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How to specify application by extension rather than mime type (e.g., docx as word, not xml)

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  • Last reply by unlabeled

unlabeled
unlabeled
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When I try to open a link to a file.docx or file.xlsx, FF sees it as an xml file and wants to open it in my default xml application. I can select Word or Excel (I have Office 2010 installed), but a) it doesn't remember that in the applications list, so I have to browse applications each time, or b) if I set it to always use that type, it tries to open docx in Excel or xlsx in Word, depending on last usage. How can I specify applications by file extension instead of seeing these as the same type of file?

Thanks, Ian FF 15.0.1, Win 7, Office 2010

When I try to open a link to a file.docx or file.xlsx, FF sees it as an xml file and wants to open it in my default xml application. I can select Word or Excel (I have Office 2010 installed), but a) it doesn't remember that in the applications list, so I have to browse applications each time, or b) if I set it to always use that type, it tries to open docx in Excel or xlsx in Word, depending on last usage. How can I specify applications by file extension instead of seeing these as the same type of file? Thanks, Ian FF 15.0.1, Win 7, Office 2010

All Replies (2)

Michael Verdi
Michael Verdi
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Do you know if the website where you are downloading the files from is set up with the correct mime types? Often if the server doesn't know what the file types are, it serves them as generic xml.

An alternative solution could be to right-click the file and save it some place on your computer. Then when you double-click the file, Windows should recognize it and use the appropriate program.

For reference, here's the article we have about this - Manage file types and download actions in Firefox

unlabeled
unlabeled Question owner
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I don't know if the source server sends the right mime type - it probably doesn't. In fact, now you mention it, I'm not sure I've tried this from any sites except one, which is the one giving me problems. I'll try contacting them about fixing their mime types. Assuming though that they can't or won't fix it, the question still remains - is it possible to set application by extension rather than by mime type?

Yeah, I can definitely save it and open it, just trying to take the easiest possible route for a quick view.

Thanks.

Modified by unlabeled