Re: Firefox now saves files that I only wanted to open
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I just learned some good news: Firefox 103 users can switch the case (B) to case (A) using a setting. Could you make this change, turn off the extension(s), and test again? Here's how you can check on that: (A) In a new tab, type or paste about:config in the address bar and press Enter/Return. Click...

Hey guys

Today I got so annyed by firefox’s default behaviour of downloading each and every PDF file to my disk that I went searching for a solution until I had the problem fixed. And it seems like I have finally found it. I have linked the solution but here is the explanation in short:

Firefox determines what kind of file type it is based on the content-type header it receives from the server. Another header is the content-disposition header with which the server specifies how the file should be handled. The two most important options here are attachment and inline.

  • inline is the default if not otherwise specified, and means the browser will handle the file according to the behavior set in the browser settings.
  • attachment means to always download the file

It is therefore possible that some pdf files are downloaded by force and others are handled according to the behavior specified in the settings. To force the latter in any case, you can proceed as follows:

  1. go to about:config
  2. change browser.download.open_pdf_attachments_inline to true

Thank you jscher2000 for the solution!

  • @RainfallSonata
    7•1 year ago

    Don’t all browsers download PDFs anyway, even if only to a temp folder?

    • TipponEnglish
      11•1 year ago

      Yes, but temp folders get cleaned. You have to manually remove pdfs from your downloads folder

        • TipponEnglish
          2•1 year ago

          Well, they should. Whether you do it or not is another question ;)

        • SemperverusEnglish
          1•1 year ago

          On Linux yes, tmp lives in RAM and therefore is emptied on power off/reboot

      • PropaGandalfOPEnglish
        2•1 year ago

        No it can’t

        The settings you change there just determine how the file should be opened after you already downlaoded it. You can try it yourself, it will keep downloading.

        • @[email protected]
          5•1 year ago

          I have tried it myself. My Firefox shows PDFs inline, and “opens” other files (i.e. downloads them to /tmp) only via changing settings (browser.download.open_pdf_attachments_inline is false for me).

          • PropaGandalfOP
            1•1 year ago

            Well how? What is you download directory set to? What firefox version?

            • @[email protected]
              4•1 year ago

              TBH the reason I didn’t go into details was because it’s been a while. I set it up right after they made the change and don’t remember 100%.

              But my downloads folder is just the Downloads folder (/home/user/Downloads), I have “What should Firefox do with other files?” set to “Ask whether to open”, and for most content types I have “Always ask” (I have “Open in Firefox” for PDF, AV1, and a few others where it’s an option).

              It’s stayed that way for all versions ever since they made the change to save by default, up to almost latest (haven’t moved to 121 yet)…

              • PropaGandalfOP
                2•1 year ago

                Got it now: I edited my post. Now everything should be clear.

                • @[email protected]
                  2•1 year ago

                  Oh, that’s good to know. I have had issues with files just wouldn’t “open” - even with the old behavior - and could never figure out why.

              • PropaGandalfOP
                1•1 year ago

                Yeah I have pretty much the same setup…

    • PropaGandalfOPEnglish
      2•1 year ago

      Glad it helped. I honestly can’t telly why they fucked up the default behaviour so much…