Choosing between multiple programs to open a file

[megapixel-code]

What system are you running Yazi on?

Linux Wayland

What terminal are you running Yazi in?

kitty 0.44.0

yazi --debug output

Yazi
    Version: 25.5.31 (Nixpkgs 2025-05-30)
    Debug  : false
    Triple : x86_64-unknown-linux-gnu (linux-x86_64)
    Rustc  : 1.91.1 (ed61e7d7 2025-11-07)

Ya
    Version: 25.5.31 (Nixpkgs 2025-05-30)

Emulator
    TERM                : Some("screen-256color")
    TERM_PROGRAM        : Some("tmux")
    TERM_PROGRAM_VERSION: Some("3.6a")
    Brand.from_env      : None
    Emulator.detect     : Emulator { kind: Left(Kitty), light: false, csi_16t: (9, 20), force_16t: false }

Adapter
    Adapter.matches    : Kgp
    Dimension.available: Dimension { rows: 50, columns: 106, width: 954, height: 1000 }

Desktop
    XDG_SESSION_TYPE           : Some("wayland")
    WAYLAND_DISPLAY            : Some("wayland-0")
    DISPLAY                    : Some(":0")
    SWAYSOCK                   : None
    HYPRLAND_INSTANCE_SIGNATURE: None
    WAYFIRE_SOCKET             : None

SSH
    shared.in_ssh_connection: false

WSL
    WSL: false

Variables
    SHELL           : Some("/run/current-system/sw/bin/zsh")
    EDITOR          : Some("nvim")
    VISUAL          : None
    YAZI_FILE_ONE   : None
    YAZI_CONFIG_HOME: None
    YAZI_ZOXIDE_OPTS: None
    FZF_DEFAULT_OPTS: None

Text Opener
    default     : Some(OpenerRule { run: "${EDITOR:-vi} \"$@\"", block: true, orphan: false, desc: "$EDITOR", for: None, spread: true })
    block-create: Some(OpenerRule { run: "${EDITOR:-vi} \"$@\"", block: true, orphan: false, desc: "$EDITOR", for: None, spread: true })
    block-rename: Some(OpenerRule { run: "${EDITOR:-vi} \"$@\"", block: true, orphan: false, desc: "$EDITOR", for: None, spread: true })

Multiplexers
    TMUX               : true
    tmux version       : tmux 3.6a
    tmux build flags   : enable-sixel=Supported
    ZELLIJ_SESSION_NAME: None
    Zellij version     : No such file or directory (os error 2)

Dependencies
    file          : 5.45
    ueberzugpp    : No such file or directory (os error 2)
    ffmpeg/ffprobe: 8.0 / 8.0
    pdftoppm      : 25.10.0
    magick        : 7.1.2-13
    fzf           : 0.67.0
    fd/fdfind     : 10.3.0 / No such file or directory (os error 2)
    rg            : 15.1.0
    chafa         : 1.18.0
    zoxide        : 0.9.8
    7zz/7z        : 25.01 / No such file or directory (os error 2)
    resvg         : 0.45.1
    jq            : 1.8.1

Clipboard
    wl-copy/paste: 2.2.1 / 2.2.1
    xclip        : No such file or directory (os error 2)
    xsel         : No such file or directory (os error 2)

Routine
    `file -bL --mime-type`: text/plain

Describe the question

Is there a way to choose between multiples programs to open a file ?

By that I mean: I have a pdf file and I would like to open it either with firefox or inkscape (pdf/svg editor). same for images, be able to choose between image viewer and gimp (editor).

when I put multiples apps in mimeapps.list yazi only opens the first one in the list and doesnt let me choose.

Anything else?

No response

Checklist

• I have read all the documentation
• I have searched the existing discussions/issues

[alastairsounds]

Yazi has a different key command to open with the ability to choose. You can see from the default keymap that O lets you choose what program opens it. The options presented in the interactive opener are determined by your yazi.toml file.

[mgr]

keymap = [
	# ...
	# Operation
	{ on = "o", run = "open",               desc = "Open selected files" },
	{ on = "O", run = "open --interactive", desc = "Open selected files interactively" },
	# ...
]

Here's a little section of my yazi.toml file that uses chrome to open PDFs. My linux is WSL, so not sure what you'll have to tweak for Wayland.

[opener]
# ...
chrome = [
  { run = 'cmd.exe /C start chrome "$(wslpath -w %s1)"', orphan = true, desc = "Open in Chrome", for = "linux" },
  { run = 'chrome "%s1"',                                orphan = true, desc = "Open in Chrome", for = "windows" },
]
reveal = [
  { run = 'explorer.exe /select,$(wslpath -w "%s1")', orphan = true, desc = "Reveal", for = "linux" },
  { run = "explorer /select,%s1",                     orphan = true, desc = "Reveal", for = "windows" },
]
# ...
[open]
prepend_rules = [
  { mime = "application/pdf", use = [ "chrome", "reveal" ] }, # PDF
]

The order of openers in the use array dictates:

1. The default opener (1st element)
2. The openers as seen in the open --interactive menu

[megapixel-code]

Exactly what I was looking for thank you ! Guess I didn't read the documentation. Thanks