sat, Mar 13, 2004 at 06:50:47PM -0600, Fred Grant wrote:
> > > > I recently installed Adobe Acrobat5 but I can't get it to become the
> > > > default pdf viewer.  The file types and programs seems to work only for
> > > > programs that were installed when I first loaded rh9.  I would like to
> > > > get Adobe running because it seems to be the only pdf viewer that can
> > > > click on links embedded in the pdf file.
> > > > 
> > > > I use the gnome desktop.
> > > > 
> > > > Any help would be greatly appreciated.
> > > 
> > > What browser?  I don't know if they all use the same file (they jolly
> > > well should), but try editing your ~/.mailcap file.  I know Netscape
> > > and Mozilla use it.
> > > 
> > > Look for a line that looks like
> > > 
> > > application/pdf;/usr/bin/xpdf %s
> > > 
> > > Change /usr/bin/xpdf to /path/to/acrobat.  If such a line is not
> > > there, add one.
> > > 
> > > You will need to restart your browser.  In fact, maybe it should be
> > > off when you edit the file.
> > > 
> > > Cheers,
> > 
> > Thanks Bob, you pointed me in the right direction.I did this with
> > Mozilla preferences to avoid having to "get under the hood" of the
> > system.
> > 
> > I'd still like to set Acrobat to be the default for reading pdf files I
> > have saved.  I find the Gnome help pages confusing.  The form we are
> > suppose to use to change these file types and programs asks for a
> > protocol without explaining what that is.  The form won't accept a path
> > name either.  Can you help on this?
> > 
> > Thanks
> 
> Hmm.  I don't know what that's about.  I don't use GNOME regularly, so
> I had to log out of my AfterStep session and bring up GNOME.  I did a
> little poking around and found this to suggest.  Go to your start
> button (lower-left corner of screen.  Select Preferences -> File Types
> and Programs.  Then, in the dialog box, click on the little |> next to
> Documents to open it up.  Then do the same for Published Materials,
> and you'll see "PDF document".  Click on that, and then hit the "Edit"
> button, and fix it the way you want it.  If Adobe is in your PATH
> (from a terminal window, type "which <adobe's_name>" and it will show
> up if it is in your PATH), you can specify the program name without
> the path.
> 
> Hope that helps.
> 
> Cheers,

I think you put your finger on it.  The PATH is probably the problem and
needs to be edited.  You'd be a hero if you could tell me how to use the
gui text editor to do it (even how to find the file PATH is in).  I'm
not ready for vi yet!

There must be a reason you are using AfterStep.  If it's more user
friendly I'd like to look into it.

Thanks again