I don't know whether is was the the 87 update or the 88 update, but the Linux version of Firefox does *not* permit the viewing of a pdf in the browser
I am the webmaster for a church website. As you will see about the collected data on my computer, I work on a Linux computer. Because of the pandemic, the church has been worshipping using livestream video run from the church's website. To aid parishioners with the service, we post pdfs of the Service Bulletin, Readings for the Day, and other aids to participate in the service.
Up until, I think, Firefox 87, in testing the webpage before publishing, I was able to open the pdf links in a new tab. Now, when I try to test the pdf links, Firefox prompts me to save the pdf and I cannot view it online. Given that the pdfs were generated on my computer and exist in my files, It is somewhat ridiculous that I'm being prompted to save the pages.
However, because I also have a Windows machine, I know that this is not happening on all of Firefox, just on the Linux version,
How can I alert Firefox to get this fixed. When I'm not acting as a webmaster, I have occasion to click on a pdf link and it is annoying that it will not display in the browser and and opens up a "save" box.
All Replies (3)
Try the Firefox version from the official Mozilla server if you currently use a version from the repositories of your Linux distribution.
I am still not able to view a PDF in the browser. It goes immediately to save it. I have tried updating Firefox. I have tried the various pdf add-ons. None of them work! I do not want to automatically save every pdf I click on. I want to view it. I am on Linux, so there is no Adobe Reader for me. Firefox used to do this automatically, regardless of the options the creator used - or did not use.
I put pdfs on my church's website. I make sure that "open in web" is checked. I cen call those pdfs up in Firefox as a file, using Open File. However, when I put the pdf on the website, and call the page up to test it, Firefox tries to save the pdf I already have on my computer. I know this is not happening on parishioner's computers which are all either Windows or Mac. It only happen on Linux and it is driving me bonkers.
Firefox in its next edit of the browser should go back to whatever it was doing in past days when loading in the browser was either automatic or available as right click, depending upon how the creator set it up.
I am fed up. Firefox changes things it doesn't need to change. If it doesn't fix the pdf problem, I am gone.
I have been on the web from the beginning of its public existence. Whatever browser Mozilla created at a given time (Netscape, what ever came before Netscape), it was my browser of choice. You never used to have to be a computer expert to get the browser to do what you wanted (within what was reasonably expected). It's not doing that anymore.
I also have the Brave browser on my computer. I'm not comfortable with it yet, but it does everything Firefox doesn't any more.
I know this is a statement of my displeasure and not a request for help. I despair of getting any help. (understand that I have read and used suggestions from support posts similar to mine, none of which worked). There used to be a feedback link to Mozilla somewhere but I don't see it anymore.
You should be able to use "Open in Firefox" via the download dialog.
Set Firefox to ask you what to do with PDF files:
This feature is controlled by prefs on the about:config page.
- browser.helperApps.showOpenOptionForPdfJS
- pdfjs.handleOctetStream