1719904 - Add a way for users to configure files to always open with system default app

Status: RESOLVED DUPLICATE of bug 1731086

(Firefox :: Downloads Panel, defect, P3)

Description

[Micah [:mtigley] (she/her)]

There isn't a way for users to configure file types that aren't already added to the about:preferences "Applications" section. This is problematic when the "browser.download.improvements_to_download_panel" pref is enabled since files are now saved directly to disk as of Bug 1710941 instead of prompting the user on what to do with the file.

The current workaround is to either disable the pref or set Firefox to "Always ask where to save" from about preferences, and then download the file so that the user's decision on what to do with that file is recorded in the "Applications" section. This isn't great.

This issue looks at adding a way for users to configure file types without having to be prompted the first time. It would be even nicer if there was a way to add arbitrary file types from about:preferences.

Comment 1

[Marco Bonardo [:mak]]

Did we evaluate, as a possible path forward, to just stick to the OS handler and remove the Firefox overrides? I know it would be quite a change, but this part increases a lot the complexity of our system.

Comment 2

[:Gijs (he/him)]

(In reply to Marco Bonardo [:mak] from comment #1)

Did we evaluate, as a possible path forward, to just stick to the OS handler and remove the Firefox overrides? I know it would be quite a change, but this part increases a lot the complexity of our system.

This bug is not so much about that, it's about the always part - users cannot say they want to open the file immediately. Other browsers support this so we probably would have to even if we don't want to provide custom handlers.

Comment 3

[Shane Hughes [:aminomancer]]

I think if there was an item in the downloads panel context menu that took you to about:preferences' files & applications section, it would be fine if the app binding section was directly editable, e.g. type a file extension to search a file type. Something like that. My real concern is that irrespective of this, the file is still gonna get saved permanently, whether you get prompted for the location/file name or not. One of my reasons for using firefox instead of other browsers is that other browsers either clutter your screen with a download strip, or don't let you save to the temp folder. Firefox has a unique combination of a transient downloads popup panel and an option to open files from the temp folder.

This is gonna be especially relevant for people who download archives frequently and want to simply open them in 7-zip as soon as they're downloaded, and not have to worry about deleting the archive later. I can't even imagine what it's like for macOS users to go without this, having to manually delete disk images. So I think whatever happens it's crucial that there still be an option to save files in the temp folder without needing to manually navigate to this folder, (it's not trivial to find) and actually I think it would be best if that could be set per file type.

The richlistbox that shows the app bindings only has two columns. It could have three. 1) for the file type, 2) for the download location, 3) for the post-download action. The download location cell could be a menulist with a few preset locations that already have platform definitions like downloads, desktop, documents, and most importantly temp storage. Then at the bottom, the most recent one or two remembered locations, and an "Other..." item for setting any arbitrary path.

I think this would preserve the speed advantage of not prompting for behavior while still allowing for the same level of freedom that firefox currently provides. But I'm still a little worried because this is not really a power-user feature. This is something pretty fundamental to the way people interact with their browser. Even my grandma downloads files and I can imagine trying to explain to her over the phone how to clear up space on her drive because it's cluttered with old zip files. Although I get that a prompt is exactly what you're trying to avoid, it seems like there's currently a good reason the prompt exists.

Maybe the downloads panel UI should be changed such that the cancel/retry/open folder button .downloadButton is split into a button and a secondary dropmarker button, with a menupopup providing some specific functions so that it's clear exactly what the user can change and how. Like instead of just saying "download settings" it could have 1) a menuitem that opens a dialog for setting the download path for any files with the same file type, and also moves the downloaded file it was called on; and 2) a checkbox type menuitem for choosing whether to auto-open downloads with that file type or not.

Not that the interface in about:preferences shouldn't also be expanded, but I think it's buried a little too deeply for everyone to find it, and I just think this is exactly the kind of feature that needs contextual explanations and affordances, not just options on a general settings page that easily get lost in the clutter for some users.

Comment 4

[:Gijs (he/him)]

Looks like we accidentally filed a duplicate here; the actual work is happening in bug 1731086.