Public bug reported:
### 1. Affected Package revision / version
Ubuntu MATE 24.04 (tested using `ubuntu-mate-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso` to
ubuntu-mate-24.04.5-desktop-amd64.iso (the current release at this
writing) tested)
---
### Environment
* **Desktop Environment:** MATE 1.26
* **File Manager:** Caja
* **Text Editor:** Pluma
* **MIME Library:** GLib / GIO / shared-mime-info
---
### 2. Steps to Reproduce
1. Create a 0-byte file (e.g., via `touch "new file"` or by right-clicking on
the desktop → **Create Document** → **Empty File**).
2. Attempt to open or double-click the file in Caja.
---
### 3. Current Behavior
Triggering the file opens an error dialog:
> *"There is no application installed for Empty document files. Do you
want to search for an application to open this file?"*
Clicking "Yes" does nothing because packagekit/sessioninstaller
integration is unhandled or missing by default, leaving the user unable
to open empty text files natively in Pluma.
---
### 4. Expected Behavior *(optional)*
Zero-byte text files should open directly in Pluma (the default text
editor), consistent with how `text/plain` files behave.
---
### 5. Workaround *(optional)*
* **System-Level Workaround (First Session Script):**
Deploy a script on new user creation / first login session that runs:
```bash
xdg-mime default pluma.desktop application/x-zerosize
```
This automatically creates or updates `$HOME/.config/mimeapps.list` with:
```ini
[Default Applications]
application/x-zerosize=pluma.desktop
```
* **User-Level Terminal Workaround:**
Run the command directly in the terminal:
```bash
xdg-mime default pluma.desktop application/x-zerosize
```
* **User-Level GUI Workaround:**
1. Right-click any 0-byte file in Caja and select **Open With Other
Application...**.
2. Select **Pluma Text Editor**.
3. Ensure **"Remember this application for 'Empty document' files"** is checked.
4. Click **Open**.
* **Template-Based Workaround (Bypassing Desktop 0-Byte Creation):**
Right-clicking on the desktop → **Create Document** → **Empty File** generates
a 0-byte file named `"new file"` by default, immediately triggering this issue.
You can avoid the 0-byte threshold for desktop-created files by populating a
custom template:
```bash
mkdir -p ~/Templates && echo "" > ~/Templates/"Text Document.txt"
```
This creates a 1-byte file containing a single blank line. Having this
template makes "Text Document" appear as an option when you right-click
in Caja and select **Create Document**, bypassing 0-byte detection
entirely for files created through that menu. *(Note: Standard 0-byte
files created via `touch` or other means will still require the MIME fix
above).*
---
### 6. Suggestions, Investigation and Possible Causes *(optional)*
* **Root Cause:** In both Ubuntu MATE 22.04 and Ubuntu MATE 24.04,
`/usr/share/applications/mate-mimeapps.list` correctly contains
`text/plain=pluma.desktop;`. However, GLib's fast-content-type detection
changed between versions.
* **Comparison:**
* **Ubuntu MATE 22.04:**
```bash
$ touch "new file"
$ gio info "new file" | grep 'standard::fast-content-type'
standard::fast-content-type: text/plain
```
* **Ubuntu MATE 24.04:**
```bash
$ touch "new file"
$ gio info "new file" | grep 'standard::fast-content-type'
standard::fast-content-type: application/x-zerosize
```
Because `application/x-zerosize` lacks a default mapping out-of-the-box
in Ubuntu MATE 24.04, Caja fails to resolve a handler. The fix is very
straightforward to apply.
---
### 7. Other Tests *(optional)*
Tested using `ubuntu-mate-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso`, confirming the
regression is present here while it did not occur in Ubuntu MATE 22.04.
Note that right-clicking on the desktop → **Create Document** → **Empty
File** generates a 0-byte file named `"new file"` by default,
immediately triggering this issue unless a non-empty template file is
used.
---
ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 24.04
Package: caja 1.26.3-1build3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 7.0.0-31.31~24.04.1-generic 7.0.14
Uname: Linux 7.0.0-31-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: zfs
ApportVersion: 2.28.3-0ubuntu0.1
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
CasperVersion: 1.498
CloudArchitecture: x86_64
CloudID: nocloud
CloudName: unknown
CloudPlatform: nocloud
CloudSubPlatform: seed-dir (/var/lib/cloud/seed/nocloud)
CurrentDesktop: MATE
Date: Tue Oct 27 06:44:01 2026
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu-MATE 24.04.5 LTS "Noble Numbat" - Release amd64
(20260909)
ProcEnviron:
LANG=C.UTF-8
PATH=(custom, no user)
SHELL=/bin/bash
TERM=xterm-256color
XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
SourcePackage: caja
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
** Affects: caja (Ubuntu)
Importance: Undecided
Status: New
** Tags: amd64 apport-bug noble
** Description changed:
- Here is the corrected and finalized bug report specifically tailored for
- **Ubuntu MATE 24.04** (with proper quoting for the `gio info` command to
- avoid bash parsing errors):
-
- ---
-
- ## Bug Report Template
-
- > **If you have a question or are not sure about what you are about to post,
please use the forums instead.**
- > **Also, check for possible duplicate reports here or in the forum before
submitting this issue.**
-
- ---
-
- ### Title
-
- **Opening 0-byte text files triggers "No application installed" error
- due to `application/x-zerosize` MIME regression**
-
- ---
-
### 1. Affected Package revision / version
Ubuntu MATE 24.04 (tested using `ubuntu-mate-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso`)
---
### Environment
* **Desktop Environment:** MATE 1.26 / 1.28
* **File Manager:** Caja
* **Text Editor:** Pluma
* **MIME Library:** GLib / GIO / shared-mime-info
---
### 2. Steps to Reproduce
1. Create a 0-byte file (e.g., via `touch "new file"` or by right-clicking on
the desktop → **Create Document** → **Empty File**).
2. Attempt to open or double-click the file in Caja.
---
### 3. Current Behavior
Triggering the file opens an error dialog:
> *"There is no application installed for Empty document files. Do you
want to search for an application to open this file?"*
Clicking "Yes" does nothing because packagekit/sessioninstaller
integration is unhandled or missing by default, leaving the user unable
to open empty text files natively in Pluma.
---
### 4. Expected Behavior *(optional)*
Zero-byte text files should open directly in Pluma (the default text
editor), consistent with how `text/plain` files behave.
---
### 5. Workaround *(optional)*
* **System-Level Workaround (First Session Script):**
Deploy a script on new user creation / first login session that runs:
```bash
xdg-mime default pluma.desktop application/x-zerosize
```
-
This automatically creates or updates `$HOME/.config/mimeapps.list` with:
```ini
[Default Applications]
application/x-zerosize=pluma.desktop
```
-
* **User-Level Terminal Workaround:**
Run the command directly in the terminal:
```bash
xdg-mime default pluma.desktop application/x-zerosize
```
-
* **User-Level GUI Workaround:**
1. Right-click any 0-byte file in Caja and select **Open With Other
Application...**.
2. Select **Pluma Text Editor**.
3. Ensure **"Remember this application for 'Empty document' files"** is
checked.
4. Click **Open**.
-
* **Template-Based Workaround (Bypassing Desktop 0-Byte Creation):**
Right-clicking on the desktop → **Create Document** → **Empty File**
generates a 0-byte file named `"new file"` by default, immediately triggering
this issue. You can avoid the 0-byte threshold for desktop-created files by
populating a custom template:
```bash
mkdir -p ~/Templates && echo "" > ~/Templates/"Text Document.txt"
```
-
- This creates a 1-byte file containing a single blank line. Having this
template makes "Text Document" appear as an option when you right-click in Caja
and select **Create Document**, bypassing 0-byte detection entirely for files
created through that menu. *(Note: Standard 0-byte files created via `touch` or
other means will still require the MIME fix above).*
+ This creates a 1-byte file containing a single blank line. Having this
+ template makes "Text Document" appear as an option when you right-click
+ in Caja and select **Create Document**, bypassing 0-byte detection
+ entirely for files created through that menu. *(Note: Standard 0-byte
+ files created via `touch` or other means will still require the MIME fix
+ above).*
---
### 6. Suggestions, Investigation and Possible Causes *(optional)*
* **Root Cause:** In both Ubuntu MATE 22.04 and Ubuntu MATE 24.04,
`/usr/share/applications/mate-mimeapps.list` correctly contains
`text/plain=pluma.desktop;`. However, GLib's fast-content-type detection
changed between versions.
* **Comparison:**
* **Ubuntu MATE 22.04:**
```bash
$ touch "new file"
$ gio info "new file" | grep 'standard::fast-content-type'
standard::fast-content-type: text/plain
```
-
* **Ubuntu MATE 24.04:**
```bash
$ touch "new file"
$ gio info "new file" | grep 'standard::fast-content-type'
standard::fast-content-type: application/x-zerosize
```
-
-
- Because `application/x-zerosize` lacks a default mapping out-of-the-box in
Ubuntu MATE 24.04, Caja fails to resolve a handler. The fix is very
straightforward to apply.
+ Because `application/x-zerosize` lacks a default mapping out-of-the-box
+ in Ubuntu MATE 24.04, Caja fails to resolve a handler. The fix is very
+ straightforward to apply.
---
### 7. Other Tests *(optional)*
Tested using `ubuntu-mate-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso`, confirming the
regression is present here while it did not occur in Ubuntu MATE 22.04.
Note that right-clicking on the desktop → **Create Document** → **Empty
File** generates a 0-byte file named `"new file"` by default,
immediately triggering this issue unless a non-empty template file is
used.
---
ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 24.04
Package: caja 1.26.3-1build3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 7.0.0-31.31~24.04.1-generic 7.0.14
Uname: Linux 7.0.0-31-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: zfs
ApportVersion: 2.28.3-0ubuntu0.1
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
CasperVersion: 1.498
CloudArchitecture: x86_64
CloudID: nocloud
CloudName: unknown
CloudPlatform: nocloud
CloudSubPlatform: seed-dir (/var/lib/cloud/seed/nocloud)
CurrentDesktop: MATE
Date: Tue Oct 27 06:44:01 2026
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu-MATE 24.04.5 LTS "Noble Numbat" - Release amd64
(20260909)
ProcEnviron:
- LANG=C.UTF-8
- PATH=(custom, no user)
- SHELL=/bin/bash
- TERM=xterm-256color
- XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
+ LANG=C.UTF-8
+ PATH=(custom, no user)
+ SHELL=/bin/bash
+ TERM=xterm-256color
+ XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
SourcePackage: caja
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
** Description changed:
### 1. Affected Package revision / version
Ubuntu MATE 24.04 (tested using `ubuntu-mate-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso`)
---
### Environment
- * **Desktop Environment:** MATE 1.26 / 1.28
+ * **Desktop Environment:** MATE 1.26
* **File Manager:** Caja
* **Text Editor:** Pluma
* **MIME Library:** GLib / GIO / shared-mime-info
---
### 2. Steps to Reproduce
1. Create a 0-byte file (e.g., via `touch "new file"` or by right-clicking on
the desktop → **Create Document** → **Empty File**).
2. Attempt to open or double-click the file in Caja.
---
### 3. Current Behavior
Triggering the file opens an error dialog:
> *"There is no application installed for Empty document files. Do you
want to search for an application to open this file?"*
Clicking "Yes" does nothing because packagekit/sessioninstaller
integration is unhandled or missing by default, leaving the user unable
to open empty text files natively in Pluma.
---
### 4. Expected Behavior *(optional)*
Zero-byte text files should open directly in Pluma (the default text
editor), consistent with how `text/plain` files behave.
---
### 5. Workaround *(optional)*
* **System-Level Workaround (First Session Script):**
Deploy a script on new user creation / first login session that runs:
```bash
xdg-mime default pluma.desktop application/x-zerosize
```
This automatically creates or updates `$HOME/.config/mimeapps.list` with:
```ini
[Default Applications]
application/x-zerosize=pluma.desktop
```
* **User-Level Terminal Workaround:**
Run the command directly in the terminal:
```bash
xdg-mime default pluma.desktop application/x-zerosize
```
* **User-Level GUI Workaround:**
1. Right-click any 0-byte file in Caja and select **Open With Other
Application...**.
2. Select **Pluma Text Editor**.
3. Ensure **"Remember this application for 'Empty document' files"** is
checked.
4. Click **Open**.
* **Template-Based Workaround (Bypassing Desktop 0-Byte Creation):**
Right-clicking on the desktop → **Create Document** → **Empty File**
generates a 0-byte file named `"new file"` by default, immediately triggering
this issue. You can avoid the 0-byte threshold for desktop-created files by
populating a custom template:
```bash
mkdir -p ~/Templates && echo "" > ~/Templates/"Text Document.txt"
```
This creates a 1-byte file containing a single blank line. Having this
template makes "Text Document" appear as an option when you right-click
in Caja and select **Create Document**, bypassing 0-byte detection
entirely for files created through that menu. *(Note: Standard 0-byte
files created via `touch` or other means will still require the MIME fix
above).*
---
### 6. Suggestions, Investigation and Possible Causes *(optional)*
* **Root Cause:** In both Ubuntu MATE 22.04 and Ubuntu MATE 24.04,
`/usr/share/applications/mate-mimeapps.list` correctly contains
`text/plain=pluma.desktop;`. However, GLib's fast-content-type detection
changed between versions.
* **Comparison:**
* **Ubuntu MATE 22.04:**
```bash
$ touch "new file"
$ gio info "new file" | grep 'standard::fast-content-type'
standard::fast-content-type: text/plain
```
* **Ubuntu MATE 24.04:**
```bash
$ touch "new file"
$ gio info "new file" | grep 'standard::fast-content-type'
standard::fast-content-type: application/x-zerosize
```
Because `application/x-zerosize` lacks a default mapping out-of-the-box
in Ubuntu MATE 24.04, Caja fails to resolve a handler. The fix is very
straightforward to apply.
---
### 7. Other Tests *(optional)*
Tested using `ubuntu-mate-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso`, confirming the
regression is present here while it did not occur in Ubuntu MATE 22.04.
Note that right-clicking on the desktop → **Create Document** → **Empty
File** generates a 0-byte file named `"new file"` by default,
immediately triggering this issue unless a non-empty template file is
used.
---
ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 24.04
Package: caja 1.26.3-1build3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 7.0.0-31.31~24.04.1-generic 7.0.14
Uname: Linux 7.0.0-31-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: zfs
ApportVersion: 2.28.3-0ubuntu0.1
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
CasperVersion: 1.498
CloudArchitecture: x86_64
CloudID: nocloud
CloudName: unknown
CloudPlatform: nocloud
CloudSubPlatform: seed-dir (/var/lib/cloud/seed/nocloud)
CurrentDesktop: MATE
Date: Tue Oct 27 06:44:01 2026
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu-MATE 24.04.5 LTS "Noble Numbat" - Release amd64
(20260909)
ProcEnviron:
LANG=C.UTF-8
PATH=(custom, no user)
SHELL=/bin/bash
TERM=xterm-256color
XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
SourcePackage: caja
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
** Description changed:
### 1. Affected Package revision / version
- Ubuntu MATE 24.04 (tested using `ubuntu-mate-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso`)
+ Ubuntu MATE 24.04 (tested using `ubuntu-mate-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso` to
+ ubuntu-mate-24.04.5-desktop-amd64.iso (the current release at this
+ writing) tested)
---
### Environment
* **Desktop Environment:** MATE 1.26
* **File Manager:** Caja
* **Text Editor:** Pluma
* **MIME Library:** GLib / GIO / shared-mime-info
---
### 2. Steps to Reproduce
1. Create a 0-byte file (e.g., via `touch "new file"` or by right-clicking on
the desktop → **Create Document** → **Empty File**).
2. Attempt to open or double-click the file in Caja.
---
### 3. Current Behavior
Triggering the file opens an error dialog:
> *"There is no application installed for Empty document files. Do you
want to search for an application to open this file?"*
Clicking "Yes" does nothing because packagekit/sessioninstaller
integration is unhandled or missing by default, leaving the user unable
to open empty text files natively in Pluma.
---
### 4. Expected Behavior *(optional)*
Zero-byte text files should open directly in Pluma (the default text
editor), consistent with how `text/plain` files behave.
---
### 5. Workaround *(optional)*
* **System-Level Workaround (First Session Script):**
Deploy a script on new user creation / first login session that runs:
```bash
xdg-mime default pluma.desktop application/x-zerosize
```
This automatically creates or updates `$HOME/.config/mimeapps.list` with:
```ini
[Default Applications]
application/x-zerosize=pluma.desktop
```
* **User-Level Terminal Workaround:**
Run the command directly in the terminal:
```bash
xdg-mime default pluma.desktop application/x-zerosize
```
* **User-Level GUI Workaround:**
1. Right-click any 0-byte file in Caja and select **Open With Other
Application...**.
2. Select **Pluma Text Editor**.
3. Ensure **"Remember this application for 'Empty document' files"** is
checked.
4. Click **Open**.
* **Template-Based Workaround (Bypassing Desktop 0-Byte Creation):**
Right-clicking on the desktop → **Create Document** → **Empty File**
generates a 0-byte file named `"new file"` by default, immediately triggering
this issue. You can avoid the 0-byte threshold for desktop-created files by
populating a custom template:
```bash
mkdir -p ~/Templates && echo "" > ~/Templates/"Text Document.txt"
```
This creates a 1-byte file containing a single blank line. Having this
template makes "Text Document" appear as an option when you right-click
in Caja and select **Create Document**, bypassing 0-byte detection
entirely for files created through that menu. *(Note: Standard 0-byte
files created via `touch` or other means will still require the MIME fix
above).*
---
### 6. Suggestions, Investigation and Possible Causes *(optional)*
* **Root Cause:** In both Ubuntu MATE 22.04 and Ubuntu MATE 24.04,
`/usr/share/applications/mate-mimeapps.list` correctly contains
`text/plain=pluma.desktop;`. However, GLib's fast-content-type detection
changed between versions.
* **Comparison:**
* **Ubuntu MATE 22.04:**
```bash
$ touch "new file"
$ gio info "new file" | grep 'standard::fast-content-type'
standard::fast-content-type: text/plain
```
* **Ubuntu MATE 24.04:**
```bash
$ touch "new file"
$ gio info "new file" | grep 'standard::fast-content-type'
standard::fast-content-type: application/x-zerosize
```
Because `application/x-zerosize` lacks a default mapping out-of-the-box
in Ubuntu MATE 24.04, Caja fails to resolve a handler. The fix is very
straightforward to apply.
---
### 7. Other Tests *(optional)*
Tested using `ubuntu-mate-24.04-desktop-amd64.iso`, confirming the
regression is present here while it did not occur in Ubuntu MATE 22.04.
Note that right-clicking on the desktop → **Create Document** → **Empty
File** generates a 0-byte file named `"new file"` by default,
immediately triggering this issue unless a non-empty template file is
used.
---
ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 24.04
Package: caja 1.26.3-1build3
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 7.0.0-31.31~24.04.1-generic 7.0.14
Uname: Linux 7.0.0-31-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: zfs
ApportVersion: 2.28.3-0ubuntu0.1
Architecture: amd64
CasperMD5CheckResult: pass
CasperVersion: 1.498
CloudArchitecture: x86_64
CloudID: nocloud
CloudName: unknown
CloudPlatform: nocloud
CloudSubPlatform: seed-dir (/var/lib/cloud/seed/nocloud)
CurrentDesktop: MATE
Date: Tue Oct 27 06:44:01 2026
LiveMediaBuild: Ubuntu-MATE 24.04.5 LTS "Noble Numbat" - Release amd64
(20260909)
ProcEnviron:
LANG=C.UTF-8
PATH=(custom, no user)
SHELL=/bin/bash
TERM=xterm-256color
XDG_RUNTIME_DIR=<set>
SourcePackage: caja
UpgradeStatus: No upgrade log present (probably fresh install)
--
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https://bugs.launchpad.net/bugs/2172282
Title:
Opening 0-byte text files triggers "No application installed" error
due to application/x-zerosize MIME regression
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