Closed Bug 81064 Opened 23 years ago Closed 23 years ago

download an .exe file from an FTP site, the browser's default should be save to disk, not open the file

Categories

(SeaMonkey :: UI Design, defect)

x86
Windows NT
defect
Not set
normal

Tracking

(Not tracked)

VERIFIED FIXED

People

(Reporter: bugzilla, Assigned: law)

References

Details

this is from http://bugscape.netscape.com/show_bug.cgi?id=4983.

Bill, i'm not sure if this expected behavior --or if this possibly related
to/dup of bug 79231 or bug 79503?

Jeremy, could you pls let me know what platform[s] you see this on? also, did
you create a seperate mime type to handle exe files [eg, in the Preferences >
Helper Apps pref panel, or from Set Default button in the helper app/downloading
dialog]? thx!

quoting bugscape:

When I try to download an ".exe" file from an FTP site, the browser's default is
set to open the file, not save it to disk.

Steps to replicate:
1) Launch app, create a new profile to ensure your prefs are set to default.

2) Go to ftp://ftp.netscape.com/pub/netscape6/english/6.01/windows/win32

3) Click on N6Setup.exe

4) In window that pops up just click "OK" to download file without changing
anything in box. 

5) File will download and will launch automatically.

Recommended functionality: File should default to "Save to Disk" as it always
has in Netscape browsers.
Blocks: 78106
I can confirm that this is the behavior on Windows 2000 with the nightly Mozilla
builds (2001051308).  As for your the suggestion of setting a seperate mime type
to handle exe files, the last comment in bug 79503 claims that this is blocked
by bug 78943.


IMO bug 79503 is about changing the default action for .exe files and bug 79231
is a cosmetic bug about displaying what the current default action is.  This
report is about setting the original default for .exe files to be download
rather than save.  I'm guessing that this may mean just creating a file type in
the Helper Applications for application/octet-stream in the same way that
text/html is created during the install.

This is not limited to FTP.  The same behavior occurs in HTTP transfers as well.

Also, I think that this bug should also be expanded to other file types besides
just .exe files.  I just downloaded a .zip file and rather than saving to disk
the file was opened with WinZip.

I think that the differences between the Mozilla default action and the Windows
default action need to be more clearly defined.  As it stands, it appears that
Mozilla approves of running .exe files freshly downloaded from the network. 
That may cause users to believe that .exe files are safe.  
This is fixed per bug 68279.  The default (and only) action for .exe files (and
other executables) is save-to-disk.
Status: NEW → RESOLVED
Closed: 23 years ago
Resolution: --- → FIXED
yep, on win32 when i click and .exe [via ftp or http], the Save file picker
appears. vrfy'ing.
Status: RESOLVED → VERIFIED
Product: Core → Mozilla Application Suite
Component: XP Apps: GUI Features → UI Design
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