Avoid 2nd download in Firefox (Firefox 2.0.1.13)

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This sounds like a stupid question, but it’s not, because I’m flummoxed.

I in Canada post and navigate to “Postal Standards”. They offer a 1270 KB PDF file “Lettermail and Incentive Lettermail.

When I click on that link, (“http://www.canadapost.ca/tools/pg/downloads/downPS-e.asp”) a Firefox window opens with Adobe reader; I can read the PDF file.

I return to the page and try right-click, because I want to save the PDF file. No deal. I get a short 3-item context-sensitive menu, which does not include SaveAs.

Back in the PDF I can choose (from the Firefox popup window) saveAs, and I do that, and I now have the PDF file, thank you very much.

But if this were a large PDF file and/if I had a slower connection, is there some way to avoid two downloads – one that occurs when the new window opens with Adobe, and one to effect the save to hard disk?

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I don’t think it involves TWO downloads, Chris. When you are looking at the file, it has ALREADY been downloaded to your hard drive and sits in your browser’s cache (see attachment). I believe if, while you are looking at the PDF, you choose to save, the only thing that happens is a copy is made from the cache to wherever on the drive you specify. I did that and the cache and hard drive copy are the exact same number of bytes in size. (I have no technical knowledge of browser programming, only trial and error effort )

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>a copy is made from the cache
Al, thanks for the response. See also my response to Hans (above).

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Al, what is that printout in your attachment, and how do you get it?

Cheers,

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Not sure if I understand your question, Paul, but on the Fx URL line type about:cache and you’ll get a screen like THIS attachment.

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Thanks, Al. That’s exactly what I was looking for. I’m sure at some point I knew of the about:cache feature, but these senior’s moments… well, they keep a coming.

Cheers,

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Most downloads destined for external applications are saved to the user’s temp folder rather than the cache. Not sure about the plugin version of the reader. If you don’t find the PDF in the browser cache, then check here:

C:Documents and SettingsusernameLocal SettingsTemp

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When you click SaveAs in the popup window with the PDF and save the file, it is not downloaded a second time – it is simply copied from your browser cache to the folder that you specify.
But if I right-click the “Lettermail and Incentive Lettermail” link, I get a popup menu in which “Save Link As…” is one of the options. This lets you save the .PDF file without opening the popup window.

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>I get a popup menu in which “Save Link As…” is one of the options.
Odd.
I get a different pop-up (below) – hence the origin of my enquiry.

Thanks for the tip about the cache. For some reason I’d assumed the cache saved only HTML stuff, pages them selves, rather that (almost) anything that had come down the increasingly-narrow pipe.

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> I get a different pop-up…

Me too (see below) – it’s all courtesy of whatever goodies/add-ons are loaded in FF, as well as any other tweaks you have applied that affect the context menus.

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>goodies/add-ons are loaded in FF, as well as any other tweaks

Tim thanks for the added clarification.
Sometimes I think I’m going barmier than I really am …..

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> Sometimes I think I’m going barmier than I really am…

I’ll have to digest that for a while…

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>I’ll have to digest that for a while..
OK.
That’s long enough.
Time to hijack this thread: Netherlands–Dutch cycle maker Koga Miyata

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Er…. yes. What?

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I have found that this FF Add-on well works for me.

The difference between Genius and Stupidity:
A Genius knows their limits.
- Albert Einstein

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>I have found that this FF Add-on well works for me.
Thanks, Ed. I already have this installed, but I still get a very limited right/click menu with no option to save.
Tim, too (post 715,432) gets a different menu.

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For one reason or another the PDF Add-on is not working for this site, the file opens up in another window (although I have everything opening in a new tab), but in the window that opens up there is a Save icon in the toolbar –

The difference between Genius and Stupidity:
A Genius knows their limits.
- Albert Einstein

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>window that opens up there is a Save icon in the toolbar
Right.
Me too.
That save button is in the Acrobat Reader toolbar, and is as effective as using Alt-F, saveAs to effect a save of the PDF document.

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