I have /usr/local/bin before /usr/bin in my PATH, but if I use xdg to start a .desktop file with e.g. Exec=firefox, it starts /usr/bin/firefox instead of /usr/local/bin/firefox kfmclient exec somefile.desktop does the same thing, I have to explicitely put /usr/local/bin/ to Exec section of .desktop file to make programs in /usr/local/bin work. Reproducible: Always Steps to Reproduce: 1. # ln -sf /usr/bin/konqueror /usr/local/bin/firefox 2. create firefox.desktop file with "Exec=firefox" in it 3. $ xdg-open firefox.desktop Actual Results: Firefox starts Expected Results: konqueror starts because /usr/local/bin/firefox is a link to konqueror and /usr/local/bin is before /usr/bin in PATH $ echo $PATH /usr/local/bin:/usr/bin:/bin:/opt/bin:/usr/i686-pc-linux-gnu/gcc-bin/4.3.4:/usr/qt/3/bin:/usr/games/bin
I'm afraid you misunderstood the purpose of xdg-open. DESCRIPTION dg-open opens a file or URL in the user's preferred application. If a URL is provided the URL will be opened in the user's preferred web browser. If a file is provided the file will be opened in the preferred application for files of that type. xdg-open supports file, ftp, http and https URLs. xdg-open is for use inside a desktop session only. It is not recommended to use xdg-open as root.
