Icedove loads link into wrong browser

SlithyTove · 11-15-2006, 10:16 PM

If I click on a link in Icedove, it loads into Konqueror. Don't want that. Want it to load into Firefox (and in the near future, *sigh*, Iceweasel).

My 'preferred applications' is set to Firefox as the brower. I can't find anything in the Icedove preferences to specify which browser to load links, nor anything in about:config. Right-clicking on link doesn't yield any useful results. I'm running Gnome, not KDE.

Thunderbird, which I've run since 2/2006, did not do this, it loaded links into Firefox.

Anyone else seen this? Any solutions?

sleepyEDB · 11-16-2006, 08:04 AM

Yep, this is quite common. You need to explicitly tell Thunderbird (and thus IceDove as well) which app you want to open hyperlinks in.

The file you'll need to edit is /your_home_folder/.thunderbird/[some profile name].default/prefs.js

The [some profile name] folder will be a random assortment of letters and numbers. Use your favorite text editor to open the prefs.js file, and add the following lines to the bottom if they aren't already in the file:

Code:

user_pref("network.protocol-handler.app.ftp", "/path/to/firefox");
user_pref("network.protocol-handler.app.http", "/path/to/firefox");
user_pref("network.protocol-handler.app.https", "/path/to/firefox");

The /path/to/firefox is probably /usr/bin/firefox, but type 'which firefox' at a command prompt to be sure.

Save the file, restart Thunderbird and you should be all set.

sleepy

SlithyTove · 11-16-2006, 10:34 PM

That worked! Thanks a bunch for your quick and helpful reply!

The question it raises, though, is: why aren't these lines put into prefs.js/about:config when the app is installed? Why did Thunderbird send links to Firefox to begin with, but Icedove doesn't?

Eh, it doesn't matter. It's just funny/annoying.

But thanks again for solving my problem.

rickh · 11-16-2006, 11:22 PM

Everything I see on the internet says Thunderbird didn't work without that fix either. I always noticed that T-bird seemed to pick randomly from whatever browsers were avilable. I'm glad to get it fixed, as well.

Off topic: SlithyTove is probably a fairly common user name, but I have encountered one who has really excellent taste in music. I think he's from Canada, tho

craigevil · 11-17-2006, 12:14 AM

The newest IceDove update in Sid asked which browser to use, and opens Firefox with no tweaking involved.

rickh · 11-17-2006, 12:43 AM

Hmmm. Just installed one that evidently only got to Sid today. Didn't get any such offer ... maybe because I had already followed the instructions above. Looked thru the Preferences for a place to set the default browser in IceDove, as well ... Didn't find that either.

craigevil · 11-17-2006, 01:10 AM

Running dpkg-reconfigure icedove will ask which browser to choose.

For some weird reason I have never had to tweak Thunderbird/Icedove to open in Firefox, it has always done that for me.

rickh · 11-17-2006, 01:17 AM

I'll take your word for it. This Ice(Critter) issue is going to be interesting. I suspect that Debian will stay parallell with Firefox/T-bird/etc with occasional little improvements like this ahead of the Mozilla people. After the big fuss ... both sides will be interested in pushing their development a bit. Should be good for the users of both camps.

vtel57 · 11-18-2006, 01:07 AM

Man! This has been driving me nuts since last night. Thanks, Sleepy! Your tweak fixed it 100%!

Regards,

~Eric

sleepyEDB · 11-19-2006, 08:36 AM

You are most welcome! I'm glad I could help out.

sleepy

vtel57 · 11-19-2006, 03:17 PM

I posted your tweak over at Scot's Newsletter Forums/All Things Linux also. I gave you and LQ credit for the find.

If Debian doesn't put out a fix for this, Bruno over at ATL is going to add my post about your tweak to our "stick tips" area.

sleepyEDB · 11-20-2006, 07:52 AM

Awesome, thank you very much vtel57!

It feels good to post something helpful after all the help others have given me in the past. I'm glad you found a way to use it to help someone else as well.

sleepy

vtel57 · 11-20-2006, 12:47 PM

Yeah, forums like this one and ATL have helped me immensely in my continuing Linux adventures. It's nice to give something back when you can.

See ya' around...

~Eric

farslayer · 12-26-2006, 07:35 PM

Well I wish I could say that worked for me, Icedove just ignores any links I click on.

I edited the prefs.js file as directed and there was no change.

I then tried EDIT->Preferences->Advanced->ConfigEditor
I added three new strings using the values you provided and the path to firefox..

It works now.. I'm not sure why the direct edit did not work but the config editor did. I know I was in the right profile folder for prefs.js...

well either way thanks for pointing me in the right direction I just had to take an alternate route to reach the final destination.

vtel57 · 12-26-2006, 07:59 PM

Hiya, Farslayer!

I just reinstalled my Debian recently, so I had to do this tweak again when I installed IceDove and IceWeasel 2.0. One thing I realized real quickly is that you have to do the edit (using any editor) with IceDove NOT running, or else the app will just remake a prefs.js file when you restart it. Anyway, glad you got it working, regardless of your method.

Luck!

~Eric