How do I "hook up" helper apps?

Can someone tell me how to get Firefox to recognize helper apps, so
that it will open those helper apps within Firefox?

I installed a release of Firefox, and later installed the more recent
version (1.2.2). In both situations, none of my Helper Apps, such as
Adobe, WinPlayer9, etc., were recognized, even tho I have them on my
machine (Win98SE).

The result is that if I go to a page that wants to send me some file
that requires a helper app--for example, Shockwave Flash or a PDF or
etc.--the browser asks me if I want to downlaod the helper appl, or
what app to use to open that particular file.

I'm aware of about:config, and I looked at
tools/options/downloads/plugins, but it does not appear to provide an
easy way to tell Firefox about those apps.

 

You are talking about plugins. When you do an upgrade/install the
plugins folder is deleted. Back up the plugins folder first, do the
upgrade/install, restore the files in the plugins folder to the new
installation.

For now, you'll need to either find the plugins files in a backup and
restore them or download and install them anew.

--
Ed Mullen
http://edmullen.net
http://edmullen.net/Mozilla/moz.html
http://edmullen.net/Mozilla/seamonk.html
Energizer Bunny arrested, charged with battery.

 

The previous install I did--I think 1.0.1--also did not have the
plugins, and the reason was that I installed Firefox before I had any
of the plugins on my disk.

IAC my question remains the same, and really is kind of independent of
backups: how do I make the connection between Firefox and the specific
plugins? There has to be some file where Firefox keeps that info ("for
PDF files, look in d:\adobe60\adoberdr.exe; for WMV files, look in
e:\musicplayer\....."), which in turn means there has to be a way of
creating that file.

 

If you have other browsers (Netscape, Mozilla, or IE) installed, copy
the DLL files from their plugins folders to Firefox's plugins folder.
Close Firefox before doing so.

 

1.2.2? sounds like a nightly build. Try just using the latest stable
build that's not in beta (1.0.3) and then it should be easy to install
your plugins or extensions. You can get the latest stable build at
www.mozilla.org.

Regards,

Will

 

Than the OP might end up copying incompatible plugins (especially
copying from IE). For example, JAVA comes to mind. AFAIK IE Java
doesn't work with Gecko products.
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FYI. I have my news reader set to only display threads and messages
that are new since my last check of the group. Hence, when you snip out
all the previous content, I have not a clue what the hell we're talking
about. And, no, I am NOT going to reconfigure my reader nor am I about
to go dancing through God-knows-how-many previous posts to figure it
out. Yes, you are welcome to snip as you like. But if you don't leave
enough for me to know what's going on, well, sorry, all I can do is scan
and move on. Happy to help if we can do it efficiently.

--
Ed Mullen
http://edmullen.net
http://edmullen.net/Mozilla/moz.html
http://edmullen.net/Mozilla/seamonk.html
Sex: In America an obsession. In other parts of the world a fact. -
Marlene Dietrich

 

Type this into the address bar, and it should show you the plugins you
have when they are enabled:

aboutlugins

Also in Tools > Options > Downloads
Check out the "Plug-Ins..." button.

Do you have Java enabled? If you do have the plugins you need and have
Java disabled, it could be this bug (look to the end first for manual
solution): <https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=273785>

If you haven't got plugins, go here:
<http://plugindoc.mozdev.org/windows.html>

 

I did that and it lists no adobe or media players.

Nevertheless, when I try to open a .pdf or .wmv, the appropriate app is
launched--outside of Firefox--and the file specified, does open.

There has to be a way for me to tell Firefox what helper App to launch
for each file type and where on my machine that app is found. How do I
do that? Is there some file I can edit and insert that info myself?


Rom wrote:

Type this into the address bar, and it should show you the plugins you
have when they are enabled:

aboutlugins

Also in Tools > Options > Downloads
Check out the "Plug-Ins..." button.

Do you have Java enabled? If you do have the plugins you need and have
Java disabled, it could be this bug (look to the end first for manual
solution): <https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=273785>

If you haven't got plugins, go here:
<http://plugindoc.mozdev.org/windows.html>

 

For PDFs to open within the browser:
Open Adobe Reader and go to "Edit > Preferences > Internet", and see
if a setting "Display PDF In Browser" is checked.

In Firefox have a look in Help > Help Contents, and enter "file types"
in "Search". Plugins are available here:
<http://plugindoc.mozdev.org/windows.html>.

FWIW, to display the full path of the plugins when viewing
"aboutlugins", type "about:config" in the address bar and copy
"plugin.expose_full_path" into the Filter box. Change its value from
false to true. Double-clicking on the value should change the value.

 

Helper Applications and Firefox

If you have a plug in that handles the mime type, then you dont need a
listing for Helper Application
You only require Helper Applications if you dont have a plug in to
handle that specific type. They are added when (and if) you run into a
type of file that Firefox doesnt know what to do with.

If you run into a file type that Firefox doesnt know what to do with,
you are offered the opportunity to choose which application you wish to
open it with, and in that dialogue there is a box that specifies do this
for this file type in the future - if you check THAT box, then Firefox
enters the application as a Helper Application for that file type
automatically.

If you run into a file type that opens automatically, then you either
have a plug in or a helper application for that type already set up. You
only get an opportunity to set a Helper Application when there isnt one.