Files with .h extention; inconsistent File Type

Linux Support
1

Please can anyone tell me why files with a .h extension appear in konqueror with a File Type of “C Header File” or “Plain Text Document” and not consistently only one of these.

Thank you - Mike

2

You are right in the assumption that .h files are header files:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Header_file

BUT

In Linux (unlike Windows) file extensions have no real meaning other than to point out the file type to humans, and sometimes for icon assignment … Linux will read the file contents and make up it’s own mind what type of fie it is … which is why if it’s a C header, Konqueror will display it as such, but if the header is in plain text format it will show that too.

3

Thank you for your clear and quick reply. They are all in fact include files so I guess it begs the question what criteria does it use to decide. As all the include files in question are supplied to me as part of a SDK it would be unwise and tedious to change them. The practical consequence is that double clicking on one opens in kwrite and vi improved on another. Can I change the default editor to always be the same? (At least its an improvement on a few months back when double clicking on a file when one was already open assumed I wanted to open Diff).

4

OK, file “types” are (AFAIK) indentified by Unix Magic Numbers … see here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magic_number_(programming)
and
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_file_signatures

Can I change the default editor to always be the same?

I would assume so, but it’s been ages since I used KDE … which Linux distro/version are you using ?

Is there no, right-click “Open With” option in Konqueror … where you can then choose to set the default application ?

5
Is there no, right-click "Open With" option in Konqueror .. where you can then choose to set the default application ?
I could confirm that (Chakra KDE 4.8 ) in Dolphin you can right-click the file and select Open with -> Other then select the desired application and put check by "Remember application association for this type of file"
6

Mark and SeZo - thank you both for your help - Mike

7

You’re more than welcome :slight_smile: