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Why when I download a pdf file that's already in cache the cached version launches when I try and open the newer version of the file?

  • 5 replies
  • 1 has this problem
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  • Last reply by FredMcD

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When you download a file and open it in the download list it should launch the file you just downloaded.

This is not the case if you've download a file with the exact same name earlier. When you launch the one you just downloaded Firefox opens the cached version. To my knowledge the only way to see the current version is to clear you cache and download the file again!

This is now how a download manager should work, when you download a file the most recent version of the file with the same name should open when you launch it.

Your help is greatly appreciated.

When you download a file and open it in the download list it should launch the file you just downloaded. This is not the case if you've download a file with the exact same name earlier. When you launch the one you just downloaded Firefox opens the cached version. To my knowledge the only way to see the current version is to clear you cache and download the file again! This is now how a download manager should work, when you download a file the most recent version of the file with the same name should open when you launch it. Your help is greatly appreciated.

All Replies (5)

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Hold down the <Shift> key to bypass the cache.

Type about:preferences#privacy<enter> in the address bar. The button next to History, select Use Custom Settings.

Turn on Remember My Browsing And Download History At the bottom of the page, turn on Clear History When Firefox Closes. At the far right, press the Settings button. Turn on Cache and Form And Search History.

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A user of Firefox when downloading a file shouldn't have to hold down special keys or do something else to bypass the cache so that when you click on the file you just downloaded it opens that file, not a prior one with the same name stored in cache.

How do we get this bug fixed? Is there a process in Firefox to identify a bug and get it fixed?

Modified by dbaron99

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A cache is a storehouse of website data. Using it cuts down on how much data is transmitted thru the net. Thus, websites can load faster since the data is already there.

Sometimes, the cache has old data. So it needs to be cleared. Setting the 'Clear History' as instructed (above) takes care of that.

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So your saying that when I manually download a file, Firefox doesn't actually download it if there is version already in cache even though it's an outdated copy! And this is a logical approach to how downloading in Firefox should work? I guess I need to go back to using IE or Chrome their programming logic works differently, if I download a file I want that file not some old one in cache!

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I don't know fully how cache works. If you want, you can post another question and call it; How does cache work?