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cannot open a pdf
Hi
I am having problems opening a pdf file in Firefox. I have Firefox v4.0.1. When i attempt to open the file it gives a blank page. I can open the file successfully in Internet Explorer 8. I am using Windows XP Professional. I have had problems with Adobe Plugins in Firefox in the past so i use Foxit Reader to open PDFs. I can open the pdf file successfully in Foxit Reader. I have the Foxit Reader Plug-In for Mozilla 1.0.1.1117 enabled.
thanks
All Replies (20)
er hello?
Hi
I think i've found the solution on my own. when i open Foxit Reader independently and check for updates it finds a new Foxit Reader Plug-in for Mozilla v2.0.1.524 replacing the aforementioned v1.0.1.1117. On restarting Firefox i can now see the pdf.
However this means that "Update Add-ons automatically" which i have ticked in Firefox Add-ons Manager doesn't work, as i was relying on this to keep my add-ons up-to-date. Anyone know if the auto-update feature is unreliable or is it just a glitch with this particular plug-in?
upgraded to firefox 5.0
never mind then.
Add-ons = Extensions + Themes(&Personas) +Plug-ins(such as Flash, Foxit etc). To date, Firefox does not up-date plug-ins(although it implies that it does).
Keep this handy -
Alan - thanks for your reply. I'm now in firefox 5.0, I've checked your link and i have 2 java plugins out of date and flagged as vulnerable.
So you are quite correct that it does not update plug-ins automatically - so what does "Update Add-ons automatically" on the plug-in tab actually mean?
Edit:I've just noticed the "Update Add-ons automatically" is not actually on the plug-in tab but above it - this is very misleading then if it doesn't update plug-ins.
Novain'i richlaughlin t@
Hi anybody
i'm re-opening this because the original problem is now occurring in Firefox 5.o
i attempt to open a pdf in firefox with the latest Foxit Reader plugin "Foxit Reader Plugin for Mozilla 2.1.1.720". It just hangs Firefox for about a minute and then returns a blank page. If i disable the plugin, it prompts me to choose an app to open the pdf and on selecting Foxit Reader it opens immediately in Foxit Reader - it just won't open in Firefox. It also opens immediately in IE9 and Chrome.
Anyone getting this too or anyone know a solution?
I haven't used Foxit Reader in about 19 months now, but when I last used it I had to open PDF's outside Firefox due to problems with the Foxit Mozilla plugin. The only suggestion I can offer is to see Foxit support - http://www.foxitsoftware.com/support/ - it's their plugin after all.
Hi the-edmeister.
Yes i was unsure whether to contact Mozilla or Foxit. I'll give them a try and if no success i'll give Adobe another go.
hmmm. just noticed they're working fine today so no point sending them a ticket now.
i now believe this a problem i have intermittently with Firefox add-ons, because i get the same hang - all Firefox windows not responding for about a minute - with a page that has a Flash Player embedded sometimes and then at other times there are no problems
i guess that's not much to go on though so unless someone has had the same circumstances so i'll just have to live with it.
Using the Adobe Reader plugin with Firefox
Opening PDF files within Firefox
Check and tell if its working.
Hi mha007
thanks for links, i might give the Adobe one another go. however the problem i'm having is intermittent, and the fact that i sometimes get the same symptoms with another plugin (shockwave flash - video plays fine in ie9 and chrome but a hang and then a blank in firefox, then at other times plays fine in firefox) leads me to believe the problem is not related specifically to a pdf plugin.
Troubleshooting Plugins
Check and tell if its working.
ok i've bitten the bullet and re-installed Adobe Reader and it's plugin. Firefox is still opening pdfs in Foxit. How do i make Adobe Reader the default? (I know i can disable the Foxit plugin but i'd rather just switch the default and keep them both active)
i'll try your troubleshooting link when the intermittent fault re-occurs because at the moment things are all working fine.
Novain'i richlaughlin t@
Opening PDF files within Firefox - Check Firefox settings
Check and tell if its working.
Doesn't work. It's already been set to "Use Adobe Acrobat (in Firefox)". Closed Firefox, re-opened Firefox, browsed to the pdf, it opens it in Foxit.
Have now also deleted mimetypes.rdf, restarted firefox, checked that setting is still "Use Adobe Acrobat (in Firefox)", browsed to pdf, it opens it in Foxit.
Testing the Adobe Reader plugin
Check and tell if its working.
Yes tried that already. Clicked on the link to test Adobe Reader plugin, opens it in Foxit Reader! Some test that is.
Question : documentation keeps referring to "Adobe Reader" plugin, yet Adobe has installed an "Adobe Acrobat" plugin. Is this correct?
Further info : if i disable Foxit Reader plugin and browse to a pdf, it will prompt to open it in Adobe Reader independently. It won't open it in Firefox - yet in Adobe Reader i have the setting "Display PDF in browser" ticked.
Any ideas now? It's becoming more trouble than it's worth.
1) Adobe Reader name is now more widely used than Adobe Acrobat Reader (simpler, better :-P). So its the same thing.
2) When you Disable a Plugin or Add-on, its better to Restart Firefox for the changes to apply more coherently. If that does not help, set it to "Use Adobe Acrobat (default)"
Check and tell if its working.
Thanks for continued help. I have now solved one problem. I can browse to a pdf in Firefox using Adobe Reader plugin when the Foxit Reader plugin is disabled, it no longer opens the Adobe Reader app. I tried unchecking and re-checking the "Display PDF in browser" checkbox in Adobe Reader - this seemed to do the trick.
However, there still seems to be a fault - where i re-enable Foxit Reader plugin, it then reverts to Foxit even though the Firefox app settings say "Use Adobe Acrobat (default)".