Kate is not my preferred text editor either. Normally, even for
composing/editing bash scripts, kwrite is preferred. For advanced stuff
beyond kwrite I use "geany"
What I do is:
a right-click on a normal text file. then a "properties" box opens where
I can click the "file type" icon. From there, application preference
order can be chosen.
This has to be repeated (if wanted) for diff, log and maybe others.
snip from my current ~/'trinity/share/config/profilerc (the actual
config file for application preferences):
[text/plain - 1]
AllowAsDefault=true
Application=kde-kwrite.desktop
GenericServiceType=Application
Preference=3
ServiceType=text/plain
[text/plain - 2]
AllowAsDefault=true
Application=kde-kate.desktop
GenericServiceType=Application
Preference=2
ServiceType=text/plain
[text/plain - 3]
AllowAsDefault=true
Application=abiword.desktop
GenericServiceType=Application
Preference=1
ServiceType=text/plain
[text/plain - 4]
AllowAsDefault=true
Application=katepart.desktop
GenericServiceType=KParts/ReadOnlyPart
Preference=2
ServiceType=text/plain
[text/plain - 5]
AllowAsDefault=true
Application=karm_part.desktop
GenericServiceType=KParts/ReadOnlyPart
Preference=1
ServiceType=text/plain
[text/x-diff - 1]
AllowAsDefault=true
Application=kde-kwrite.desktop
GenericServiceType=Application
Preference=3
ServiceType=text/x-diff
[text/x-diff - 2]
AllowAsDefault=true
Application=kde-kate.desktop
GenericServiceType=Application
Preference=2
ServiceType=text/x-diff
[text/x-diff - 3]
AllowAsDefault=true
Application=abiword.desktop
GenericServiceType=Application
Preference=1
ServiceType=text/x-diff
[text/x-diff - 4]
AllowAsDefault=true
Application=katepart.desktop
GenericServiceType=KParts/ReadOnlyPart
Preference=3
ServiceType=text/x-diff
[text/x-diff - 5]
AllowAsDefault=true
Application=kdiff3part.desktop
GenericServiceType=KParts/ReadOnlyPart
Preference=2
ServiceType=text/x-diff
[text/x-diff - 6]
AllowAsDefault=truewhere
Application=karm_part.desktop
GenericServiceType=KParts/ReadOnlyPart
Preference=1
ServiceType=text/x-diff
[text/x-log - 1]
AllowAsDefault=true
Application=kde-kwrite.desktop
GenericServiceType=Application
Preference=3
ServiceType=text/x-log
[text/x-log - 2]
AllowAsDefault=true
Application=kde-kate.desktop
GenericServiceType=Application
Preference=2
ServiceType=text/x-log
[text/x-log - 3]
AllowAsDefault=true
Application=abiword.desktop
GenericServiceType=Application
Preference=1
ServiceType=text/x-log
[text/x-log - 4]
AllowAsDefault=true
Application=katepart.desktop
GenericServiceType=KParts/ReadOnlyPart
Preference=2
ServiceType=text/x-log
[text/x-log - 5]
AllowAsDefault=true
Application=karm_part.desktop
GenericServiceType=KParts/ReadOnlyPart
Preference=1
ServiceType=text/x-log