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Problem with Manipulating PDF Email Attachments in the New Thunderbird Tabs

  • 3 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by Arvidd

Arvidd
Arvidd
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Before the latest update to Thunderbird, opening PDF attachments would bring them up separately in Adobe Reader, which was no problem at all. I'm not sure why a change was instituted to cause them to open in Thunderbird tabs, but this is seriously inconvenient for me.

When a PDF file opened directly in Adobe Reader, the text can be highlighted and copied. This does not work now when it shows up supposedly as PDF in a Thunderbird tab. I don't know about JPG or other file types--I've yet to have one of those where I can see it they cause trouble as well--but is there some way to turn off having email attachments open in Thunderbird tabs rather than directly in the operative software--PDF by Adobe Reader, for example? I can't figure out how to get such an attachment to open directly in Adobe Reader, but that's where I want it, not as a tab in Thunderbird.

Probably this is easy, but I can't figure out how to do it.

Before the latest update to Thunderbird, opening PDF attachments would bring them up separately in Adobe Reader, which was no problem at all. I'm not sure why a change was instituted to cause them to open in Thunderbird tabs, but this is seriously inconvenient for me. When a PDF file opened directly in Adobe Reader, the text can be highlighted and copied. This does not work now when it shows up supposedly as PDF in a Thunderbird tab. I don't know about JPG or other file types--I've yet to have one of those where I can see it they cause trouble as well--but is there some way to turn off having email attachments open in Thunderbird tabs rather than directly in the operative software--PDF by Adobe Reader, for example? I can't figure out how to get such an attachment to open directly in Adobe Reader, but that's where I want it, not as a tab in Thunderbird. Probably this is easy, but I can't figure out how to do it.

Chosen solution

I can't figure out how to get such an attachment to open directly in Adobe Reader

At the top right of the Thunderbird window, click the menu button > Preferences > General > Files & Attachments Locate the entry for Content Type 'Portable Document Format (pdf)'. Select the desired Action for PDF from the drop-down menu.

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All Replies (3)

Mark Howitt
Mark Howitt
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For me it's worse: in both my laptop and my PC, when I click on Tools / General, TB goes into a perpetual loop from which the only way out is to close TB roughly, which loses any un-saved draft emails. How can I do it?

There should be an "open with..." option on right click, offering the choice to use our selected programme (for me, Adobe Reader) which should give an option to do it permanently. And selecting applications for opening attachments should be easy to set and re-set.

And TB shouldn't keep changing where they hide all the menu options. For example, all the help guidance says that setting and un-setting filters is in the Tools menu; now it's moved to the top-level of the email account in question.

christ1
christ1
  • Top 25 Contributor
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Chosen Solution

I can't figure out how to get such an attachment to open directly in Adobe Reader

At the top right of the Thunderbird window, click the menu button > Preferences > General > Files & Attachments Locate the entry for Content Type 'Portable Document Format (pdf)'. Select the desired Action for PDF from the drop-down menu.

Arvidd
Arvidd Question owner
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To Chris1,

Thank you. These sorts of things very often are obvious only when they become obvious.

Arvidd