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Certain sites dont run a script instead they download and I have to use chrome

  • 25 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 58 views
  • Last reply by mmortal03

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My smile banking wont show me a pdf statement when I click the link it downloads the script file instead. getDomesticPDFStatement

I stopped using firefox because of this same issue on a french tax site and thought Id give it another go. I'd blame the sites except the problem is solved by using chrome instead.

My smile banking wont show me a pdf statement when I click the link it downloads the script file instead. getDomesticPDFStatement I stopped using firefox because of this same issue on a french tax site and thought Id give it another go. I'd blame the sites except the problem is solved by using chrome instead.

Chosen solution

jscher2000 said

patbell101 said
Its not the pdf downloading thats the problem. Its a script and it downloads the script rather than running it.

There are two scenarios I've seen:

(1) Useless file name: you click a link or button, and the site pushes a PDF to you, but the site doesn't supply a complete PDF file name so Firefox uses the name of the linked page instead. To work around this issue, rename the download with a .pdf file extension.

(2) Failure to redirect: you right-click > Save Link As on a link or button to a PDF, but what you save is not actually the PDF but instead an intermediary page. If you rename the download with a .txt file extension and view it in a text editor, it contains HTML.

Does your download fit either of those scenarios? If not, what is the content of the file?

Yes renamin the downloade file showed it to be a pdf at least the smile one

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All Replies (20)

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Separate Issue; Your System Details shows;

Installed Plug-ins

Shockwave Flash 21.0 r0 Shockwave Flash 18.0 r0
Having more than one version of a program may cause issues. You must remove the older programs. Then get the current full installer.

Flash: Grab the uninstaller from here: Uninstall Flash Player | Windows Uninstall Flash Player | Mac

Then reinstall the latest version.

Flash Player Version: 20.0.0.306 Note: Windows users should download the active_x for Internet Explorer. and the plugin for Plugin-based browsers (like Firefox).

Note: Windows 8 and Windows 10 have built-in flash players and Adobe will cause a conflict. Install the plugin only. Not the active_x.


https://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/ Direct link scans current system and browser Note: Optional offer: McAfee Security

https://get.adobe.com/flashplayer/otherversions/ Step 1: Select Operating System Step 2: Select A Version (Firefox, Win IE . . . .) Note: Optional offer: McAfee Security

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Many site issues can be caused by corrupt cookies or cache.

  • Clear the Cache and
  • Remove Cookies
    Warning ! ! This will log you out of sites you're logged in to.

Type about:preferences<Enter> in the address bar.

  • Cookies; Select Privacy. Under History, select Firefox will Use Custom Settings. Press the button on the right side called Show Cookies. Use the search bar to look for the site. Note; There may be more than one entry. Remove All of them.
  • Cache; Select Advanced > Network. Across from Cached Web Content, Press Clear Now.

If there is still a problem, Start Firefox in Safe Mode {web link} While you are in safe mode;

Type about:preferences#advanced<Enter> in the address bar.

Under Advanced, Select General. Look for and turn off Use Hardware Acceleration.

Poke around safe web sites. Are there any problems?

Then restart.

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On other sites, when you view a PDF, does it work normally?

If you are forced to download a PDF, try renaming the file extension to .pdf either when you are saving it or after it is saved. If you can't see the .pdf extension on the file name, set Windows to show all file extensions. This article has the steps: http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/show-hide-file-name-extensions


You have an extension named "PDF Download" (https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/ad.../pdf-download/). Could you disable that to see whether it makes any difference in what happens with PDFs on those sites?

You can either disable that one extension on the Add-ons page, or use Fred's "Safe Mode" test, since Firefox's Safe Mode will disable all your extensions automatically.

To use the Add-on page method, call it up using either:

  • Ctrl+Shift+a
  • "3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Add-ons

In the left column, click Extensions. Then find PDF Download on the right side and click its disable button. Firefox may say that you need to restart before the change takes effect. In that case, there will be a link to restart.

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Its not the pdf downloading thats the problem. Its a script and it downloads the script rather than running it. Its only on two sites so far but the fact that its fine on chrome makes me lean on that direction unless it can be fixed

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Which websites?

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the pdf statement on smile.co.uk and a pdf bank mandate on impots.gouv.fr

They were both supposed to do similar things ie access a pdf for download. I have plenty of other sites that download pdf with no problem. It was by chance that I found the french site worked with chrome and with that experience solved the problem for smile too by using chrome (or internet explorer ftm).

I had already tried the history and cache clearing with firefox safe start.

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I have access to impots.gouv.fr (as French resident), which PDF document on this website doesn't work?

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patbell101 said

Its not the pdf downloading thats the problem. Its a script and it downloads the script rather than running it.

There are two scenarios I've seen:

(1) Useless file name: you click a link or button, and the site pushes a PDF to you, but the site doesn't supply a complete PDF file name so Firefox uses the name of the linked page instead. To work around this issue, rename the download with a .pdf file extension.

(2) Failure to redirect: you right-click > Save Link As on a link or button to a PDF, but what you save is not actually the PDF but instead an intermediary page. If you rename the download with a .txt file extension and view it in a text editor, it contains HTML.

Does your download fit either of those scenarios? If not, what is the content of the file?

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fwiw https://cfspro.impots.gouv.fr/opale_usager/jsp/GererComptesBancaires/popUpPDFMandat.jsp works in chrome but in Firefox it now just gives a white screen

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Hi patbell101, that last link leads me to a login page.

I can't help noticing the page name contains "popUp" -- is there any indication that it is being blocked by the built-in popup blocker or another blocker?

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Well yes its a login cos thats my personal tax page. If you can login as a professional then you should be able to use that url.

But no popup blocker.
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Oh FredMcD I don't seem to be able to get rid of Flash v 18. I cant clear C:\Windows\System32\Macromed\Flash or C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash either uninstalling doesn't rid me of v18 tough it did v21

Modified by patbell101

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patbell101 said

Oh FredMcD I don't seem to be able to get rid of Fash v 18. I cant clear C:\Windows\System32\Macromed\Flash or C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash either uninstalling doesn't rid me of v18 tough it did v21

It might be in a location that the uninstaller does not check. To find the physical locations of a plugin on disk, you can use the following internal page: type or paste about:plugins in the address bar and press Enter to load it.

Then you can use Find (Ctrl+f) for npswf to find all the Flash plugins Firefox has discovered. Each plugin's information will include the full path to the plugin file.

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jscher2000 I added that extension to try to solve my problem

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patbell101 said

jscher2000 I added that extension to try to solve my problem

Did I link to the wrong reply? I wanted to see what happens if you try the renaming with .pdf and if that isn't valid with .txt.

https://support.mozilla.org/questions/1114189#answer-856129

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jscher2000 said

patbell101 said
Oh FredMcD I don't seem to be able to get rid of Fash v 18. I cant clear C:\Windows\System32\Macromed\Flash or C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash either uninstalling doesn't rid me of v18 tough it did v21

It might be in a location that the uninstaller does not check. To find the physical locations of a plugin on disk, you can use the following internal page: type or paste about:plugins in the address bar and press Enter to load it.

Then you can use Find (Ctrl+f) for npswf to find all the Flash plugins Firefox has discovered. Each plugin's information will include the full path to the plugin file.

Its more a matter that I can't delete any of the files C:\Windows\SysWOW64\Macromed\Flash or C:\Windows\System32\Macromed\Flash where the plugin files exist

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jscher2000 said

patbell101 said
jscher2000 I added that extension to try to solve my problem

Did I link to the wrong reply? I wanted to see what happens if you try the renaming with .pdf and if that isn't valid with .txt.

https://support.mozilla.org/questions/1114189#answer-856129

<yes rrenaming it with a pdf extension DOES open it as a pdf, at least the Smile one. </p>

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jscher2000 said

Hi patbell101, that last link leads me to a login page. I can't help noticing the page name contains "popUp" -- is there any indication that it is being blocked by the built-in popup blocker or another blocker?


Well yes its a login cos thats my personal tax page. If you can login as a professional then you should be able to use that url.

But no popup blocker.

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Chosen Solution

jscher2000 said

patbell101 said
Its not the pdf downloading thats the problem. Its a script and it downloads the script rather than running it.

There are two scenarios I've seen:

(1) Useless file name: you click a link or button, and the site pushes a PDF to you, but the site doesn't supply a complete PDF file name so Firefox uses the name of the linked page instead. To work around this issue, rename the download with a .pdf file extension.

(2) Failure to redirect: you right-click > Save Link As on a link or button to a PDF, but what you save is not actually the PDF but instead an intermediary page. If you rename the download with a .txt file extension and view it in a text editor, it contains HTML.

Does your download fit either of those scenarios? If not, what is the content of the file?

Yes renamin the downloade file showed it to be a pdf at least the smile one

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