Applications and download actions list is empty: Difference between revisions

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The Firefox [[Changing_media_handling_behaviour#Firefox |Download Actions]] list will be empty if you haven't set any download actions and if there are no plugins installed that are associated with file extensions.  You can set a download action by clicking the box "Do this automatically for files like this from now on" when you first encounter a download for a particular [[MIME types|MIME type]]. Test pages that include direct links to media files are given [[Testing plugins |here]].
One possible cause of an empty [[file types and download actions]] list (e.g.,  Firefox 3 "Applications" list) on Windows systems is the presence of the '''npbittorrent.dll''' file in the Firefox plugins folder [http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=514507] [http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=516918].  If you see the BitTorrent plugin in your [[about:plugins]] list, then  [[Kill application| exit Firefox]], open the Firefox [[installation directory]]\plugins folder (''C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\plugins'' in a typical Windows install) and either remove the file "npbittorrent.dll" or rename it Xnpbittorrent.dll.


The Download Actions list should not be empty if plugins are set to handle certain file types; for example, if the [[Flash]] plugin is installed, there should be an entry in the Download Actions window for .SWF files and, if the [[Adobe Reader]] plugin is installed, there should be an entry for .PDF files.
Another possibility is a corrupt [[mimeTypes.rdf]] file [http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=358855]. [[Kill application |Exit Firefox completely]] and delete or rename the "mimeTypes.rdf" file in the [[Profile folder - Firefox|Firefox profile folder]] and the file will be regenerated (read [[Show hidden files and folders|this]] for help finding it).  This will remove any previously defined download actions. Note that, in some cases, you may need to follow [[File types and download actions#Resetting_download_actions |these instructions]] to completely reset your Firefox download actions and any related preference settings that may exist.


One possible cause of a blank Firefox Download Actions listing is the presence of the '''npbittorrent.dll''' file in the Firefox plugins folder [http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=514507] [http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?t=516918]. You can type [[about:plugins]] in the address bar to view the installed plugins.  If you find the BitTorrent plugin listed,  open the Firefox [[installation directory]] (<tt>C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\plugins</tt> in a typical Windows install) and either remove the file "npbittorrent.dll" or rename it Xnpbittorrent.dll.
On Linux (Kubuntu), installing the firefox-gnome-support package from the Kubuntu repositories is reported to resolve the issue. [http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?p=4148155#p4148155]  
 
If you do not find the BitTorrent plugin,  another possible solution is to restore the default set of download actions by deleting or renaming the file [[mimeTypes.rdf]] located in the Firefox [[profile folder]] and resetting a related preference, as described [[Changing_media_handling_behaviour#Resetting_download_actions |here]].


[[Category:Plugins]]
[[Category:Plugins]]
[[Category:Issues (Firefox)]]
[[Category:Issues (Firefox)]]
[[Category:Downloads - Firefox]]
[[Category:Downloads - Firefox]]

Latest revision as of 01:54, 7 January 2010

One possible cause of an empty file types and download actions list (e.g., Firefox 3 "Applications" list) on Windows systems is the presence of the npbittorrent.dll file in the Firefox plugins folder [1] [2]. If you see the BitTorrent plugin in your about:plugins list, then exit Firefox, open the Firefox installation directory\plugins folder (C:\Program Files\Mozilla Firefox\plugins in a typical Windows install) and either remove the file "npbittorrent.dll" or rename it Xnpbittorrent.dll.

Another possibility is a corrupt mimeTypes.rdf file [3]. Exit Firefox completely and delete or rename the "mimeTypes.rdf" file in the Firefox profile folder and the file will be regenerated (read this for help finding it). This will remove any previously defined download actions. Note that, in some cases, you may need to follow these instructions to completely reset your Firefox download actions and any related preference settings that may exist.

On Linux (Kubuntu), installing the firefox-gnome-support package from the Kubuntu repositories is reported to resolve the issue. [4]

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