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Firefox attempts to open downloaded file with an application not specified in options

  • 4 replies
  • 2 have this problem
  • 1 view
  • Last reply by witrak()

witrak()
witrak()
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In fact, there's no application specified in the Applications section under Files and Applications (my profile is new, so the table listing applications for specific content is empty). Nevertheless, Firefox attempts to open file (.csv, .txt) using SDM (which is Secure Download Manager). This seems to be strange behavior (at least) because SDM is not specified in the Windows 7 default programs, too. So how Firefox guesses which program should be used? Appropriate description in support section (https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/change-firefox-behavior-when-open-file) does not consider such a case. How it is possible?

In fact, there's no application specified in the Applications section under Files and Applications (my profile is new, so the table listing applications for specific content is empty). Nevertheless, Firefox attempts to open file (.csv, .txt) using SDM (which is Secure Download Manager). This seems to be strange behavior (at least) because SDM is not specified in the Windows 7 default programs, too. So how Firefox guesses which program should be used? Appropriate description in support section (https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/change-firefox-behavior-when-open-file) does not consider such a case. How it is possible?
Attached screenshots

All Replies (4)

the-edmeister
the-edmeister
  • Moderator
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See if this support article helps you: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/change-firefox-behavior-when-open-file

If that doesn't help you, look to the preferences / options in that Secure Download Manager application.

witrak()
witrak() Question owner
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The article you mentioned is as good as that I referred to. Both say what to do (what I knew), but my question was how to explain the Firefox behavior. If there's no explanation then it should be reported as a bug...

As for options of SDM, I don't believe that they can influence FF actions, except when the program is specified in "Default programs" of Windows 7 as a proper program for the specified file type (or rather filename extension), what's not the case.

witrak()
witrak() Question owner
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New information. I overlooked important detail: FF recognizes the file as SDX file (see included image). Thus the program is selected by FF correctly (according to Windows 7 settings). What's unclear is the way FF decides that the file (named Document.CSV) is of type SDX...

witrak()
witrak() Question owner
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witrak said

What's unclear is the way FF decides that the file (named Document.CSV) is of type SDX...

It seems not only FF makes strange choices when it receives (perhaps not well defined) MIME formats info. I received also an attachment in Thunderbird specified as text/plain and TH attempted to open it in SDM too, so obviously assumed (incorrectly, I think) that it is stream...