{
    "mode": "man",
    "parameter": "mailcap.order",
    "section": "5",
    "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/mailcap.order/5/json",
    "generated": "2026-08-31T22:13:17Z",
    "sections": {
        "NAME": {
            "content": "/etc/mailcap.order - the mailcap ordering specifications\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "DESCRIPTION": {
            "content": "The  order of entries in the /etc/mailcap file can be altered by editing the /etc/mailcap.or‐\nder file.  Each line of that file specifies a package and an optional mime type.  Mailcap en‐\ntries that match will be placed in the order of this file.  Entries that don't match will  be\nplaced later.\n",
            "subsections": [
                {
                    "name": "Example",
                    "content": "mime-support:*/*\ngv:application/postscript\nnetscape:text/html\nless:text/*\nemacs:text/*\n\nThe  above  would  make  any  entries  provided  by the mime-support package (as found in the\n/usr/lib/mime/packages directory) take priority over everything else.  The gv package will be\nused over anything else when it comes to postscript documents.  Netscape will be used for any\nhtml documents and less will be used for any remaining text documents.  However,  since  nei‐\nther  netscape  or  less provide for editing documents, any edit or compose actions will fall\nthrough to the emacs rules.\n\nAfter modifying this file, be sure to run /usr/sbin/update-mime (as root)  to  propagate  the\nchanges into the /etc/mailcap file.\n\nRemember that this files takes package names and not executable names.  If you want to define\nrules  that reference specific programs, the best way is to include them in ~/.mailcap or the\nuser section of the /etc/mailcap file.\n"
                }
            ]
        },
        "LIMITATIONS": {
            "content": "There is currently no way to break out a certain type from a wildcard rule.  If, for example,\nboth xv and gimp were to specify \"image/*\" rules, it isn't possible to use xv for gif  images\nbut use gimp for jpeg images.\n\nAlso,  I would like to add the ability to specify certain actions in the rules.  For example,\nif netscape were to have an edit rule but I wanted to use  emacs  for  editing/creating  html\ndocuments, I could place a line like\n\nemacs:text/* action=edit|compose\n\nbefore  the  netscape  entry.   The update-mime program would then spit out entries such that\nnetscape view rule comes before the emacs view rule but have the netscape edit rule comes af‐\nter the emacs edit rule.\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "SEE ALSO": {
            "content": "mailcap(5) run-mailcap(1) update-mime(8)\n",
            "subsections": []
        },
        "AUTHOR": {
            "content": "The mailcap.order specification was written by Brian White <bcwhite@pobox.com>\n\nDebian Project                              16th Aug 1998                           MAILCAP.ORDER(5)",
            "subsections": []
        }
    },
    "summary": "/etc/mailcap.order - the mailcap ordering specifications",
    "flags": [],
    "examples": [],
    "see_also": [
        {
            "name": "mailcap",
            "section": "5",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/mailcap/5/json"
        },
        {
            "name": "run-mailcap",
            "section": "1",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/run-mailcap/1/json"
        },
        {
            "name": "update-mime",
            "section": "8",
            "url": "https://www.chedong.com/phpMan.php/man/update-mime/8/json"
        }
    ]
}