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PDF docs in firefox open a different way every time I launch

  • 2 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 4 views
  • Last reply by cor-el

zalm
zalm
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Under "Tools -> Applications" my PDF viewer continually changes its options based on how the last document was opened. I want to lock Firefox down so it only opens PDFs with my PDF viewer/document manager. How do I do that? I don't want it opening in Firefox or saving or anything else. Sometimes it plays so badly that it opens an endless series of blank tabs (Open in Firefox option) .

Win7 x64, FF 40.0.3, Foxit Phantom 5.1.2.035

Under "Tools -> Applications" my PDF viewer continually changes its options based on how the last document was opened. I want to lock Firefox down so it only opens PDFs with my PDF viewer/document manager. How do I do that? I don't want it opening in Firefox or saving or anything else. Sometimes it plays so badly that it opens an endless series of blank tabs (Open in Firefox option) . Win7 x64, FF 40.0.3, Foxit Phantom 5.1.2.035

All Replies (2)

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 25 Contributor
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First, it's best not to choose Open in Firefox from the download dialog. Usually Firefox is showing that dialog because it wasn't able to handle the content type. This article describes how to address that issue: Firefox repeatedly opens empty tabs or windows after you click on a link.

Second, websites do not always send the content-type header application/pdf for PDFs, which is what the Portable Document Format (PDF) setting on the Applications panel of the Options page actually matches up with (not the file extension). If the website sends a different content type header, the results can be random...

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
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Note that the built-in PDF Viewer only works with the content type application/pdf and not with others.

When Firefox asks what application to use to handle a file then you should never select Firefox because Firefox wouldn't ask you if it can handle the file.

Try to rename (or delete) the mimeTypes.rdf file in the Firefox profile folder to reset all file actions.

You can use this button to go to the current Firefox profile folder: