Network.protocol-handler.external.(protocol)

Background

Protocols (ex: http, ftp, mailto) are different methods of sending information over the Internet. Protocols may be handled by Mozilla applications themselves, or they may be passed to external applications, or they may not be handled at all. This preference determines whether a specific protocol that is already configured to be handled should be handled internally or externally.

Possible values and their effects

true

This protocol should be handled by an external application.

false

This protocol should be handled internally.

Caveats

• network.protocol-handler.expose-all or network.protocol-handler.expose.(protocol) (which tell the application that this protocol should be handled in some way) must be set to true for this preference to take effect.
• Some protocols cannot be handled internally. Attempting to load a protocol that can't be handled internally does nothing.
• This preference only exists by default for certain protocols.
• The external application to run is determined by the OS on Windows and by network.protocol-handler.app.(protocol) on Linux and Mac. See this article for details.

First checked in

2002-03-26 by Patrick C. Beard

Has an effect in

• Netscape (all versions since 7.0)
• Mozilla Suite (all versions since 1.0)
• Mozilla Firefox (all versions)
• Seamonkey (all versions)

See also

• Register protocol

Related bugs

• Bug 133386 - URL: Support external protocol handlers via preferences
• Bug 163648 - URL with "vbscript:" protocol launches MS Internet Explorer

Related preferences

• network.protocol-handler.app.(protocol)
• network.protocol-handler.expose-all
• network.protocol-handler.expose.(protocol)
• network.protocol-handler.external-default
• network.protocol-handler.warn-external-default
• network.protocol-handler.warn-external.(protocol)