So what site is this with the problem pdf?

Every single site where I can view a PDF. Sometimes it won't even display PDFs, but automatically saves them to my hard drive. Right now in Gmail, at least it will display the PDF in the browser, but when I click the 'Print' icon in Firefox it immediately saves the PDF to my downloads folder without printing.

Oh I should clarify. This also happens if I few a text document in Gmail or Google Docs and try to print it. It saves a PDF instead of ever printing.

I am having the same issue as well.

If there is no fix, I will have to consider other browsers, which is a shame as I do prefer FireFox.

Hi colossal, Mac has a "Save as PDF" feature in the Print dialog. I don't have a screenshot of it (I use Windows), but if you haven't already, could you make sure that isn't selected?

Also, a PDF will print better from a PDF reader like Preview than from Firefox. You can use the download button on Firefox's PDF Viewer toolbar to launch the PDF in that program:

Hi svivanco, do you have this problem on Mac or on a different OS?

Thanks for the quick response!

I am running Windows. Just as a test, tried to print a pdf again from FireFox. Again, the save window comes up.

I then opened IE, went to the same print icon, and it printed (as it should in FireFox).

BTW - This problem started in the last week or so. Before that, FireFox was working fine.

Thanks in advance for your reply.

Hi svivanco, are you using the print button on the toolbar of Firefox's PDF Viewer to print that PDF to a regular printer, or are you printing a web page (for example, pressing Ctrl+p or using the menu) to a PDF "printer"?

Either way, make sure the "Print to file" box is NOT checked in the Print dialog, as that saves a useless file.

You bring up valid questions, I appreciate it.

I am using the "Print" icon in Gmail. Ergo, I select an attachment from an email, it opens a new FireFox preview window with icons in the top right corner. The icons are; "download", "print", "save", and "more actions."

All work as expected, except the Print icon, which works same as the save icon.

Further, when I do save it (as I have no other choice), and then open it in a pdf viewer to print, once I print it, the "print window" opens again as if to print again.

This is only happening to files that were downloaded using the "Print" icon.

Thanks!

Hi svivanco, do other kinds of printing work normally? I don't know why the PDF Viewer print icon would behave so oddly. Anyway, I do suggest using the download button for printing PDFs. I have that further up in the thread.

The reason I suggest that is Firefox's previewer converts PDFs to HTML and therefore you may not get the full quality of the original PDF.

I am not sure why this started recently after it worked fine for many months.

Please understand the hassle it is to save a file, then open it, then print it; as opposed to simply printing it by hitting the icon.

svivanco said

Please understand the hassle it is to save a file, then open it, then print it; as opposed to simply printing it by hitting the icon.

You shouldn't have to save it if you use the Open with option. Is that not an option for you in the dialog?

I will try that.

Although, it does not explain why the print icon does not work. 8-D

Hitting this icon also opens a save window, not the one you posted.

I fixed it!!

Top right corner, menu options; select options. Under "General" scroll down to applications and make sure pdf is set to "Always Ask"

When I set that back, I got the window you are showing me.

Hi svivanco, thanks for the update.