Questions[file-association](ubuntu)

I have a shell script "the_script" that I would like to register as the default application for the files with the extension ".ext". For this purpose, I have written an xml file to register the mime type, and a .desktop file to associate the application with the mime type. The script has the executable bit for the user and is available in the user's path.

The xml file, named "the_script.xml" is as follows:

<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?>
<mime-info xmlns="http://www.freedesktop.org/standards/shared-mime-info">
    <mime-type type="application/x-the-script">
        <comment>A file for the script</comment>
        <glob pattern="*.ext"/>
    </mime-type>
</mime-info>

Then I ran xdg-mime install --novendor the_script.xml.

The .desktop file, named "the_script.desktop" is as follows:

[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0

Type=Application
MimeType=application/x-the-script

Name=The script that manages .ext files

Comment=Interpreter for .ext files

TryExec=the_script
Exec=the_script %f
Terminal=false

And I ran xdg-desktop-menu install --novendor the_script.desktop to register the file.

Once that both files are registered, the .ext files do not open with the text editor any more but Gnome tells me that there is no installed application for the files "A file for the script".

I have successfully registered other file formats with other applications. The other applications were compiled programs while the_script is a shell script. That is the only difference I can see. How can I register my script with the .ext files?

I started using Sublime Text 2 a week or so ago and I loved it so much I've spent $60 on it and now want to use it for everything.

Gedit currently has ownership of most of the text file associations. I'd essentially like to replace any association to gedit with sublime-text-2.

Any tips available on bulk association changing? Desktop-neutral methods are preferred.

How does Ubuntu or any other Linux systems store file associations?

Is there some /etc/asscociations file or something?

I know that I can right click on file and change it via "open with", but I'm just curious to know how it's stored internally.

So I downloaded something with Kget and somehow set all the folders in the Places menu to open in VLC rather than in the default file manager. How do I clear this?

I may have the wrong idea here, but I thought that:

MIME types are identifying codes, embedded inside a file.
File .extensions are idenifying codes, suffixed to the file's name.

I thought, from something I heard in the dim dark ages, that Linux was .extension agnostic... ( maybe it was in the early days, and things have changed since then...? )

I've recently come from the Windows world, where, at the Operating-System level, a file .extension is the only way (as far as I know) to associate it with its relevant Application program.

Because I don't know why, I find it a bit disconcerting that a file named "fred" and a file named "fred.txt" both open up in a Text Editor.

Is there a clear-cut hierarchy at work here?