[X-Newbies] PDF files in a browser

[Al Poulin]

I guess I misunderstood the OP because, some time ago, I reset my 
Panther Safari 1.3.2 Preferences in the General tab to comply with 
advise from Apple and security experts.  I unchecked the box for "Open 
'safe' files after downloading.  I always get the .pdf files downloaded 
to my Desktop.  Then I double click on the icon.

Just now, I checked the box to "Open 'safe' files.  This time, the .pdf 
file downloaded and Preview automatically opened it.  I am talking 
about a 44 page, 4.5MB technical manual here:
http://mendota-gas-fireplaces.com/mendota-manuals.asp

I get the same behavior at:
http://www.irs.ustreas.gov/

I guess I still do not understand the problem.  Now, I am unchecking 
that box as advised.

Regards to all,

Al Poulin

On Nov 13, 2006, at 2:48 PM, Michael Winter wrote:

>
> On Nov 13, 2006, at 1:33 PM, Al Poulin wrote:
>
>> What version OS are you on?  Is there a particular reason you want to 
>> use something else?
>
> Yes! First, as far as I can tell, you can't save the PDF file from 
> Safari (at least its not straight forward). 95% of the time I click on 
> a pdf file, I want it downloaded and saved.
>
> Second, IMO Safari is fine for very short (1-2 pages) documents, but 
> it just doesn't work well for larger ones, at least the way I use 
> them. First, I always have to zoom-in a couple times before anything 
> is legible, navigation is much more difficult, and there's no search.
>
> So I'm looking for a way to have Safari just open them up in Preview 
> like it used to (or even Acrobat) instead of displaying them inline. 
> In old browsers there used to be a preference pane where you could 
> assign file types to specific applications. That's what's needed here 
> for pdf files.
>
> After re-reading, I'm wondering if one of us misunderstood. I read the 
> OP as wanting Safari to behave as I described when you "browse" to a 
> pdf file on the web. You seem to be describing opening a local file in 
> a preferred app.
>
> -Mike