No more auto save

[convroom]

For the love of God please revert this feature back to how it was prior to ver 98 release. This auto save nonsense is garbage. I use this browser for work, across a dozen machines, and the main reason I use Firefox was for how it functioned when opening/downloading files. Now that it's auto saving it breaks my processes for my job. I need it to prompt to open or save when I click on files. AUto saving is causing additional steps in my work processes, I am looking at alternative browsers now. Unless you can put this back the way it was I will discontinue usage.

[random_panda]

Can someone explain how this is in any way 'optimised'?

This update has made firefox basically unusable for me. I use it for research, I probably open 10 .pdf files for every one I actually want to download. For the 1/10 I do want to save it is now MORE complicated as if I want to rename the files (which I always do), I have to go through extra steps to save the renamed file into the right folder, and I STILL end up with a duplicate in my downloads.

Same with .ris files for citations: I used to be able to open them with referencing software, there is literally no reason to download them, now got hundreds of tiny files littered throughout my computer.

Before you could just click the "always do this with .XYZ files", why not let users choose based on how they use the browser? I love firefox but in it's current state its not much more than bloatware. I'm all for experimenting with new features, just make them optional!!

[wesncold]

Man, I HATE THIS CHANGE ON FF98!

Come on Mozilla, AT LEAST, give the users the option to change this on the browser preferences. This is absolute horrible behavior for FF98!

[SleepExpert]

Add your comment (and upvote) this thread: https://connect.mozilla.org/t5/ideas/please-revert-the-downloads-system/idi-p/1220

[juliebobu]

Has anyone found another browser that has this feature. This change is affecting how I do business!!!

[jscher2000]

I don't know whether Mozilla will bring back using the Windows Temp folder when you "Open" a file, but here are some suggestions for right now:

(1) You can create a TEMP subfolder in your downloads and set that as your default download folder in Firefox so at least they are together. This is what that configuration looks like:

(2) To change the default handling for a content type Firefox recognizes, you can use the Applications list on the Settings page: https://support.mozilla.org/kb/change-firefox-behavior-when-open-file 

(3) If the content type is missing, right-click the item on the Downloads list and look for "Always Open Similar Files" on the context menu. This will add a new item to the Applications list, with "Use [relevant application" as the action. You can change that to Always Ask for content types where you want to always have a Download dialog.

(4) If the content type isn't on the Applications List and also doesn't have the "Always Open Similar Files" option, the server may not have provided a specific content type, instead providing a generic binary file content type. Since that also is used for EXE files, Firefox doesn't let you associate it with a single application. Working around this is more difficult, but I can give you suggestions if needed.

[erica_buchberge]

I second this. Please bring back the option to not have everything auto-download and clutter up my download folder. If I want it saved, I'll save it. Otherwise, I often just want to see what a document is. Thank you!

[Boersenfeger]

Please restore the old behavior. Alternatively, perhaps a reasonable explanation would be helpful to understand the new procedure. ThankYou

[tb_johnson3]

Please Firefox give us back the option to not save every file to the download folder! This has actually caused me more work and is not helpful AT ALL!

1. I don't want every file that I open to be saved. Some I just need to look at and then close without saving.

2. When I do want a file saved, I have several different folders I save to and I always change the file name. So the copy automatically saved in the download folder is not needed and is a waste of space.

3. Firefox saving files to the download folder just makes more work for me because I have to go delete every file from this folder at the end of the day. If I don't do this step, it's eating up my computer's free space. This is extra work for me to do now daily.

There is no good reason for Firefox to have made this update. Myself and my coworkers would appreciate it going away or at least give us the option to go back to the way it was.

[Newswatch]

The 98 release has been problematic with trying to just open emails in Gmail. Even with the ask to open enabled, it would auto-download until I triggered an about:config line to false. Now I have been told that this will be going away in the "near future." As a news reporter I open tons of PDFs and Word Docs in email every day that I do NOT want to download.

[diwiketsch]

You are right. The new "auto-download" into the "download-folder" is the greatest nonsens I ever have seen. I will decide for myself where I want to download e.g a pdf-file. When I do this, than it is unecessary to save the file additionelly in the download folder. If Firefox do not replace the old function is this a reason for me to put Firefox in to the trash.

[LtDan0341]

What are you trying to solve? A problem that didn't exist? Allow me to have the option, put the option back.

[robnsac1]

Rob Stoinoff

I am just a longstanding but older user of Firefox web browser.  In fact an early adopter.  I changed to Firefox years ago because the previous browser and its owners made a product that was clunky and hard to use.  Firefox was wonderful.  Has success suddenly made you autocrats? When I suddenly started encountering this auto-save "feature" I thought it was my fault that I had accidently pressed a wrong button somewhere.  It was the last thing on my mind that Firefox would do something so counter intuitive.  Imagine my surprise and shock when I just found out it is a "FEATURE". It has ruined my ability to work as rapidly as before.  At my age (78), time is precious.  The suggestions of these loyal users are great.  If some people love this feature, then give them that option.  For all the rest of us who are tangled with unnecessary keystrokes and steps, please use your former programming in the previous version to give us the option to view or save.

Thank you and I hope you fine programmers are listening.

[andzia]

I just wanted to say - those changes to the way that FF deals with file downloads are really bad, please - leave it as it was earlier. I understand that some users may not be aware of what TEMP is, and working on files saved in this location may lead them to loosing their data/work, but there is huge group of users like me, who are aware of what they do. And dialog asking me what to do with each file that I wanted do download was great thing. Even for the same type of file, each time decision could be different - sometimes I wanted file to be saved, sometimes  I just wanted to see or print data in file, but without saving it in default location.

PLEASE... undo those changes. Or at least - give users possibility to choose, which version they want. And DON'T remove browser.download.improvements_to_download_panel or you will see larg group of FF users switching to alternative browser.

[andzia]

I just wanted to say - those changes to the way that FF deals with file downloads are really bad, please - leave it as it was earlier. I understand that some users may not be aware of what TEMP is, and working on files saved in this location may lead them to loosing their data/work, but there is huge group of users like me, who are aware of what they do. And dialog asking me what to do with each file that I wanted do download was great thing. Even for the same type of file, each time decision could be different - sometimes I wanted file to be saved, sometimes  I just wanted to see or print data in file, but without saving it in default location.

PLEASE... undo those changes. Or at least - give users possibility to choose, which version they want. And DON'T remove browser.download.improvements_to_download_panel or you will see larg group of FF users switching to alternative browser.

[UliBär]

Yes, now Firefox clutters the download folder with tons of unwanted temporary stuff, which one only wanted to look at for a moment and did not want that stuff permanently placed in the download folder.