Gnome Control Center Manual
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# Document Handlers

The Document Handlers section of the `Gnome Control Center` allows you to change the way certain file types and functions are viewed, edited or manipulated.

## Default Editor

The Default Editor Capplet allows you to select which editor will be your default editor while using Gnome. This will allow applications like the Gnome File Manager to launch the correct editor when you try to open files associated with editing. All popular editors available are included in the selection list.

Figure 6. The Default Editor Capplet

## Gnome Mime Types

The Gnome Mime Types Capplet allows you to determine how you wish to handle certain file types, or Mime types. Mime stands for Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions and was originally developed to allow email to carry various forms of data. In Gnome you can define certain Mime types to be handled in any manner you wish. For example, if you use .sgml files frequently and you wish to always use Emacs to edit them you can configure the .sgml Mime type to always be handled by Emacs. This means that any program that wishes to launch the mime type for you will bring up Emacs. This includes double clicking on the file icon in the Gnome File Manager.

Figure 7. The Gnome Mime Types

To add a new mime type press the Add button. This will display the `Add New Mime Type` dialog in which you may define the new Mime type.

To edit an existing Mime type you may select the Mime type with your mouse cursor and press the Edit button. This will bring up the `Set Actions for...` dialog. You may define the icon used for the Mime type, the `Open` action, the `View` action and the `Edit` action.

## URL Handlers

The URL Handlers Capplet allows you to determine which browser is responsible for various types of URLs. URLs or Uniform Resource Locators are "addresses" used to find certain documents or files. When you type in a web address in a browser you are using a URL. The default types of URLs are:

`Default`

  `Default` — this is any URL that is not otherwise specified. For example, a web page.

`ghelp`

  This type of URLs is used for all Gnome documentation. By default this is handled by Nautilus (Gnome file manager and help browser) but you may wish to view the files in another browser.

`info`

  This type of URLs is used for documentation in "info" format file documentation system. Nautilus can show these documents but you may wish to handle them with another application.

`man`

  This type of URLs is used for so-called "man pages", a standard documentation format for command line tools. Nautilus can view these documents but you may wish to handle them with another application.

To change the default browser for any of these URL types simply change the browser in the `handler` text box at the top of the Capplet and press the Set button. If you wish to remove the URL handler press the Remove button.

Figure 8. The URL Handlers Capplet

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Desktop |  | File types and programs