Joplin launches Ebook reader for PDFs

Support
1

Operating system

Linux

Joplin version

3.0.15

Desktop version info

Joplin 3.0.15 (prod, linux)

Client ID: 6195d51fbcd046d484fa1b5ac5dcd00c
Sync Version: 3
Profile Version: 47
Keychain Supported: No

Revision: 598677b

Backup: 1.4.1
Hotfolder: 1.2.0
Slash Commands: Datetime & More: 1.3.2

Sync target

Joplin Cloud

Editor

Markdown Editor

What issue do you have?

Ubuntu 24.04

When launching PDFs from Joplin, the system e-book reader is opened.
I would prefer to use the normal Ubuntu PDF viewer.
Double clicking a PDF from file explorer launches normal Ubuntu PDF viewer, but Joplin does not.
I can't find any configuration to control this behaviour.

2

Undesirable behaviour started after upgrade from 23.10 to 24.04.

4

This isn't a Joplin problem. Likely your default apps in Ubuntu. Here's one of thousands of similar articles on how to change/set these for Ubuntu.

Could also be browser related, in that the browser is configured or trying to help you (too much).

1 Like
5

Hi,

Thanks for your response, but unfortunately this does not resolve my issue.

As indicated in my original post when I check the OS settings I can see Ubuntu opens the correct application for PDFs. It is just Joplin that opens the wrong one and I'm not sure why.

I was hoping there was some config in Joplin I'd missed that someone could point me towards.

6

I no longer believe the issue is down to Joplin, but I continue to investigate.

  • Issue manifested after update from Ubuntu 23.10 to Ubuntu 24.04
  • OS default PDF viewer has never been changed from the installation defasult of Evince.
  • Uninstalling Calibre now causes Joplin to launch GIMP for PDF viewing.
  • I will uninstall GIMP now and see what happens.
7

After removing GIMP, Joplin launched Chrome for PDF viewing.

I believe I have resolved now. Solution was embarrassingly simple.

  1. Right click a PDF in file explorer and click "Open with..." to select a launcher.
    "Document Viewer" is default selection.
    Pick any other option (I picked Chrome) and click "Always use" at the bottom.
  2. PDF launches in Chrome.
  3. Close Chrome.
  4. Right click a PDF and switch the default back to Document Viewer.
  5. PDF launches.
  6. Close PDF.
  7. PDFs launched from Joplin now open in the default PDF viewer.
8

Yeah, changing the default application was described in that article I linked days back.