Google Chrome is not recognized by Preferred Applications

[jonatman]

I'm a ubuntu user trying to setup some old computers with xubuntu for my mom, I'm having trouble setting Google Chrome as preferred web browser with Preferred Applications in xfce 4.8 and 4.10,
I found that every time Google Chrome trys to set itself to default, two things will happen:
1. ~/.config/xfce4/helpers.rc will be modified by changing the line WebBrowser=whatever to WebBrowser=google-chrome
2. ~/.local/share/xfce4/helpers/google-chrome.desktop will be created if it is not already exist

The problem is the file google-chrome.desktop, it seems the file is copied from /opt/google/chrome/ or /usr/share/applications, and then added the following section to the end of the file.

Type=X XFCE-Helper
X-XFCE-Category=WebBrowser
X-XFCE-Commands=/opt/google/chrome/google-chrome
X-XFCE-CommandsWithParameter=/opt/google/chrome/google-chrome "%s"
/opt/google/chrome/google-chrome
/opt/google/chrome/google-chrome --incognito

While there are three sections in the original google-chrome.desktop (the ones in /opt/google/chrome and /usr/share/applications),
[Desktop Entry], [NewWindow Shortcut Group] (for unity) and [NewIncognito Shortcut Group] (also for unity), the section mentioned is added under [NewIncognito Shortcut Group], and not [Desktop Entry].
I think this causes Preferred Applications not to recognized as a valid desktop file, which is why Google Chrome is not on the Preferred Applications Web Browser list.

Onces I've move the section back to [Destop Entry], everything works, but since I'm dealing with multi-user computers, I've to do the same thing everytime I create a new user on the computer.

Is there any long term fix? and if this is a bug, where should I report it? xfce, xubuntu or google??

[albandy]

[...]
Onces I've move the section back to [Destop Entry], everything works, but since I'm dealing with multi-user computers, I've to do the same thing everytime I create a new user on the computer.

Is there any long term fix? and if this is a bug, where should I report it? xfce, xubuntu or google??

When you create a new user, all the contents of /etc/skel are copied to the user home.

Simply add the configuration files to /etc/skel and every time you create a new user this files will be copied to the user home.

[kc1di]

Also in addition to what has already been said. I think you'd find that if you used chromium-browser, which is in the repository you'd find you wouldn't have this problem. It's basically the same as Chrome and is maintained by ubuntu devs.

Just a thought.

[jonatman]

Also in addition to what has already been said. I think you'd find that if you used chromium-browser, which is in the repository you'd find you wouldn't have this problem. It's basically the same as Chrome and is maintained by ubuntu devs.

Just a thought.

I'm using chrome because some of the users has to use flash player.

[jonatman]

When you create a new user, all the contents of /etc/skel are copied to the user home.

Simply add the configuration files to /etc/skel and every time you create a new user this files will be copied to the user home.

I guess I can copy the desktop file and helper.rc into /etc/skel, Thanks.

[kc1di]

I'm using chrome because some of the users has to use flash player.

The flash plugin works fine in chromium just install xubuntu-restricted-addons and xubuntu-restricted-extras.

works great here

[jonatman]

The flash plugin works fine in chromium just install xubuntu-restricted-addons and xubuntu-restricted-extras.

works great here

Good to know, I'll give it a try, thanks.

[fmcgorenc]

I have the solution.

1. open ~/.local/share/xfce4/helpers/google-chrome.desktop with a text editor

2. delete this line "X-Ayatana-Desktop-Shortcuts=NewWindow;NewIncognito" and sections "[NewWindow Shortcut Group]" and "[NewIncognito Shortcut Group]" including the lines that say "TargetEnvironment=Unity".

Now save and the system setting should properly detect chrome browser as "Google Chrome".