docs: def launch_external_file(filename: str, raise_if_fails: bool = False) -> None:
      """
      Launches a file using the operating system's standard launcher.
  
      Args:
          filename: file to launch
          raise_if_fails: raise any exceptions from
              ``subprocess.call(["xdg-open", filename])`` (Linux)
              or ``os.startfile(filename)`` (otherwise)? If not, exceptions
              are suppressed.
  
      """
      log.info("Launching external file: {!r}", filename)
      try:
          if sys.platform.startswith('linux'):
              cmdargs = ["xdg-open", filename]
              # log.debug("... command: {!r}", cmdargs)
              subprocess.call(cmdargs)
          else:
              # log.debug("... with os.startfile()")
              # noinspection PyUnresolvedReferences
              os.startfile(filename)
      except Exception as e:
          log.critical("Error launching {!r}: error was {}.\n\n{}",
                       filename, str(e), traceback.format_exc())
          if raise_if_fails:
              raise