View PDF and DOC files without downloading

Can you view a pdf on Mac without downloading the file?

[bubone2]

Does anyone know if it is possible to view a pdf or doc file online without downloading it? Everytime I get to a pdf online, the browser (IE 5.1 and Firefox) automatically downloads the file. Then the file opens in Preview app.

Seems to be a system setting rather than a browser, since it occurs in both IE and Firefox (unless this happens to be a default setting for both browsers). In any case, do you know how to change this setting?

Thanks,
Josh

[choster]

Try adjusting your preferences in Adobe Reader-- in my version (6.0 standard for Win) it is Edit->Preferences->Internet->Web Browser Options->Display PDF in browser. If the browser plugin is not present, you may be prompted to install it.

Of course, in a technical sense, the document is always downloaded; what you want to change in the way in which the downloaded file is opened.

[bubone2]

ok thanks.

But that is client side. Is there anyway to force this setting from the server side?

This seems not to be an issue on pc, because it opens the pdf in the browser just fine automatically.

Hope I am being clear.

Josh

[whoisgregg]

Is there anyway to force this setting from the server side?

Not that I know of. Some users would be rather upset if their personal preferences were overridden. The user also decides which PDF viewer to use, one of Adobe's, the Mac app Preview, or perhaps a different third party app.

You'll probably find that the expectation of Mac users when clicking a .pdf or .doc link is for it to be downloaded then handled by the default app or the app they've chosen to open that file type. (The obvious exceptions being folks that have recently switched.)

choster makes a good point that the file is always downloaded. If the purpose is to prevent the user from having a local copy, then no matter the default setting for Mac or Windows, the user still has a copy of that PDF somewhere on their computer.