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Firefox opens PDF in window, not specified Foxit app

  • 2 replies
  • 1 has this problem
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  • Last reply by billyrave

billyrave
billyrave
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When I click on a link that specifies it's pointing to a PDF, Firefox (ver26.0) opens the PDF in a window rather than using Foxit, which I've specified in the Tools/Options list. In that PDF display window which I should not be getting, I AM presented with an option to open with something else ('Open with different viewer'); when I select that, I'm presented with a window that states 'You have chosen to open' along with the PDF file name, followed by 'What should Firefox do with this file?', which shows already selected 'Open with Foxit...' and 'Do this automatically...' also selected. In other words, despite having (a) selected Foxit in the browser Tools for PDF files AND (b) specifying in the 'open with' window to always use Foxit for such files, neither selected option seems to be in effect.

When I click on a link that specifies it's pointing to a PDF, Firefox (ver26.0) opens the PDF in a window rather than using Foxit, which I've specified in the Tools/Options list. In that PDF display window which I should not be getting, I AM presented with an option to open with something else ('Open with different viewer'); when I select that, I'm presented with a window that states 'You have chosen to open' along with the PDF file name, followed by 'What should Firefox do with this file?', which shows already selected 'Open with Foxit...' and 'Do this automatically...' also selected. In other words, despite having (a) selected Foxit in the browser Tools for PDF files AND (b) specifying in the 'open with' window to always use Foxit for such files, neither selected option seems to be in effect.

All Replies (2)

jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
jscher2000 - Support Volunteer
  • Top 10 Contributor
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Usually Firefox follows your settings in Options > Applications but occasionally the file that stores your selections becomes corrupted with additional or conflicting entries. Because the structure of this file is challenging to edit, the typical workaround is simply to rename the file and have Firefox rebuild it. You will need to go back in and select a new action for PDF Files.

Open your current Firefox settings (AKA Firefox profile) folder using

Help > Troubleshooting Information > "Show Folder" button

Leaving that window open, switch back to Firefox and Exit

Pause while Firefox finishes its cleanup, then rename mimeTypes.rdf to something like mimeTypes.old

Restart Firefox.

Your application preferences should be rebuilt from internal defaults, plugin settings, and the Windows registry, and be ready for customization.

Any improvement?

billyrave
billyrave Question owner
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Thanks muchly for your help, but mysteriously, the problem disappeared w/o doing what you suggested. It seems that re-checking/setting my choice of app to open PDFs only took effect after I shut down & restarted the browser. Note that from the day I installed Firefox on this computer in Dec 2012, I had that app selected, and admittedly I don't think I ever selected a link that was a PDF, so I'd never previously noticed Firefox's action. I have the suspicion that my recent upgrade to Ver 26.0 screwed up that app selection list, and only after I re-selected the already selected option did Firefox actually fix itself internally.