No options to open when downloading PDF

[positivek]

Binary package hint: firefox-3.0

For some download links that I click with FF, the download dialog incorrectly prevents me from opening the file directly (before saving).

Based on some BB thread readings, it seems that this is intended behavior for ".exe" -type files. That is, to prevent certain types of potentially harmful scripts and executables from running on your machine (a security threat). This is appreciated. However, it seems that some files that should/could be opened directly without threat are incorrectly forcing me to save first.

Reproduce:
1. Go to this page: http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=636661
2. Click "Download" to show locations
3. Click the Stanford Law School link ( http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/Delivery.cfm/SSRN_ID636661_code355382.pdf?abstractid=636661&mirid=5 )
4. Wait for the FF dialog to show up (see attached png)
5. BUG: The dialog only allows me to Save or Cancel a "PDF document". EXPECTED: The action specified for PDF documents I have set up in Edit-->Preferences-->Applications should commence (in my case, opening it directly).

ProblemType: Bug
Architecture: amd64
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 9.04
Package: firefox-3.0 3.0.10+nobinonly-0ubuntu0.9.04.1
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.UTF-8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: firefox-3.0
Uname: Linux 2.6.28-11-generic x86_64

[positivek (anonyhole)]

Some notes here suggesting that the change in behavior for certain file types is security-related decision: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=474899&start=0&st=0&sk=t&sd=a

[Sven Hoffmeister (schaumkeks)]

The problem seems to be, that this and "a few" other http servers response with the very generic Content-Type header value application/octet-stream, which could be any binary data and is therefore not allowed to open directly. Off course, the more appropriate MIME type application/pdf could be detected and sent by the server (file name extension, mime detection) but maybe Firefox shouldn't rely on the Content-Type data too much.
Indeed it doesn't, because it shows the correct file type "PDF Document" in the dialog. Where does this come from? Now, as soon as this dialog appears the file is downloaded to a temporary location (/tmp). I guess, mime-type detection is done on that file. Normally, the file header is enough for that.
So it would be nice to have the "open with" part of the dialog re-enabled as soon as the file type is detected on the client side, because surely this is not only a problem with PDF files.

I'm just a user, those are just some thoughts and they could be wrong.

[KRK (kevin-kennedy7)]

I am unable to open any pdf files and must save them on my desktop which runs 64 bit Ubuntu 9.04. (FF 3.0.13) On my laptop which runs 32 bit ubuntu with the same version of FF I am allowed to view files, but not to save them. Adobe 9.1 is installed on both machines.

[positivek (anonyhole)]

Bug also exists on: Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux x86_64; en-US; rv:1.9.1.3pre) Gecko/20090811 Ubuntu/9.04 (jaunty) Shiretoko/3.5.3pre

[Toby Bartels (tobybartels)]

I agree with Sven; I've seen this happen when files are served as application/octet-stream; and Firefox should also allow us to open them once it detects the real file type (at least as an option!),

[themusicgod1 (themusicgod1)]

This behaviour is still exhibited in 2013 on firefox 25.0.1. It's trivial to confirm.

[themusicgod1 (themusicgod1)]

2014 on Ubuntu 14.04 and Firefox 29.0 (beta), still present.

[themusicgod1 (themusicgod1)]

2014 on Ubuntu 14.10 and Firefox 33.0 (alpha/nightly), still present.

[themusicgod1 (themusicgod1)]

firefox 37.0a still affected.