create new filetype with existing extension

I made a Qt application, let's call it "alpha," that opens and generates .zip files. So basically, my files created by the app have the extension .alpha but they are basically .zip files. How do I associate .alpha files with my "alpha" application? Currently, by default, the .alpha files open with archive manager (because the system sees them as .zip files).

I looked at many possible solutions, with no success. I have tried the below methods:

1. I created a alpha.xml file in /usr/share/mime/packages

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <mime-info xmlns=' <mime-type type="application/alpha"> <comment>ALPHA File</comment> <glob pattern="*.alpha"/> </mime-type>
   </mime-info>

   Now when I click abc.alpha file, I get an error saying:

   Could not display "abc.alpha". There is no application installed for "ALPHA File" files.

2. I edited the /etc/mime.types file to include the following line:

   application/alpha zip

3. I created the file alpha.desktop - this works fine, as ALPHA is now shown in "open with other applications." However I still can't double click a .alpha file to open it in my program.

How do I solve this? Thanks in advance.

1 Answer

From Archlinux default applications:

1. Create your xml file in ~/.local/share/mime/packages (I guess that /usr/share/mime/packages is also fine, but didn't test it)

   mkdir -p ~/.local/share/mime/packages
   touch ~/.local/share/mime/packages/application-alpha.xml

2. Edit application-alpha.xml:

   <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
   <mime-info xmlns=""> <mime-type type="application/alpha"> <comment>alpha file</comment> <glob-deleteall/> <glob pattern="*.alpha"/> </mime-type>
   </mime-info>

3. Now create the desktop file ~/.local/share/applications/alpha.desktop:

   [Desktop Entry]
   Name=Alpha
   Exec=/PATH/TO/YOUR/alpha
   MimeType=application/alpha
   Terminal=false
   Type=Application

   add the right exec path to your alpha application, and if this a console app change Terminal to true.

4. Now update the applications and mime database with:

   update-desktop-database ~/.local/share/applications
   update-mime-database ~/.local/share/mime

Now if you double click your abc.alpha file /PATH/TO/YOUR/alpha app should open your file.

4

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