Is the "Do this automatically" checkbox enabled or disabled in the Open/Save/Cancel dialog?

It will be disabled when the server is sending a generic content-type rather than an Excel-specific content type (screen shot example attached). In that case, Firefox will never be able to handle the download automatically.

If it is enabled and you're checking it and Firefox does not get the message, the file that stores your preferred download actions might be corrupted. In that case, the standard medicine is to remove the file and have Firefox generate a new one with default settings. If you find that Firefox ignores your selections in Options, then here is how you would do that:

Open your current Firefox settings (AKA Firefox profile) folder using either

• "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Troubleshooting Information
• (menu bar) Help > Troubleshooting Information
• type or paste about:support in the address bar and press Enter

In the first table on the page, click the "Show Folder" button

Leaving that window open, switch back to Firefox and Exit, either:

• "3-bar" menu button > "power" button
• (menu bar) File > Exit

Pause while Firefox finishes its cleanup, then rename mimeTypes.rdf to something like mimeTypes.old

Start Firefox back up again. If desired, using the History menu to Restore Previous Session so you can pick up where you left off.

Then test again. Any improvement?

See also:

• http://kb.mozillazine.org/File_types_and_download_actions

I followed all of the instructions and I have the same issue. FF is being used as a client for SQL Server Reporting Services and I am attempting to save MS Word or MS Excel files using the Export option. FF continues to ask for verification despite the fact that as you can see from the graphic, the option is set. This happens on two different machines in exactly the same fashion. The option to open the file automatically is ignored. I have powered off FF and reopened it multiple times with the same result. The option simply doesn't work in this context. I switched to FF from IE because the performance appeared to be better. If this option worked, it would save time. In addition, when Excel is already open, it does not activate the application. It activates it when it is not open. I did not have this issue with IE. I am using FF 33 and was using IE 11. Please advise.

According to MSDN, SSRS should send the standard content-type information:

Word: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document (MSDN)

Excel: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet (MSDN)

If you open other links that send those same content-type headers, does Firefox follow your stored preference? Examples:

Word: http://www.microsoft.com/investor/downloads/events/EngineerPanel_FAM_2013.docx

Excel: http://www.microsoft.com/global/investor/RenderingAssets/Downloads/FY12/Q3/FinancialStatementFY12Q3.xlsx

FF opens saves the file correctly and opens the correct program if it is not already running. With MSWord, it will activate the document that was just saved if another one is already open. Otherwise, it operates normally except for the fact that the "Automatic open" option does not occur. As for Excel, FF exports the file correctly and if the program is not already running, it runs Excel correctly. However, if another workbook is already open, it does not activate the recently opened workbook. If several workbooks are already open, it takes a bit of work to find the one that was just exported. Sometimes, I don't think it worked or get confused about whether I did it or not and then I end up with 2 exported files open after I activate the appropriate one. With Excel, the "Automatic open" option also does not work. I still have to okay the export. FF retains the affiliations; the automatic open option just doesn't do anything. Thank you.

Correction: An MSWord document export correctly activates MSWord and gives the most recently exported document the focus. A FF export when Excel is already open does not even activate the Excel program that is already running. If Excel is NOT running, it operates correctly except for the "automatically open" option. Thank you.

Okay, just to confirm that I understand what you're seeing:

(1) Firefox DOES honor the setting to always open DOCX files directly in Microsoft Word without asking. (When Firefox hands the file off to Windows, Word is activated. -- I don't think this is related to an internal Firefox setting.)

(2) Firefox does NOT honor the setting to always open XLSX files directly in Microsoft Excel and instead behaves as though you have selected "Always Ask" in the Options dialog. (When Firefox hands the file off to Windows, Excel is NOT activated if it is already open. -- I don't think this is related to an internal Firefox setting.)

It's hard to think of a reason for this discrepancy, other than broken settings in mimeTypes.rdf, which you already cleared, so that should have cleared it up. You could check whether the file (still) has multiple or conflicting entries for the relevant content type (in your text editor, search for spreadsheetml). This is what I find as the "handler" setting when specifying automatic opening in Excel (2010):

  <RDF:Description RDF:about="urn:mimetype:handler:application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.spreadsheetml.sheet"
                   NC:useSystemDefault="true"
                   NC:alwaysAsk="false" />

Two other thoughts:

(1) Office adds some plugins to Firefox. By default, those plugins require on-demand activation. To ensure that they can run automatically when needed, you can switch them to automatic activation on the Add-ons page. Either:

• Ctrl+Shift+a
• "3-bar" menu button (or Tools menu) > Add-ons

In the left column, click Plugins. Then on the right, use the button for the Microsoft Office plugins to switch them to "Always Activate".

While you're here, if you see anything that should never run, you can turn it off by setting it to "Never Activate".

(2) In case one of your extensions is modifying download behavior, could you test in Firefox's Safe Mode? That's a standard diagnostic tool to deactivate extensions, some advanced features, and some custom settings. More info: Diagnose Firefox issues using Troubleshoot Mode.

You can restart Firefox in Safe Mode using either

• "3-bar" menu button > "?" button > Restart with Add-ons Disabled
• (menu bar) Help menu > Restart with Add-ons Disabled

Note: Flash and other plugins still run

After Firefox closes, a small dialog should appear: click "Start in Safe Mode" (not Reset)

Any difference?

Regarding #1 and #2 above: Both Excel and Word exports ignore the automatically open option regardless and both open the correct program. Both exports work correctly (other than the automatic part) in terms of running and activating Excel or Word when the appropriate program is NOT already running.

If Excel IS already running with or without a workbook open, an Excel export will open the desired workbook within Excel, but it will NOT assign the focus to Excel. This causes confusion about whether the export even occurred. Word operates correctly when multiple documents are exported and only one Word process runs despite the extra document being opened. I am using the latest versions of the Office 2010 suite.

I do not believe that the RDF is the problem because I have cleaned one machine's files and not the other's and both behave identically. The software on the two machines is as close to being the same as possible.

All AddOns are set to ask except for one video codec and NOW the two Office ones. Previously, the Office ones were set to Ask.

I also notice something consistently when I export: It takes at least one second for the open button to become enabled when I attempt to export. This means that the dialog is displayed and ready to go, but I have to wait for the button to become enabled in order to OK the export. I don't know whether the lag has anything to do with the automatically open not working, but I thought I would pass it along. I will test with the Always on for the Office addons and report back. Thank you for the help! Jeff

I experimented with the Always Office addons set and the behavior did change in a rather unexpected way. Word exports perform exactly as they used to. Excel's behavior changed somewhat. If Excel is already running, the first export still does not activate Excel. However, the second one DOES! The automatic option still does not work, but the time before the button is enabled may be a little shorter.