Improvement to open binary files on their registered apps from File Explorer.

Author: HelioGuilherme66

CHANGELOG.adoc

@@ -6,7 +6,11 @@ All notable changes to this project will be documented in this file.
 The format is based on http://keepachangelog.com/en/1.0.0/[Keep a Changelog]
 and this project adheres to http://semver.org/spec/v2.0.0.html[Semantic Versioning].
 
-// == https://github.com/robotframework/RIDE[Unreleased]
+== https://github.com/robotframework/RIDE[Unreleased]
+
+=== Changed
+- In File Explorer opening non-text files is done by the operating system registered app. Text files are opened in simple editor, or RIDE if valid types.
+
 
 == https://github.com/robotframework/RIDE/blob/master/doc/releasenotes/ride-2.2.1.1.rst[2.2.1.1] - 2025-12-08
 

README.adoc

@@ -46,7 +46,7 @@ Likewise, the current version of wxPython, is 4.2.3, but RIDE is known to work w
 
 `pip install -U robotframework-ride`
 
-(3.9 <= python <= 3.14) Install current development version (**2.2.1.1**) with:
+(3.9 <= python <= 3.14) Install current development version (**2.2.2dev1**) with:
 
 `pip install -U https://github.com/robotframework/RIDE/archive/develop.zip`
 

pyproject.toml

@@ -45,6 +45,7 @@ classifiers = [
     "Topic :: Software Development :: Testing",
 ]
 dependencies = [
+    "isbinary",
     "psutil",
     "Pygments",
     "PyPubSub",

requirements.txt

@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ Pywin32; sys_platform == 'win32'
 Pygments # This enables syntax highlighted in Text Editor
 robotframework
 Pypubsub
+isbinary
 psutil
 packaging
 requests>=2.32.4

src/robotide/application/releasenotes.py

@@ -177,6 +177,7 @@ def set_content(self, html_win, content):
 </ul>
 <p><strong>New Features and Fixes Highlights</strong></p>
 <ul class="simple">
+<li>In File Explorer opening non-text files is done by the operating system registered app.</li>
 <li>Added context menu to File Explorer, to Open test suites directories or test suites files (also with double-click).
 </li>
 <li>Added context menu option to Open Containing Folder, in operating system file explorer, or specific tool.</li>
@@ -238,7 +239,7 @@ def set_content(self, html_win, content):
 <pre class="literal-block">python -m robotide.postinstall -install</pre>
 <p>or</p>
 <pre class="literal-block">ride_postinstall.py -install</pre>
-<p>RIDE {VERSION} was released on 08/December/2025.</p>
+<p>RIDE {VERSION} was released on 13/December/2025.</p>
 <br/>
 <!-- 
 <h3>Celebrate the bank holiday, 1st December, Restoration of the Independence of Portugal (from Spain in 1640)!!</h3>

src/robotide/ui/mainframe.py

@@ -15,6 +15,8 @@
 
 import builtins
 import os
+import subprocess
+import sys
 
 import wx
 import wx.lib.agw.aui as aui
@@ -42,6 +44,7 @@
 from ..ui.tagdialogs import ViewAllTagsDialog
 from ..utils import RideFSWatcherHandler
 from ..widgets import RIDEDialog, ImageProvider, HtmlWindow
+from isbinary import is_binary_file
 
 _ = wx.GetTranslation  # To keep linter/code analyser happy
 builtins.__dict__['_'] = wx.GetTranslation
@@ -81,6 +84,17 @@ def get_menudata():
             help_3 + help_4 + help_6 + help_7)
 
 
+def start_external_app(file_path):
+    if sys.platform.startswith('darwin'):  # macOS
+        subprocess.call(['open', file_path])
+    elif sys.platform.startswith('win32'):  # Windows
+        subprocess.call(['cmd', '/c', 'start', file_path], shell=True)
+    elif sys.platform.startswith('linux'):  # Linux
+        subprocess.call(['xdg-open', file_path])
+    else:
+        print('Unsupported OS')
+
+
 class RideFrame(wx.Frame):
 
     _menudata_nt = """[File]
@@ -464,7 +478,10 @@ def on_open_file(self, event):
                 return
             if self.open_suite(path):
                 return
-        customsourceeditor.main(path)
+        if not is_binary_file(path):
+            customsourceeditor.main(path)
+        else:
+            start_external_app(path)
 
     def on_menu_open_file(self, event):
         if not self.filemgr:

src/robotide/version.py

@@ -15,4 +15,4 @@
 #
 # Automatically generated by `tasks.py`.
 
-VERSION = 'v2.2.1.1'
+VERSION = 'v2.2.2dev1'