Open URL links from gnome-terminal in disposable VM

Sven · May 12, 2021, 5:35am

This is a continuation of a GitHub discussion:

URL links in gnome-terminal attempt to open local web browser instead of disposable VM

opened 07:13PM - 07 May 21 UTC

T: enhancement C: other P: default pr submitted

**The problem you're addressing (if any)** Wanting to open the text of a li…nk on terminal screen to disposable VM gnome-terminal auto-recognizes links displayed on the terminal screen allowing you to right click, then select "open link". However it automatically attempts to **Describe the solution you'd like** when right clicking, having both options of "open link in local browser" and "open link in disposable vm" would be best, but that would require modifying gnome-terminal. Alternatively, if the end user had a way to change the gnome default-browser to the command that opens in a disposable VM, that would probably be easier. **Where is the value to a user, and who might that user be?** Users: * Anyone who uses mutt and does not want to open a entire email in a VM (activating trackers) * Anyone who encounters links reading documentation from the terminal **Describe alternatives you've considered** I tried finding the setting of the gnome default browser command, and changing it myself but online documentation points to having to go to the filebrowser, right click on a .html file, select "open with", and select "open in DVM" there, so a alternative option would be to add a "open in DVM" application that could be selected there. **Additional context** **Relevant [documentation](https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/) you've consulted** **Related, [non-duplicate](https://www.qubes-os.org/doc/reporting-bugs/#new-issues-should-not-be-duplicates-of-existing-issues) issues**

/usr/bin/qvm-open-in-dvm https://google.com

That works for me.

It’s likely an issue with your dvm. Could you start your dvm template
and run xdg-settings get default-web-browser there? It should be firefox
or chrome.

Also can you check your /etc/qubes-rpc/policy/qubes.OpenURL file in dom0
and share the contents?

ddevz · May 13, 2021, 2:48pm

Thanks. I didn’t realize it was just me that was having this issue. So, to first answer your 2 questions:
“xdg-settings get default-web-browser” returns:
firefox.desktop

non commented lines in /etc/qubes-rpc/policy/qubes.OpenURL are:
$anyvm $dispvm allow
$anyvm $anyvm ask

I had assumed that since the man page said that the parameter was supposed to be a file, and not a url, that that’s why /usr/bin/qvm-open-in-dvm https://google.com wasn’t working. but if it works for you. Hmm, i’m running qubes 4.0, not the new development 4.1 version if that’s relavant.

Also, note that the disposable VM starts, it then just halts without ever doing anything. I was assuming that it was launching, trying to transfer a file named “https://google.com”, failing to do so, then halting and destroying itself.

Since it destroys itself, would I be correct in assuming that there is no way to get logfiles of what’s going on in the disposable VM?

ddevz · May 13, 2021, 3:05pm

Knowing that it works for you, I tried changing my template for disposable VM’s from fedora to “whonix”, and that worked just fine.

I personally can just use a different template, but should we keep going with this to see if the issue of passing a URL to fedora is a issue for everyone?

unman · May 13, 2021, 3:16pm

This is a known issue(#6562), and a solution is under consideration.

ddevz · May 13, 2021, 6:44pm

Thanks. We can close this “support request” and I’ll go back to the main issue on github.

Thanks again.