File associations

[dunbar]

I'm using FireFox 3 under PCLinuxOS (PCLOS minime 2008 installed onto Dell Inspiron 2200).

I click a link, the link is to a PDF file. Nothing is asking me which application should open the link, I have several options installed.

Clicking the link chooses the Adobe Reader program. That is usually my preference when I suspect compatibility might be an issue, but sometimes I want to open PDF files with GhostView, or I may want to save the file directly to my laptop without opening it immediately and right clicking is not offering the solution. I see that FireFox offers me the option to manage filetypes (Edit, Preferences, Content tab, File types, Manage button), so I began there. Problem is, that method does not allow me to add anything and the list portion of the window is blank. Was also useless in ff2.0.0.1x, I thought it was a PCLOS/Mandriva thing, but I'm tired of waiting.

Is there a way to reactivate this FireFox feature (maybe in about:config)? I used to use it a lot in older ff, but when I went to ff 2.x, I saw it was no longer working, and ff3 is no better.

TIA.

[RicheemxX]

I didn't see anything in about:config, which btw works fine for me in ff3 but the option below should work.

Tools/options/applications adjust the action to always ask

[dunbar]

Thanks, but I'm lost. "Tools/options/applications adjust the action to always ask"?

FireFox 3.0 on Linux has a "Tools" menu, but no "Options" on the Tools Menu.

[RicheemxX]

Bleh overlooked this part "I see that FireFox offers me the option to manage filetypes (Edit, Preferences, Content tab, File types, Manage button), so I began there. Problem is, that method does not allow me to add anything and the list portion of the window is blank"

edit: I was going to check it out but damn if I don't have anything with linux and FF3, guess I've fallen behind on my linux toys

[dunbar]

okie dokie!

Anyone else have any ideas?

[RicheemxX]

might try these suggestions
http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=851300

[dunbar]

Well, I tried the suggested 'delete mimetypes.rdf', no joy.
Other suggestions there also fail (e.g. to install a specific ubuntu package, delete nonexisting directories, etc).

The 'buntu forum raised a good point: KDE caused similar problem for a different user. That would imply that FireFox is looking elsewhere (to KDE) for helper applications (duh, since ff's own app listing is empty).

Mebbe this is seems to be a KDE issue, but I now wanna know why is FF asking KDE for the list of applications (why is the browser file types section presented but disabled)??

By the way, it seems I'm actually launching and using FireFox 2.0.0.14, despite installing 3.0. All of the above references to 3.0 are to be understood as referring to 2.0.0.14, sorry for that. I just checked by launching ff3.0, the same problem exists there, as I started this thread to resolve.