Firefox Can't Open Other Applications

[techd]

Soon after I switched over to Linux Mint (Cinnamon, 64-bit), I noticed that Mozilla Firefox doesn't seem to able to open other applications. For example, when I try to click a mailto (email) link, nothing happens. The same is true for opening the download folder after downloading a given file. Interestingly enough, selecting "Show All Downloads", I can see that Firefox notices when a file is replaced/renamed/deleted after I try to double click (open) such a file. An exception to this is that Firefox can open files like .zip and .tar.xz, which need to be decompressed (but, again, it can't open the location of the file via the file explorer). I've attached some images to make this more clear.

Image #1 - Clicking on the folder icon or file has no effect (menu closes)

Image #2 ("All Downloads" view) - Opening .zip and .tar.xz files is possible

Image #3 ("All Downloads" view) - When trying to open (double click) a file that has been replaced/renamed/deleted, Firefox notices

Thank you for trying to help!

[mikeflan]

Welcome to the forum. What version of FF? I use v87.0.

e-mail yourself and include:

Code: Select all

mailto:test@yahoo.com

Does clicking on it in an e-mail work?
If Yes, then create a simple webpage (in Libre Writer perhaps), double click on it, and test again.
Both methods work for me.

[techd]

Thank you for your reply!

I use FF 92.0. I sent an email to myself with a mailto link and everything worked. I also created a .html document in Writer with a mailto link and was only able to open it from Writer; opening the .html file in Firefox and clicking on the mailto link did nothing.

[mikeflan]

OK, so the problem is probably in FF.
Start Menu - Preferred Applications. Do you have a default mail application set?

If not, please set one.

Then open FF and type about:config in the URL box. Go in (Show All) and search for mailto
Is network.protocol-handler.external.mailto true?
Do you have a gecko.handlerService.schemes.mailto.0.uriTemplate
If so, what is across from it? Mine has https://compose.mail.yahoo.com/?To=%s

[techd]

Hmmm.. I have a default email application set and already changed network.protocol-handler.external.mailto to true, as I searched a bit around on the web before asking here, but it doesn't seem to have changed anything.
I also have gecko.handlerService.schemes.mailto.0.uriTemplate and my value for it is the same as yours.

[mikeflan]

You could create another profile in FF via the about:profiles URL and see if that fixes the problem in the new profile. Or shutdown FF, rename ~/.mozila/ to ~/.mozila-bak/, then restart FF. If it works then, you can selectively copy over your bookmarks and whatever else you need.

[techd]

Thanks mikeflan, I tried creating/using a new profile but this didn't resolve the issue. I'm running 92.0.1, which appears to be the latest version.

[mikeflan]

I tried creating/using a new profile but this didn't resolve the issue.

That is a surprise. I thought that would work. So now go to the 2nd option:
Shutdown FF, rename ~/.mozila/ to ~/.mozila-bak/, then restart FF. If it works then, you can selectively copy over your bookmarks and whatever else you need.

If that doesn't work I would do a complete purge of FF and then reinstall.

If that doesn't work I would install another browser and see if that works. Then go to the Mozilla forum
http://forums.mozillazine.org/
and attack the problem there.