Set up some sensible default applications for an XFCE4 desktop. Intended for new programmers working on the CSE lab systems.

setup_xfce_defaults.sh

#!/bin/sh

# Set up some sensible defaults:
# firefox - web browser
# Thunar - file manager
# xfce-terminal - terminal
# gedit - C source files
# eog - bitmaps

# Relevant files where config settings are stored
XFCE_HELPERS="$HOME/.config/xfce4/helpers.rc"
CONFIG_MIMEAPPS="$HOME/.config/mimeapps.list"

# What applications to use
WEB_BROWSER="firefox"
FILE_MANAGER="Thunar"
TERMINAL_EMULATOR="Terminal"
C_SOURCE_CODE="text/x-csrc=gedit.desktop"
IMAGE_BITMAP="image/bmp=eog.desktop"

echo "Setting up default applications (if they aren't already set)"
echo "-----------------------------------------------------------"

# usage:
# add_default_application text/x-csrc=gedit.desktop
add_default_application() {
    APP_TYPE=$(echo $1 | cut -d'=' -f1)
    APP_NAME=$(echo $1 | cut -d'=' -f2)

    if grep -q $APP_TYPE $CONFIG_MIMEAPPS; then
        echo -n "Not setting default for $APP_TYPE to $APP_NAME, already set to "
        echo "$(grep $APP_TYPE $CONFIG_MIMEAPPS | cut -d'=' -f2 | head -1)"
    else
        sed -i.bak "/\[Default Applications\]/a $1" $CONFIG_MIMEAPPS &&
        sed -i.bak "/\[Added Associations\]/a $1" $CONFIG_MIMEAPPS &&
        echo "Setting default for $APP_TYPE to $APP_NAME" &&
        rm $CONFIG_MIMEAPPS.bak
    fi
}

# Creates a blank mimeapps config file, to add settings to.
create_blank_mimeapps_config() {
    echo "Creating $CONFIG_MIMEAPPS"
    touch $CONFIG_MIMEAPPS
    cat <<EOF > $CONFIG_MIMEAPPS
[Default Applications]

[Added Associations]
EOF
}

# usage:
# set_defaults_to WebBrowser firefox "web browser"
set_defaults_to() {
    APP_TYPE=$1
    APP_NAME=$2
    DESCRIPTION=$3

    if grep -q $APP_TYPE $XFCE_HELPERS; then
        echo -n "Not setting default $DESCRIPTION to $APP_NAME, already set to "
        echo "$(grep $APP_TYPE $XFCE_HELPERS | cut -d'=' -f2)"
    else
        echo "Setting default $DESCRIPTION to $APP_NAME"
        echo "$APP_TYPE=$APP_NAME" >> $XFCE_HELPERS
    fi
}



#####################
## XFCE helpers.rc ##
#####################

# If the directory doesn't exist, this isn't xfce...
if [ ! -d $(dirname $XFCE_HELPERS) ]; then
    echo "Are you running xfce4?" && exit 1
fi

touch $XFCE_HELPERS 2>/dev/null

set_defaults_to WebBrowser firefox "web browser"
set_defaults_to FileManager Thunar "file manager"
set_defaults_to TerminalEmulator Terminal "terminal emulator"


#####################
##  mimeapps.list  ##
#####################

if [ ! -f $CONFIG_MIMEAPPS ]; then
    create_blank_mimeapps_config
fi

# .c source files -- gedit
add_default_application "$C_SOURCE_CODE"

# .bmp bitmap images -- eog
add_default_application "$IMAGE_BITMAP"

echo "-----------------------------------------------------------"
echo "Done!"