Firefox opens pdf file with Gimp when evince is expected

[Beowulf]

Whenever I download a PDF file in firefox the file is opened with GIMP. Expected behavior: PDF files should be opened with evince.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 20.04
Package: firefox 89.0.1+build1-0ubuntu0.20.04.1
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 5.4.0-74.83-generic 5.4.114
Uname: Linux 5.4.0-74-generic x86_64
AddonCompatCheckDisabled: False
ApportVersion: 2.20.11-0ubuntu27.18
Architecture: amd64
AudioDevicesInUse:
 USER PID ACCESS COMMAND
 /dev/snd/controlC0: sgr 4469 F.... pulseaudio
 /dev/snd/pcmC0D0p: sgr 4469 F...m pulseaudio
BuildID: 20210614221319
CasperMD5CheckResult: skip
Channel: Unavailable
CurrentDesktop: Unity:Unity7:ubuntu
Date: Tue Jun 29 14:32:02 2021
DefaultProfileExtensions: extensions.sqlite corrupt or missing
DefaultProfileIncompatibleExtensions: Unavailable (corrupt or non-existant compatibility.ini or extensions.sqlite)
DefaultProfileLocales: extensions.sqlite corrupt or missing
DefaultProfilePrefErrors: Unexpected character ',' before close parenthesis @ /usr/lib/firefox/omni.ja:greprefs.js:355
DefaultProfileThemes: extensions.sqlite corrupt or missing
EcryptfsInUse: Yes
ForcedLayersAccel: False
IfupdownConfig:
 # interfaces(5) file used by ifup(8) and ifdown(8)
 auto lo
 iface lo inet loopback
InstallationDate: Installed on 2018-01-06 (1269 days ago)
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 16.04.3 LTS "Xenial Xerus" - Release amd64 (20170801)
Profile0Extensions: extensions.sqlite corrupt or missing
Profile0IncompatibleExtensions: Unavailable (corrupt or non-existant compatibility.ini or extensions.sqlite)
Profile0Locales: extensions.sqlite corrupt or missing
Profile0PrefErrors: Unexpected character ',' before close parenthesis @ /usr/lib/firefox/omni.ja:greprefs.js:355
Profile0PrefSources: prefs.js
Profile0Themes: extensions.sqlite corrupt or missing
Profiles:
 Profile1 (Default) - LastVersion=None/None (Out of date)
 Profile0 - LastVersion=89.0.1/20210614221319 (In use)
RunningIncompatibleAddons: False
SourcePackage: firefox
UpgradeStatus: Upgraded to focal on 2020-04-24 (431 days ago)
dmi.bios.date: 10/17/2017
dmi.bios.vendor: HP
dmi.bios.version: P85 Ver. 01.08
dmi.board.name: 8234
dmi.board.vendor: HP
dmi.board.version: KBC Version 42.6A
dmi.chassis.asset.tag: 5CD724DH2V
dmi.chassis.type: 10
dmi.chassis.vendor: HP
dmi.modalias: dmi:bvnHP:bvrP85Ver.01.08:bd10/17/2017:svnHP:pnHPProBook470G4:pvr:rvnHP:rn8234:rvrKBCVersion42.6A:cvnHP:ct10:cvr:
dmi.product.family: 103C_5336AN HP ProBook
dmi.product.name: HP ProBook 470 G4
dmi.product.sku: W6R39AV
dmi.sys.vendor: HP

[Olivier Tilloy (osomon)]

Thanks for the report.

What happens if you run `gio open` on a pdf file from the command line? Does it open in evince as you'd expect?

    gio open /full/path/to/file.pdf

[Beowulf (s-highlander)]

When I type gio open /full/path/to/file.pdf in terminal, then the PDF is opened properly with evice. But firefox still launches GIMP for PDF files.

[Olivier Tilloy (osomon)]

Thanks for the feedback, so it seems it's a problem with firefox indeed.

Can you share the following file:

    ~/.mozilla/firefox/PROFILE/handlers.json

where PROFILE is your firefox profile folder currently in use (you can get that information by browsing to about:profiles)

[Beowulf (s-highlander)]

Attached ~/.mozilla/firefox/07t8n60p.default-release/handlers.json

[Beowulf (s-highlander)]

There is no handlers.json file in my profile folder, handlers.json exists only in the default release profile folder.

[Beowulf (s-highlander)]

Attached a screenshot of about:profiles page.

[Olivier Tilloy (osomon)]

That screenshot shows that the default-release profile is the one being used, so that handlers.json file is the one to look at.

And the value of "4" for the action corresponding to "application/pdf" is correct, it means "use the system's default handler".

From what I can tell, Firefox calls g_app_info_get_default_for_type() to get the default system handler for a given mime type.

Can you share the output of:

    gio mime application/pdf

[Beowulf (s-highlander)]

Output of gio mime application/pdf
----------------------------------------------
Default application for “application/pdf”: org.gnome.Evince.desktop
Registered applications:
 org.gnome.Evince.desktop
 google-chrome.desktop
 gimp.desktop
 libreoffice-draw.desktop
 display-im6.q16.desktop
Recommended applications:
 org.gnome.Evince.desktop
 google-chrome.desktop
 gimp.desktop
 libreoffice-draw.desktop
 display-im6.q16.desktop

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

[Expired for firefox (Ubuntu) because there has been no activity for 60 days.]