---
name: "mailcap.order"
section: "5"
platform: "linux"
package: "mailcap"
version: "3.74"
release: "Debian 13 (Trixie)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/mailcap.order"
---

# mailcap.order(5)

the mailcap ordering specifications

## NAME

/etc/mailcap.order - the mailcap ordering specifications

## DESCRIPTION

The order of entries in the */etc/mailcap* file can be altered by editing the */etc/mailcap.order* file.  Each line of that file specifies a package and an optional mime type.  Mailcap entries that match will be placed in the order of this file.  Entries that don't match will be placed later.

### Example

    mime-support:\*/\*\
     gv:application/postscript\
     netscape:text/html\
     less:text/\*\
     emacs:text/\*

The above would make any entries provided by the **mime-support** package (as found in the  */usr/lib/mime/packages* directory) take priority over everything else.  The **gv** package will be used over anything else when it comes to postscript documents. **Netscape** will be used for any html documents and **less** will be used for any remaining text documents.  However, since neither netscape or less provide for editing documents, any edit or compose actions will fall through to the **emacs** rules.

After modifying this file, be sure to run */usr/sbin/update-mime* (as root) to propagate the changes into the */etc/mailcap* file.

Remember that this files takes *package* names and not *executable* names.  If you want to define rules that reference specific programs, the best way is to include them in *~/.mailcap* or the user section of the */etc/mailcap* file.

## LIMITATIONS

There is currently no way to break out a certain type from a wildcard rule.  If, for example, both xv and gimp were to specify "image/\*" rules, it isn't possible to use xv for *gif* images but use gimp for *jpeg* images.

Also, I would like to add the ability to specify certain actions in the rules.  For example, if netscape were to have an *edit* rule but I wanted to use emacs for editing/creating html documents, I could place a line like

  emacs:text/\* action=edit\|compose

before the netscape entry.  The **update-mime** program would then spit out entries such that netscape *view* rule comes **before** the emacs *view* rule but have the netscape *edit* rule comes **after** the emacs *edit* rule.

## SEE ALSO

[**mailcap**(5)](/mailcap/5.md) [**run-mailcap**(1)](/run-mailcap/1.md) [**update-mime**(8)](/update-mime/8.md)

## AUTHOR

The **mailcap.order** specification was written by Brian White \<bcwhite@pobox.com\>