Fixing "Places" Opening in Disk Usage Analyzer in Ubuntu

If you're an Ubuntu user and find that clicking on "Places" in your file manager unexpectedly opens the Disk Usage Analyzer, you're not alone. This frustrating issue can disrupt your workflow and make navigating your file system a real headache. This article will explore several solutions to resolve this problem and restore the expected behavior.

Understanding the Issue

The problem arises when the default application associated with the inode/directory MIME type is incorrectly set to the Disk Usage Analyzer (Baobab) instead of the file manager (usually Nautilus or Dolphin). This can happen after system upgrades, changes to file associations, or even after installing certain applications.

Solutions to Restore Default Behavior

Here are several methods, ranging from simple commands to more in-depth configuration changes, to address this issue.

1. Using xdg-mime (Recommended)

The xdg-mime command is a powerful tool for managing MIME type associations in Linux. This method is often the most effective:

xdg-mime default nautilus.desktop inode/directory

This command explicitly sets Nautilus as the default application for opening directories. If you're using a different file manager like Dolphin, replace nautilus.desktop with dolphin.desktop.

After running the command, log out and log back in, or restart your file manager for the changes to take effect (if you know how, otherwise just log out).

2. Modifying the baobab.desktop file

This approach involves directly editing the desktop file for the Disk Usage Analyzer.

• Open the baobab.desktop file with root privileges using a text editor like nano or vim:

  sudo nano /usr/share/applications/baobab.desktop
  

• Locate the line that starts with MimeType=.

• Remove inode/directory; from that line. If you want to be a little more cautious, you can comment it out by putting a # at the very beginning of the line.

• Save the file and exit the editor.

• Update the desktop database:

  sudo update-desktop-database -q
  

This prevents the Disk Usage Analyzer from registering itself as a handler for directories.

3. Reconfiguring Nautilus

In some cases, the issue stems from a problem with the Nautilus configuration itself. Reconfiguring Nautilus can help reset its default behavior:

sudo dpkg-reconfigure nautilus

Follow the prompts during the reconfiguration process. This might involve selecting Nautilus as the default file manager.

4. Checking File Associations in KDE (Plasma)

If you are using Kubuntu (which uses the Plasma desktop environment), graphical tools exist for managing file associations:

• Open File Associations. You can search for it in the Plasma search bar or find it under System Settings -> Applications.
• Expand inode and find directory.
• In the "Application Preference Order" section, select your desired file manager (e.g., Dolphin).
• Move the file manager to the top of the list.
• Click "Apply".

If the file manager isn't listed, check the "Edit..." settings and the command field (fourth from the top) to make sure it's pointing to the correct executable path. You can use the whereis command in the terminal (e.g. whereis dolphin) to find the proper path.

Important Considerations

• Desktop Environment: The specific steps might vary slightly depending on the desktop environment you're using (GNOME, KDE Plasma, XFCE, etc.).
• Permissions: When editing system files, always use sudo to run commands with administrative privileges.
• Backups: Before making changes to system files, consider creating a backup in case something goes wrong.
• Reboot: After applying any of these solutions, restarting your computer can help ensure that the changes are fully implemented.

Conclusion

By following these solutions, you can successfully fix the "Places" opening in Disk Usage Analyzer issue and restore the intended behavior of your file manager. Remember to choose the method that best suits your system configuration and desktop environment. Regularly maintaining your system and being mindful of file association changes can prevent this problem from recurring in the future.