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I want an option to open or save a download

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With Firefox 20.0 I don't get the window to "open with" or "save" when I click on a file to download. I want to option to open the file automatically. I know the new download button on the toolbar is there, but that adds a few steps to open a file. Any options?

With Firefox 20.0 I don't get the window to "open with" or "save" when I click on a file to download. I want to option to open the file automatically. I know the new download button on the toolbar is there, but that adds a few steps to open a file. Any options?

Chosen solution

If this applies to all files, in the Options window, General panel, choose "Always ask me where to save files".

If this applies to particular file types only, make sure the respective download action is not set to "Save file" in the Options window, Applications panel.

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Chosen Solution

If this applies to all files, in the Options window, General panel, choose "Always ask me where to save files".

If this applies to particular file types only, make sure the respective download action is not set to "Save file" in the Options window, Applications panel.

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Thanks for the suggestion, but unfortunately the "Always ask me where to save files" option will not allow me to open the file directly, just to choose where to save it. I miss the box that came up in the past giving me the option to open or save the download.

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Note that you can drag a link onto the toolbar Download button to initiate a download.

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Ok, when I was looking in the Applications panel, I was looking at and changing "Adobe Acrobat forms", not "Portable Document Format." Under "Portable Document Format" I was able to change it to "Always Ask" and now I have my familiar window that allows me to open or save the file. Thanks for the input everyone...

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Oops! You posted the solution while I was typing the following reply.


You can look at the advice given in the following thread concerning opening/running an item directly and the add-on mentioned that may accomplish what you are wanting to do:




You have some old Java Console extensions listed with the information submitted with your question (click "More system details" to the right of your original question above). You can remove those items manually without affecting the functionality of Java:

Modified by TheOldFox

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I changed the download option to "always ask", but there is no browse button in the window when it comes up. So I close the browser and restart it. I open the options window and "always ask" is still selected. I try the download again and I still only have either 'open' or 'save', with no browse button to select where to download to. Running Firefox 22.0

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EddR wrote:

 I try the download again and I still only have either 'open' or 'save', with no browse button to select where to download to.

If you choose Save and confirm, then you get to choose where to save the file. That is, for file types set to "Always ask" under Options - Applications, or if under Options - General you've selected "Always ask me where to save files".

If you want path selection right in the file download prompt, install the Save File To add-on.


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