Xdg-open doesn't do anything, Zoom in Chromium,

Question

I'm running Ubuntu 18.04.4 LTS. As the title says, when prompt to "xdg open" on Zoom (chromium browser), nothing happens and I can't do a conference call. Does anyone know what might be the issue? I've came across this issue in another websites as well.

Solution 1

It could be the xdg-open is not configured to use the correct zoom.desktop

Here is what I did

Verify if you have a valid handler for the zoommtg

xdg-mime query default x-scheme-handler/zoommtg

for me that gave an output zoom.desktop

but I did not have a

/usr/share/applications/zoom.desktop

however I had a

/usr/share/applications/Zoom.desktop

notice Z not z

I changed the default by

xdg-mime default Zoom.desktop x-scheme-handler/zoommtg

Solution 2

I just came across this, for some reason on another ubuntu install this works flawlessly and on this new ubuntu install it does not.

It seems it because of the way that snapd works: https://bugs.launchpad.net/snapd/+bug/1776873

There is a comment on the bug that mentions a possible fix: https://bugs.launchpad.net/snapd/+bug/1776873/comments/36

But the easier solution might be to install chromium from the repos and not from snap install (software centre). I uninstalled chromium snap and installed the chroumium found in the normal apt repo. The zoom install I used is first the one offered by zoom the company (a deb package) and the snap install found in the software centre. They both seem to work the issue being confirmed the chromium snap install being secure.

To remove the snap install:

$ snap remove chromium 

To install the package manager version:

$ sudo apt install chromium-browser

This save the step of having to copy and past the meeting id and password into the meeting. The above works in a fresh install of ubuntu 18.04

Comments

[Steven]

Having the exact same problem as you. For me it's not maintained to Zoom though. Any prompt of xdg-open just doesn't work through Firefox, although it does through Chrome.

[Dinis Rodrigues]

Yes, I came to realize that's for every application as well..

[Organic Marble]

It did not work for us in chrome either. Downloading zoom worked.

[Steven]

I can indeed run directly through Zoom, that works fine. However, I'd prefer if it would work. By the way, @Dinis, did you by chance install Chrome through snap?

[Dinis Rodrigues]

@Steven yes I did! I found out that by using Firefox, it all works as expected!

[Steven]

That's great new @DinisRodrigues! Can you tell me how you choose to install Firefox? DId you use the software center or snap?

[Dinis Rodrigues]

@Steven I'm not sure, it's the one that came pre-installed with ubuntu.

[qwa]

This doesn't work for me. On Linux Mint 20, but already using Chrome and nothing on snap. Zoom and other things using xdg-open don't work at all on Chrome or on Firefox, though all worked fine in Mint 19.