Can't open PDF files in firefox since upgrading to ubuntu 10.04

[Steven Sherman]

Binary package hint: firefox

Using Ubuntu 10.04 LTS- the Lucid Lynx - released in April 2010 and supported until April 2013.

Firefox: You have chosen to open statement which is a: PDF document.
What should Firefox do with this file?
I selected: Open with Document Viewer (default)

Results: ! /tmp/statement.pdf could not be opened, because the associated helper application does not exist. Change the association in your preferences.

Since upgrading to Ubuntu 10.04, Firefox will not open a PDF file. No association. I can save the file to my computer and open it with xpdf or Document Viewer 2.30.0 which came with the upgrade.

Can I fix this error? if so, how.

Thank you.

ProblemType: Bug
DistroRelease: Ubuntu 10.04
Package: firefox 3.6.3+nobinonly-0ubuntu4
ProcVersionSignature: Ubuntu 2.6.32-21.32-generic 2.6.32.11+drm33.2
Uname: Linux 2.6.32-21-generic x86_64
NonfreeKernelModules: nvidia
Architecture: amd64
CheckboxSubmission: 54d70b7eabcbdd06a56b5a74ca28c02b
CheckboxSystem: 6ce041aeed0a2c17b3343b66d157175d
Date: Sat May 1 23:48:36 2010
FirefoxPackages:
 firefox 3.6.3+nobinonly-0ubuntu4
 firefox-gnome-support 3.6.3+nobinonly-0ubuntu4
 firefox-branding 3.6.3+nobinonly-0ubuntu4
 abroswer N/A
 abrowser-branding N/A
InstallationMedia: Ubuntu 9.10 "Karmic Koala" - Release amd64 (20091027)
ProcEnviron:
 LANG=en_US.utf8
 SHELL=/bin/bash
SourcePackage: firefox

[zasq (zasq)]

Yes, same problem here. Did a fresh lucid install. The first days opening pdfs worked. Now it doesn't. And, by the way, there is the same problem with Thunderbird 3. It must be something with the most recent mozilla updates. Or the newest kernel (2.6.32-22-generic on AMD64). Or maybe an addon. For example, I use firetray with both. I'll make a test uninstalling it.
For TB3 there is an addon called "gnome-open" which fixes this.
What information should I provide to help to solve this?
Regards.

[zasq (zasq)]

Okay. It's not the firetray-addon. I completely uninstalled it. And deleted the mimetypes.rdf file before restarting. Problem still there...

[Draycen DeCator (ddecator)]

Thank you for reporting this to Ubuntu. Could you please let us know whether or not this only happens for PDF files or other files as well? It sounds like this may be a duplicate of bug 239952.

[Steven Sherman (shermansc)]

On Tue, 2010-05-25 at 04:29 +0000, Draycen DeCator wrote:
> Thank you for reporting this to Ubuntu. Could you please let us know
> whether or not this only happens for PDF files or other files as well?
> It sounds like this may be a duplicate of bug 239952.
>
> ** Changed in: firefox (Ubuntu)
> Status: New => Incomplete
>
Hi Draycen DeCator,

While on my Fidelity account, using Firefox, I was able to view my
statement in the browser. I then went to my "Bill me later" account,
tried to open my statement and experienced the original problem. Can't
open PDF files in firefox since upgrading to ubuntu 10.04

I can open it if I download it to my hard drive. Could this problem be
website specific?

Steven

[SabreWolfy (sabrewolfy)]

Duplicate of https://bugs.launchpad.net/ubuntu/+source/firefox/+bug/588570 ?

[Johan Prins (johanprins)]

I also see this bug when trying to open .SLK files (a Excel exchange format). The proposed application to open this is Openoffice,
which is correct, but just as with Pdf's, which most of the time would not open, I have to download the file in order to open it in
a separate window.

[Launchpad Janitor (janitor)]

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