= FAQ =
== Table of Contents ==
 * [#default-viewer How can I replace the default editor / viewer?]
 * [#does-not-open Why doesn't muCommander open my files?]
 * [#open-with Why is the `Open with...` menu grayed out?]
 * [#system-right-click Why doesn't muCommander use the system right-click menu?]
 * [#search-files How can I search for a specific file?]
 * [#open-office How do I open OpenOffice files?]
 * [#osx-app How can I start OS X applications?]
 * [#permissions Why can't I execute applications copied / extracted with muCommander? Why aren't file permissions properly preserved?]
 * [#spaces muCommander doesn't work properly with Spaces, why?]
 * [#quicklook How can I have muCommander use QuickLook?]
 * [#background-copy How can I copy / move files in the background?]
 * [#tabs How can I create tabs?]
 * [#doubleclick Nothing happens when I double-click on a file, why?]
 * [#contribute I'd like to help, what can I do?]


== Details ==
=== How can I replace the default editor / viewer? === #default-viewer
This is done by editing your `commands.xml` file and creating the `view` and `edit` commands.

For an in-depth explanation, read the [wiki:CommandsXml documentation].

=== Why doesn't muCommander open my files? === #does-not-open
There could be many reasons for this, but the most common ones are:
 * You're running muCommander on a system that isn't officially supported. See this [wiki:NewDesktops page] for information on how you can have your system supported.
 * Your [wiki:CommandsXml commands] or [wiki:AssociationsXml associations] file is corrupt. Try deleting them.
 * You're running muCommander on a known system but with a configuration that we haven't encountered before. See this [http://www.mucommander.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=910 thread] for an example.

=== Why is the `Open with...` menu grayed out? === #open-with
Because you haven't defined any commands for it to use. Please read this [wiki:CommandsXml article] for more information.

=== Why doesn't muCommander use the system right-click menu? === #system-right-click
Simply put, because we haven't found how. As far as we know, Java doesn't allow us to use system dependent things like that.

If you know better and can point us in the right direction with code samples or documentation links, we'd be happy to hear about it.

=== How can I search for a specific file? === #search-files
At the time of writing, you can't.

This is an often requested feature, one that we're thinking about and have a few ideas on how to implement, but it's not there yet.

=== How do I open !OpenOffice documents? === #open-with
When you double-click or press `Enter` on an OpenOffice document, the document's internals are revealed, which may seem a bit awkward. ODF files are actually ZIP files, and muCommander recognises them as such: when you try to open one, muCommander will show you the contents of the archive rather than start Open Office.

In order to start Open Office, you need to open "natively" (mapped to `Shift Enter` by default) the document.

=== How do I start OS X applications? === #os-app
This question is closely linked to the previous one: OS X `.app` files are in fact directories, and muCommander will browse them rather than start the application. You need to open them "natively" (mapped to `Shift Enter` by default).

=== Why can't I execute applications extracted by muCommander? Why aren't file permissions properly preserved? === #permissions
The short answer is, because you're not running Java 1.6 or higher.

Until version 1.6, Java did not know how to set file permissions on local files. Extracting executable files from archives (or copying them, for that matter) will drop the executable flag, preventing you from executing it.

If you can upgrade to Java 1.6, we advise you to do so. If you can't, however, you only need run `chmod +x` on the file for it to become executable again.

=== muCommander doesn't work properly with Spaces, why? === #spaces
As much as we respect Apple, this is actually their fault.

Java under OS X doesn't integrate properly with Spaces. Depending on which version of Java you're running, support might improve. Upgrading to Java 1.6 is usually a good idea, as it appears to have the best support: the only thing that doesn't work is tying muCommander to a specific Space.


=== How can I have muCommander use !QuickLook? === #quicklook
We'd love to include !QuickLook support by default, but the only way we've found of interracting with it at the moment is using the `qlmanage` command, which exhibits unpleasant behaviour (slow to execute, can't be closed with `ESC`...).

If you know of a way to work around these issues (!AppleScript, maybe?), we'd love to hear from it.

If you don't mind these shortcommings, you can easily configure muCommander to integrate !QuickLook by creating a `qlmanage -p $f` [wiki:CommandsXml custom command].

=== How can I copy / move files in the background? === #background-copy
Unfortunately, you can't yet.

This is our most requested feature and we're well aware that it's a critical one. We have plans for it, and will definitely implement it. It will however require some heavy coding to ensure thread safety (basically, preventing evil things from happening when you have more than one copy going one), and we want to be as sure as possible that it's safe before rolling the feature out.

=== How can I create tabs? === #tabs
You currently can't.

This is another important and often requested feature, and we do plan on implementing it. There are a few stumbling blocks, though, one of the most important ones being muCommander's support for older Java versions: tabs are awkward to use before Java 1.5, and we'd almost have to write two different tab implementations.

This feature will definitely be implemented, but we're considering waiting until muCommander drops support for Java 1.4.

=== Nothing happens when I double-click on a file, why? === #doubleclick
That's a problem we've encountered a few times when running muCommander on Linux. You can find detailed information in ticket #48, but if you just need a quick fix:
 * Open the file `~/.Xdefaults`.
 * Add the line: `*.multiClickTime: 500`.
 * Run `xrdb -merge ~/.Xdefaults`.

=== I'd like to help, what can I do?  === #contribute

There are many ways you can contribute to the project, take a look this [wiki:WikiStart#contribute page] for a few ideas. Your help is greatly appreciated!