All files download INSIDE a Safari tab - not in Downloads window

Question

Level 1

92 points

All files download INSIDE a Safari tab - not in Downloads window

One of my several Macs has now developed a very annoying problem. Anytime I click on any weblink that links to a file (say, a ZIP), that ZIP doesn't auto-open in Safari's Downloads window. Instead, Safari opens a new tab and tries to download it in a dark gray window, but never completes downloading the file. See the linked screenshot.

http://www.daviddas.com/clients/safariproblem.png

I can't figure out how to fix it. Any help? (Note: if I copy the URL to the clipboard, open a new tab, and hit option-return, I can successfully force Safari to download it. However this is a tedious workaround every time I want to download a file, and it doesn't work when a more complex PHP app is not giving me the file's true URL.)

Mac Pro 8-core (2 x 2.8), Mac OS X (10.5.6)

Posted on Mar 8, 2010 3:31 PM

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Answer 1

Mar 8, 2010 10:26 PM in response to David Das

HI,

Go to Safari/Preferences and click the General tab.

If you have the Safari preference "Open 'safe' files after downloading" selected, and Safari considered that a downloaded file was safe:

*Safari will automatically open the file after it's downloaded.*
*If the downloaded file is an archive (.zip file), Safari will decompress it.*
*If the downloaded file is a disk image (.img file), Safari will mount the image volume.*
*If Download Validation cannot determine that a downloaded file is safe, it will be stored in your default download directory just as if the "Open 'safe' files after downloading" preference was disabled.*

If Download Validation determines that a downloaded file is unsafe, you will be asked if you wish to download or cancel. If you download the file, it will be placed in your download location, as configured in Safari preferences. If you cancel, it will be saved as a web download in your download location, as configured by Safari preferences. It will be named the same as the original file with ".download" at the end of it. This can be moved to the Trash.

Carolyn 🙂

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Answer 2

David Das Author

Level 1

92 points

Mar 9, 2010 8:21 AM in response to Carolyn Samit

Thanks. That didn't quite answer my question. I do have the option enabled to open safe files after downloading. But my problem isn't related to after downloading. It's related to DURING downloading -- files aren't downloading; they're opening inside the browser window, and not downloading at all.

Only on this one Mac. My other Macs are all fine.

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Answer 3

tylmar

Level 1

40 points

Mar 9, 2010 8:48 PM in response to David Das

I have the same problem on my iMac. However it even worse - the same issue exists regardless of the type of web browser - I can't download any files with Safari, Firefox, or Chrome

Message was edited by: tylmar

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Answer 4

Mar 14, 2010 5:40 PM in response to David Das

I have the exact same problem and I can't figure out what the problem is. I would like to attempt a download with a different browser such as Firefox, but the .dmg file won't download! I'm trying to set up a new printer with my MacBook and cannot do so with this problem. Any further help would be appreciated!

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Answer 5

David Das Author

Level 1

92 points

Mar 14, 2010 9:44 PM in response to Jacob Williams

I can say that a workaround that works for SOME things is to copy the URL of the file you want from the clipboard, then open a new Safari page or tab, paste the URL in, then hit option-return. This forces it to download.

Note: this doesn't work if you simply go to the URL bar of the failing download-in-progress and hit option-return. You have to actually open a new tab or window then hit option-return to get it to work.

That's a good workaround for 75% of the stuff out there on the web. Anything that doesn't have PHP as a go-between serving you a file for which you don't know the true direct URL.

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