Firefox and PDFs

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Ok, first question. Can someone please point me to the dozen+ other recent threads with the same problem.

I’m running FF 25.0.1. For the last while, I have been unable to display or download PDFs. I get a blank New Tab screen but no PDF display or download. What do I need to (re)tweek to make FF work?

There are 10 kinds of people:
those who understand binary numbers
and those who don't.

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Hi mlmarshal, do you have a PDF reader on your pc ???

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I have PDF-Xchange Viewer, but do not get the PDF to open properly in my viewer. When I open a PDF in IE, I get all the appropriate icons and features, and when saved, saves appropriately. In FF, this just does not happen. It does not open appropriately, and does not save the entire file appropriately. After I save the file, I am unable to open the file using my PDF app. It seems FF 25.0.1 just does not play well with my PDF reader of choice.

Since I only use FF for a couple of forums, I can live with this glitch. I just use IE when I have to work with PDF files.

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Ok, first question. Can someone please point me to the dozen+ other recent threads with the same problem.

I’m running FF 25.0.1. For the last while, I have been unable to display or download PDFs. I get a blank New Tab screen but no PDF display or download. What do I need to (re)tweek to make FF work?

Most PDF viewers can be used with Firefox without issues. I can recommend Nitro Reader, which works perfectly with the latest version of Firefox, allowing you to choose between opening the PDF in Nitro or downloading any PDF file.

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I use and am very pleased with PDFX-change in FF.
Click Tools > Add-ons then select “Plugins” and verify that you have the current version (2.5.211.0)
If not update from the “Down Arrow” next to the little Gear at the top of that screen and Check for updates.

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Actually there is now a version 2.5.213 on PDF_Xchange Viewer. And it does not work correctly in my FF. Fortunately I do not often use FF.

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I also have PDF Exchange. Updated it to 2.5.213 and it runs fine in Firefox for me. Did you set it to open in browser during setup Ted?

Jerry

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Hi All:

FWIW: Tracker Software recently announced that it is cancelling support for PDF-Xchange Viewer, in favor of their new PDF-Xchange Editor (which they call v.3.0). There will continue to be a free version as well as the paid version, just like the Viewer. I upgraded (at no charge for paid Viewer customers), and unlike other PDF readers, this one will even fill in an Acrobat FORM, which had been the only reason to keep Acrobat Reader on my users’ machines. Its not laid out like Acrobat, but has almost all the same features. If they would only include their own PDF Printer module, and do “Save as reduced size” like Acrobat Pro, I would just switch to theirs exclusively.

I strongly urge anyone looking for a PDF reader or editor to check it out. You might be pleasantly surprised. And, it’s 64-bit capable so it works in FireFox and CyberFox and the other 64-bit browsers if you’re interested…

BTW: I did tweak FF/CF to use PDF Xchange Editor as my application for PDFs, as described herein, and it works like a charm.

Best wishes.

Rob

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Not sure. I had PDF -Xchange Viewer prior to installing FF. Perhaps I have to do something else. The plug in is installed in FF and is the latest version.

I think I may have figured it out I had to go into FF options and choose how to open PDF files:

35601-PDF-FF

The default option was the Preview in Firefox. I had to change it as shown.

Perhaps this will help someone else as well.

I did try a PDF download after setting this and it worked.

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M.L.

I use Nitro PDF Reader and I have it set to open up Nitro as a separate application rather than to view the PDF within the browser. Of course this is my personal preference ( YMMV ) and as I have a dual monitor setup these old eyes like the extra screen real estate available by using the 2nd monitor and not having all the browser stuff in the road. HTH :cheers:

May the Forces of good computing be with you!

RG

PowerShell & VBA Rule!
Computer Specs

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M.L.

I use Nitro PDF Reader and I have it set to open up Nitro as a separate application rather than to view the PDF within the browser. Of course this is my personal preference ( YMMV ) and as I have a dual monitor setup these old eyes like the extra screen real estate available by using the 2nd monitor and not having all the browser stuff in the road. HTH :cheers:

I tried both ways, and may do so as well. I have switched to FF as default for a while to try to get acclimated to it should the need arise. Since about the only PDFs I have any more are my RV digital magazine subscriptions (I save them as PDF files on my PC rather than reading them in my browser) I do not see that many PDF files in my browser any more.

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FF has a setting built in, that automatically downloads & displays a pdf link if clicked. You have to access about:config & promise to be careful. Access pdfjs.disable and set to true by double clicking it.

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Hi;
Your problem is fairly common. I suspect some weird interaction between FF and some add-on but have not done any research on it (IMHO a futile waste of time).

I consider editing about:config too risky for my customers at least.

Do not experiment with different PDF readers; it’s a futile waste of time.

My solution works
[INDENT]on many different brands of systems
With XP, Vista, 7, 8 and 8.1
with FF since I don’t know when up to and including version 25.x
with very different PDF readers
does NOT require editing in about:config[/INDENT]

In Firefox 25.0.1

[*]Click Tools
[*]Click Options
[*]Click Applications
[*]In Search field type “portable” (no quotes!)
[*]Set drop down to “Use (default)”
[*]Click OK

Happy Thanksgiving to y’all.

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I believe this is what I showed in my Post #8. Thanks for showing the steps which I neglected to show.

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I just acquired PDF-Xchange Editor Pro.

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Re: eikelein, et al.

Thanks for all the suggestions. In answer to a few open questions, I have Adobe (which I rarely, if ever, use), PDF Converter Professional (which I used to use frequently, but don’t much any more, Foxit Pro (which I use occasionally), Nitro Reader (which I haven’t bothered to eliminate) and Nitro Pro 9 (which is my default and favorite). Several of them installed their own FF plugins, etc.

Setting the application for Portable Document Format, as eikelein suggested, wasn’t a fix.

However, I suspected eikelein was right to suggest an interaction with a plugin or extension, so I loaded FF in safe mode. Voila! I could “do” PDFs. So I went back and disabled all the plugins, extensions, etc., except for NP9, which solved my problem.

There are 10 kinds of people:
those who understand binary numbers
and those who don't.

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There must have been some interactions between the various plug-ins trying to be THE plug-in of choice and disrupting the plug-ins from working correctly at all.

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I use Win81proX64 & its default IE11 … when I upgraded to the win81 final I simply used the windows always open with feature on pdf’s and chose firefox. Works fine. I would rather not have any pdf specific reader installed – seems like just another thing to update and cause problems. Firefox reads them just fine & really one of the reasons firefox is even installed other than that rare occasional need for something other than IE.

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No problem for me re PDF on FF 25.0.1. I still use PDF-Xchange Viewer 2.5 [(Build 199.0) (Sept 27 2011)]. I do not like FF ‘on-line’ PDF viewer. I prefer the popup of PDF Xchange.

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scaisson, Have you checked out the Tracker Software site. They have recently retired PDF-Xchange Viewer (still listed on site but I have read support will be discontinued) in favor of PDF-Xchange Editor (v 3.0.306.1)(see post #14). I downloaded the new app and replaced Viewer with Editor. It recognized my Pro installation and used my Viewer activation number to activate Editor. I have read there is also a free replacement Editor to replace the free Viewer edition.

I also did not like the built in PDF reader in FF. It would not save PDF files properly to my PC. Most of the PDF files I receive (mainly digital magazines) are much easier to download and save the file so I can read them at my leisure. With a small setup option I can use PDF-Xchange Editor. I have PDF files to open in PDF-Xchange Editor, not in my browser.

@rbsteinbach, sorry, did not mean to steal your thunder. I did not look back enough and thought your post was in another thread.

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Medico, I’ll check out the new PDF-Xchange Viewer (Editor), thanks.

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