<page xmlns="http://projectmallard.org/1.0/"
      type="topic" style="task"
      id="files-open">

  <info>
    <revision pkgversion="0.0.1" version="0.0.3" date="2015-01-28" status="draft"/>

    <link type="guide" xref="files" group="more"/>
    <link type="guide" xref="shell-overview#files"/>

    <desc>Open files using an application that isn't the default one for that type of file. You can change the default too.</desc>

    <credit type="author">
      <name>Mate Documentation Team</name>
      <years>2015</years>
    </credit>

    <credit type="author">
      <name>Cristopher Thomas</name>
      <years>2011</years>
    </credit>
    <credit type="author">
      <name>Shaun McCance</name>
      <years>2011</years>
    </credit>

    <include href="legal.xml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/2001/XInclude"/>
  </info>

<title>Open files with other applications</title>

<p>When you double-click a file in the file manager, it will be opened with
the default application for that file type. You can open it in a different
application, search online for applications, or set the default application
for all files of the same type.</p>

<p>To open a file with an application other than the default, right-click
the file and select the application you want from the top of the menu. If
you don't see the application you want, click <gui>Open With Other
Application</gui>. By default, the file manager only shows applications
it knows can handle the file. To look through all the applications on
your computer, click <gui>Show other applications</gui>.</p>

<p>If you still can't find the application you want, you can search for
more applications by clicking <gui>Find applications online</gui>. The
file manager will search online for packages containing applications
that are known to handle files of that type.</p>

<section id="default">
  <title>Change the default application</title>
  <p>You can change the default application that is used to open files of a
  given type. This will allow you to open your preferred application when you
  double-click to open a file. For example, you might want your favorite music
  player to open when you double-click an MP3 file.</p>

  <steps>
    <item><p>Select a file of the type whose default application you want to change.
    For example, to change which application is used to open MP3 files,
    select a <file>.mp3</file> file.</p></item>
    <item><p>Right-click the file and select <gui>Properties</gui>.</p></item>
    <item><p>Select the <gui>Open With</gui> tab.</p></item>
    <item><p>Select the application you want and click <gui>Set as default</gui>.
    By default, the file manager only shows applications it knows can handle the
    file. To look through all the applications on your computer, click <gui>Show
    other applications</gui>.</p>
    <p>If <gui>Other Applications</gui> contains an application you sometimes
    want to use, but don't want to make the default, select that application and
    click <gui>Add</gui>. This will add it to <gui>Recommended Applications</gui>.
    You will then be able to use this application by right-clicking the file and
    selecting it from the list.</p></item>
  </steps>

  <p>This changes the default application not just for the selected file,
  but for all files with the same type.</p>

</section>

</page>
