649140 - Will not download or open a pdf file when the file is clicked

Status: RESOLVED INVALID

(Firefox :: File Handling, defect)

Description

[John Schaefer]

User-Agent:       Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 5.1; rv:2.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/4.0
Build Identifier: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 5.1; rv:2.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/4.0

First, no problems with the older FF.
When I try to download my monthly bank statement by clicking on the file name on the site either nothing happens or I get a "waiting for wellsfargo..." message and then nothing.  I spoke with the Wellsfargo tech and he said there was a problem with FF4 and some sites (besides theirs)and PDF files.  What is apparently happening is that FF4 is "converting" the link to a CGI" file called "session.cgi" rather than the actual name of say 20110408abcd.pdf."
A temporary work around is to right click on the file link and do a "save link as..." and before saving to rename the extension to "pdf."  Something definitely is broken here.  Possibly something to do with recognizing the site's security.  With other simple sites I can download their pdf files ok.

This needs resolution ASAP. 


Reproducible: Always

Steps to Reproduce:
1.click on pdf link
2.
3.
Actual Results:  
See above description

Expected Results:  
PDF file should download or open.  Worked fine in 3.6.15???? (last version of FF used.

Comment 1

[Tim (fmdeveloper)]

Does the issue still occur if you start Firefox in Safe Mode? http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Safe+Mode

How about with a new, empty profile? http://support.mozilla.com/en-US/kb/Basic+Troubleshooting#Make_a_new_profile

What PDF viewer are you using? 

Are you plugins up to date? -> http://www.mozilla.com/en-US/plugincheck/

Comment 2

[John Schaefer]

Does not occur in safe mode but the file downloads as filename.cgi.pdf rather than filename.pdf.

Does not occur with a new profile in normal mode and the file correctly downloads as filename.pdf

Plugins are up to date.

Running Adobe Acrobat 9.4.3.231

Comment 3

[John Schaefer]

I just notice when starting with a new profile that all the "cookie settings on the tools|options|privacy tab are no longer there.  What's with that?

Comment 4

[John Schaefer]

OK, this is interesting.  Doing some testing with my regular profile and discovered something odd.

Under tools|options|applications the setting for "Adobe Acrobat Document (application/pdf")does not hold its setting of "Use Adobe Acrobat in Firefox" but for some reason rests itself to "Use Adobe Reader 9.4 (default)."

If I reset it to "Use Adobe Acrobat in Firefox" and then go to the website and download the pdf statement it works fine but the next time I start FF the setting has reverted back to "Use Adobe Reader 9.4 (default)" and the download will fail as previously reported.  Something is obviously screwing with the setting when it should not and this is the cause of the problem.  Any ideas?

Comment 5

[Tim (fmdeveloper)]

> If I reset it to "Use Adobe Acrobat in Firefox" and then go to the website and
> download the pdf statement it works fine but the next time I start FF the
> setting has reverted back to "Use Adobe Reader 9.4 (default)" and the download
> will fail as previously reported.  Something is obviously screwing with the
> setting when it should not and this is the cause of the problem.  Any ideas?

Guys -> Any ideas?

Comment 6

[John Schaefer]

Some additional data.  I have the "PDF Download, V 3.0.0.2" add-on, which passed the 4.0 compatibility test when I upgraded to 4.0.  If I disable that add-on the problem goes away.  Looks like V3.0.0.2 is not fully 4.0 compliant even though it "passed."

Their website says 3.0.0.2 for Version 2 and 3 of FF. Someone should note this and modify the compatibility checker.

I sent a msg about this to Nitro PDF online support.

Comment 7

[Matthias Versen [:Matti]]

The author of an extension sets a compatibility statement and firefox is just using this statement. The compatibility checker only looks for this statement in the extension and compares it to the used Firefox version.

The right way for such an problem is to contact the author and you already did that. marking this report invalid