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Can I specify how text files (.txt) are opened in Firefox 62.0.3?

  • 5 replies
  • 1 has this problem
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  • Last reply by cor-el

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I don't see an option for specifying how text files are opened. I do see instructions for what looks like a wider range of file types in this article: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/applications-panel-set-how-firefox-handles-files, but think it must be from a previous version of Firefox. Screenshot below shows my available options.

Can anyone help?

I don't see an option for specifying how text files are opened. I do see instructions for what looks like a wider range of file types in this article: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/applications-panel-set-how-firefox-handles-files, but think it must be from a previous version of Firefox. Screenshot below shows my available options. Can anyone help?

All Replies (5)

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Since text is a web-native format, Firefox normally will display it in a tab unless a website instructs Firefox to handle it as a download (Content-Disposition: attachment) or the site doesn't identify it using the text/plain content type.

What is it that you want to do?

Also, could you try attaching the screenshot again? It didn't work the first time.

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Sorry, here's the screen shot again. I am trying to get text files to open in Notepad ++. If they open in the native format columns are not lining up properly and the file is very hard to read.

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Hmm, I think you may need to save and open them from disk.

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Well, that's disappointing. Thanks for your help.

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If a file isn't lining up properly then this can mean that a proportional font is used to display the file and not a fixed font or that there are tab characters in the file that aren't expanded like is expected. You can pref a link with the view-source: protocol to force opening a text file in a Firefox tab or use "View Page Source" in the context menu. You can specify to use an external source viewer by modifying some prefs on the about:config page.

You can find these prefs on the about:config page to set what external viewer/editor to use if you invoke "View Page Source".

Text files send as text/plain are always opened in a Firefox tab and would require to use the right-click context menu (Save Link As) if you would want to save the file.