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Firefox downloads PDF with wrong extension instead of opening a websites' PDF viewer

  • 3 replies
  • 7 have this problem
  • 11 views
  • Last reply by decibel

decibel
decibel
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I have a problem with websites that want to provide their own PDF viewer. Instead of launching their viewer, Firefox wants to download the PDF. I'd be perfectly fine with that ***if it downloaded with the correct .pdf extension so that Preview would actually open the PDF***. But that's not what happens; I end up with something like "RetrieveDocument.aspx" or "Retrieve.srv".

I've tried resetting my download options (http://kb.mozillazine.org/File_types_and_download_actions). Didn't help.

I saw some stuff about other plugins I can install. Here's the thing: *this stuff works fine in Chrome and Safari*. Maybe websites aren't tagging their content correctly or something, but this stuff works fine in two other browsers.

I have a problem with websites that want to provide their own PDF viewer. Instead of launching their viewer, Firefox wants to download the PDF. I'd be perfectly fine with that ***if it downloaded with the correct .pdf extension so that Preview would actually open the PDF***. But that's not what happens; I end up with something like "RetrieveDocument.aspx" or "Retrieve.srv". I've tried resetting my download options (http://kb.mozillazine.org/File_types_and_download_actions). Didn't help. I saw some stuff about other plugins I can install. Here's the thing: *this stuff works fine in Chrome and Safari*. Maybe websites aren't tagging their content correctly or something, but this stuff works fine in two other browsers.

All Replies (3)

Glamdring7
Glamdring7
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Hello,

In order to change the default reader for PDF files (to not open PDF files with Firefox's internal PDF reader), follow these steps:

  1. Go to Tools > Options (or Firefox > Options).
  2. In the Options window, select the Applications tab.
  3. In the Search field, type PDF. You should find Portable Document Format (PDF).
  4. On the right handside you should find an Action column. Use that to select your favorite PDF reader. In order to view PDF files in Firefox, choose Preview in Firefox.

Did this fix your problems? Please report back to us!

Thank you.

cor-el
cor-el
  • Moderator
  • Top 10 Contributor
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If the server sends the PDF file in a way (type="application/pdf") that Firefox doesn't recognize it as such or even sends the file with a generic file extension then you will have to correct the file extension yourself and/or select the correct application yourself.

You can also contact the website and ask them to send these files in a better way.

decibel
decibel Question owner
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I thought Glamdring's post solved this, but it introduces a new problem. When I set firefox to use it's internal viewer the website that initially had a problem (site A) worked, but then other websites (site B) end up asking to download, at which point I'm stuck having to trawl around to find the saved download or I tell it to use Preview which gets me back to a broken status on site A.

Chrome and Safari both handle this.

cor-el: You really think Citibank or my insurance company are going to fix their "broken" website that works perfectly fine with Chrome, Safari and (presumably) IE? I understand that it sucks when people don't follow standards but ultimately it's Firefox users that are the losers here.