How to set vlc player as default

[vinoman]

I'm running Mint 18.1 KDE

How do I set vlc as default media player? I see no app to set this up.

How to set any app as the default?

I insert a DVD and I don't see it to right click and change the default. I used to be able to do this.

[greerd]

I don't use KDE but in Cinnamon its Menu - Preferences - Preferred Applications, I would expect something similar in KDE.

[vinoman]

That's what I thought, but no. Unless it's hidden somewhere.

[phd21]

Hi "vinoman",

When I inserted a movie DVD in my Linux Mint KDE 18, the only options I had to choose from was "Dragon Player" or File Manager. There used to be options to change which applications you wanted for a particular "Action", like inserting a DVD, or music CD, etc... Of course, you can always bring up a multimedia player like VLC, and just tell it to play the DVD/CD.

Perhaps this will help:
How can I get the Plasma 5 Device Notifier to give me appropriate options for DVDs after upgrading from Kubuntu 14.10 to 15.04?
https://askubuntu.com/questions/617138/ ... ons-for-dv

Update 01/28/2017 5:33pm US Eastern: This worked for my Linux Mint 18 KDE

As root user or using Dolphin as Root, copy which ".desktop" files you want (ie: vlc-opendvd.desktop) from "/usr/share/kde4/apps/solid/actions/" to "/usr/share/solid/actions/" and restart or logout and log back in. It worked immediately for me without logging out or restarting.

Obviously with multimedia files, or any file, you can right click any file through the Dolphin File Manager, click "Properties", click "File Type Options" button, and choose (or add) the applications to open when a certain file type is clicked or right clicked. The first application in the list will become the default application when double clicked.

In addition to "VLC", "Kaffeine" and "SMplayer" also play movie DVD discs well. For some reason the default "Dragon Player" did not play my movie DVD disc - stalled. "VLC" went right to the DVD menu on mine where you can just click "Play" or whatever. With "Kaffeine" (install it first), you can quickly get to the DVD menu by clicking "Playback" in the toolbar, then "Toggle Menu", then click "play". "SMplayer" (install it first) will probably start playing the main movie right away, although it also has a menu toggle.


Hope this helps ...

Dolphin_FileManager_Screenshot_20170128_184508.jpg

LinuxMintKDE18_DeviceNotifierOptions.jpg

[vinoman]

Thank you. It works perfectly.

I'll may remove Dragon player, VLC should be the default media player for Mint.

[phd21]

Hi "vinoman",

You are welcome.

[vinoman]

I removed Dragon Player and wanted to add vlc for opening CDs but I can't find the right file to paste in the folder. which one is it?
Now nothing pops up in notifier.

[phd21]

Hi "vinoman",

Perhaps this KDE "Action file" below is the one for VLC and opening CD's that you should copy
from the location below:
/usr/share/kde4/apps/solid/actions/vlc-opencda.desktop

to:
/usr/share/solid/actions/

You could copy all of the "Action" files from the one folder to the other, or just the VLC related ones...

Hope this helps ...

[vinoman]

Thanks again.

[phd21]

Hi "vinoman",

You are welcome.


FYI - To make copying root folders and files easier: If you want the "root" menu options back in Dolphin for Linux Mint KDE 18.x that were there before in versions 17.x, you can go to the link below.

Root Actions Servicemenu - Dolphin Service Menus
https://store.kde.org/p/998469/

According to the instructions, make sure you have "ruby" installed from the Synaptic Package Manager (SPM) first, if it is not already. I also already had installed "ruby-all-dev", not sure if this is needed for this installation script "install.sh" to work or not.

Once on the web page, click the "Files" tab, download the file "rootactions_servicemenu_2.9.1.tar.gz" to your "/Downloads" folder, right click it and extract here autodetect subfolders, browse to that folder, and right click "install.sh" file ->"Properties"->"Permissions" Tab, check allow executable if not checked, apply, ok, double click the install script to run it. It worked for me. Probably a good idea to logout and back in, or restart too.

Hope this helps ...

[phd21]

Hi "vinoman", and Anyone Else using KDE 18.x,

While I was helping other Linux Mint members, I came across another option to add applications to your Device Actions options.

Go to System Settings->Removable Storage->Device Actions, by default you should be on the "Device Actions" option. You can add whatever you want to this from this nice graphical desktop screen, click the plus sign at the bottom. I would recommend that you first look at one or more of the other options, click "edit in lower right, to see how it is done and what parameters to use. Also, click the "help" button for more information.


Hope this helps ...

KDE_AddNew_Actions_1sm.jpg

[vinoman]

Thanks for the tip.

[phd21]

Hi "vinoman",

You are welcome.