Is there a way on Linux to set --open to (xdg-)open (or similar)?

Questions
1

I am using typst mainly on the Mac but have also installed it on an Ubuntu 24.04 LTS Desktop.

On the Mac --open uses open proper on Linux it shows me an Open With... selection (with the Document Viewer and Chromium as options.

I have set the default viewer to the Document Viewer and double clicking a PDF or using the commands open or xdg-open on the command line or in shell scripts (in a window) both open the PDF as required.

2

Do you mean that when you do typst compile file.typ --open in the terminal, you get a popup “Open with” dialog?

Does it work if you do typst compile file.typ --open xdg-open?

What does type xdg-open say?

To further investigate, you can run strace -f -o strace.log typst compile file.typ --open, and search for “xdg-open” in strace.log and see what’s there and shortly afterwards.

3

typst compile test.typ --open xdg-open

results in the

Open With... window

type xdg-open

shows

xdg-open is /usr/bin/xdg-open

strace -f -o strace.log typst compile file.typ --open

shows

cannot fstatat canonical snap directory: Permission denied

sudo strace -f -o strace.log typst compile file.typ --open

shows

error: Permission denied (os error 13)

4

Did you install Typst with a snap? Maybe that’s a snap-specific issue…

5

Pulled the XZ and that works.

Thanks

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