Allow choice for file opening vs. file download storage location

[ce]

Dear Firefox team,

It is good that I can choose to a) open a file with Firefox, b) open it in a different app or c) download it.

It is not good that all three of those actions lead to the file being downloaded into the specified download folder.

I'm aware of the ability to choose this folder in the settings. However, I would really appreciate the option to choose a different folder for files that are just viewed vs. files that are intensional downloads.

I understand that files need to be stored locally in order to be displayed or opened. So I would kindly suggest to differentiate two local folders:

Case c) DOWNLOADING files: Store the files in the specified downloads folder

Cases a) and b) OPENING files: Please store the files in a temp subfolder of the specified downloads folder (or allow specification of another folder in the settings)

This would allow me to bulk delete everything from my downloads/temp folder every once in a while, while decluttering my downloads folder, which would then only store intended downloads.

Thanks for considering (and opefully getting rid of this nuisance, as has also been pointed out in support requests like this: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1370409)!

[Jon]

Thanks for submitting an idea to the Mozilla Connect community! Your idea is now open to votes (aka kudos) and comments.

[Crespel]

Yes I agree !

Since the "improvement" of update Firefox 98.0, "Ask Me for downloads" no longer works.

It's really annoying !

At least I wish I had an option to choose the behavior.

[How1er]

Agreed and upvoted. Please bring back the old functionality - I'm pretty sure no user wants this new method, and I'm sure most users are unwittingly clogging their Downloads folder this way. I wanted Firefox to ask me each time with pdfs for specific reasons, but now I can't. When I select to open the file in the browser, it downloads it to my desktop as well. The only workaround I've found is to let files open in Firefox every time, which I do not want, either. Completely ridiculous.

[leehawkins]

I agree, this current process is a pain as it clutters up the downloads folder when you only want to open a file with an external app for viewing. It makes it difficult to clean this folder as there are items in downloads that I want to keep amongst all the ones that I only wanted to read. The decision to save or not save should be up to the user. If I only wanted to read the file, it should not be permanently saved in my downloads folder.

MS Edge handles it much better - they do save it temporarily to the downloads folder. However, if you close the other app without saving, it deletes the temp file in Downloads. If in the app you save it to a folder other than downloads, it also deletes the temp folder in Downloads. 

[Agentvirtuel]

Hello

This information

browser.download.improvements_to_download_panel, no longer exists

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/forums/contributors/715624#post-83070

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Additionally, the product team has suggested we definitely avoid telling users to flip the pref back. The reason being is that the pref is going to be removed at some point which will trigger the users to just be upset again once that happens.

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Frequently asked questions https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/manage-downloads-preferences-using-downloads-menu#w_frequently-...
When I open a file with an application, why is it also saved to my Downloads folder?

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Before Firefox version 98, files you opened in Firefox with an application were also saved to the system Temp folder on Windows and Linux, even though you may not have been aware of it.

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SUMO community discussions
Fx102 will include about:config pref to re-enable the Temp folder for downloads when opening files
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/forums/contributors/715745

Configuration Editor for Firefox https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/about-config-editor-firefox
Search preference browser.download.start_downloads_in_tmp_dir
Try true