"Open Link In Browser" Does NOT work

[dryflycaster]

I am having the cursed problem of links in emails not responding. I have tried multiple ways of making them work but have failed with each attempt.

Currently I am in the process of looking under Tools for Options/Attachments but it is not present. I do find Attachments under Messages but it is grayed out and not active.

It's getting very old and tiresome not being able to click on email links. "Open Link In Browser" Does NOT work, the only way I can access the link location is to Right Click the link, Select "Copy Link Location and then paste it into the address bar. This works but it is becoming very time consuming and laborious.

Can someone give me some help with any of this ?

Ever Wonder?

_bill

[DanRaisch]

Ever Wonder?

We wonder what version of Thunderbird you are using.
We wonder what is happening when you click on the link in an email. Is there any response at all?

[dryflycaster]

TB Version .... 102.10.1 (32-bit)

The link will (sometimes ) highlight around the outside.

[Gone Postal]

TB Version .... 102.10.1 (32-bit)

The link will (sometimes ) highlight around the outside.

One possibility is that it is a system problem. If I've understood things correctly, if you are using Windows, clicking on the link will open a browser page in the default browser set up on the system. If that default setting has been lost for whatever reason then TB does not know where to send the link to be opened. You can see which browser is set as the system default in the later versions of Windows by going to Settings > Apps > Default Apps and scrolling down to the Web Browser entry. You could try re-setting that or pointing to another browser to see if it makes any difference

If you are running another operating system my limited knowledge leaves me unable to make any sensible suggestions!

[dryflycaster]

I am using W7.

As a limited test I installed Mailbird to see what would happen with links in that program.

Every link I clicked on opened up in my default browser. it appears to me to be a TB problem.

Where do I find this Settings / Apps/ Default Apps you mentioned ?

[morat]

Start Button > Settings > Apps > Default Apps > Web browser

That's instuctions for Windows 10.

[morat]

Are there any modified network.protocol-handler.* preferences in the config manager? All my protocol handler preferences have default values.

Is there an error in the error console after clicking the "Open Link in Browser" menu item?

i.e.

* open error console and click trash icon to clear output
* right click on link to open popup and click menu item

The "Open Link in Browser" menu item uses the external protocol service to open the link in the default browser.

You could run the following code snippet in the error console to test the external protocol service.

Code: Select all

Components.classes["@mozilla.org/uriloader/external-protocol-service;1"].
 getService(Components.interfaces.nsIExternalProtocolService).
  loadURI((Services.io.newURI("http://forums.mozillazine.org/")));

Try deleting or renaming the mimeTypes.rdf file if present and the handlers.json file in the profile folder. The handlers.json file will be recreated on startup.

Remember to exit the app before deleting or renaming files in the profile folder.

[dryflycaster]

Where do I find this Error Console ?

[morat]

In Thunderbird, the Browser Console is called the Error Console.

Menu Bar > Tools > Developer Tools > Error Console

Browser Console
http://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Tools/Browser_Console

Here is how to open the Config Editor to view or edit preferences.

Menu Bar > Tools > Settings > General > Config Editor (scroll to bottom)

Config Editor
http://support.mozilla.org/kb/config-editor

[morat]

I would try Gone Postal's suggestions first before checking the Config Editor and Error Console.

You could try re-setting that or pointing to another browser to see if it makes any difference.

How to Change Default Browser in Windows 7
http://www.kodyaz.com/articles/how-to-c ... ows-7.aspx

[dryflycaster]

I pretty much tried all of the suggestions and the links will still not open. So..... as a followup here are my basic conditions.


Basic Info rehash:

Just recently, the links in all of my emails stopped working. When I click on a link it momentarilly lights up but fails to go to the web page.

Operating System: Windows 7

Current Email: Thunderbird Ver 102.10.1 (32-bit)

Default Browser: Firefox (Set and reset multiple times)

Default Search Engine: Duck Duck Go

Right clicking the link and selecting "Open Link in Browser", also does not work.

Right clicking and selecting "Copy Link Location" and then pasting it into the browser (either Chrome or

Firefox) address line opens the web page every time.

I have tried what seems like hundreds of methods/fixes (from web searches) and none of them have

helped at all. Many of them are dead ends because they were for what appears to be old versions of
Thunderbird or for W10 or W11 .

I opened Thunderbird in Safe or Trouble Shooting mode and the problem still exists.

I installed Mailbird, as a test, and the links all worked perfectly in that program.
I set and reset my default browser and search engine and the problem still exists.
I even fooled around with the IE Properties a bit with no help.

I am pretty much at wits end with this issue and any help you could provide would be greatly
appreciated.

_bill

[morat]

I'm able to open HTTP links in Chrome and HTTPS links in Firefox. Chrome is my default browser.

Screenshot
http://imgur.com/a/uaYruPV

Thunderbird 102.10.1
Windows 10 Pro 20H2 32-bit

Do you have the http and https content types in files & attachments?

i.e. Menu Bar > Tools > Settings > General > Files & Attachments

I can add the http and https content types with custom actions by setting the following prefs to true, then clicking a HTTP link and HTTPS link in a draft message, then opening settings, then changing actions.

* network.protocol-handler.warn-external.http
* network.protocol-handler.warn-external.https

Remember to reset the above prefs to false (default) after changing actions.

Or you can hack the handlers.json file directly.

* <profile folder>\handlers.json

Code: Select all

{
  "defaultHandlersVersion": {},
  "mimeTypes": {},
  "schemes": {
    "http": {
      "action": 4
    },
    "https": {
      "action": 2,
      "handlers": [
        {
          "name": "firefox.exe",
          "path": "C:\\Program Files\\Mozilla Firefox\\firefox.exe"
        }
      ]
    }
  },
  "isDownloadsImprovementsAlreadyMigrated": false,
  "isSVGXMLAlreadyMigrated": true
}

action 0 for saveToDisk
action 2 for useHelperApp
action 4 for useSystemDefault

I'm using Firefox on Windows 10 32-bit. The firefox.exe path is different for Windows 10 64-bit.

Remember to minify the json in the handlers.json file before saving.

JSON Formatter
http://jsonformatter.org/

Bug 1794089
http://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1794089

Similar thread: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic ... &t=3072176

[siffemoz]

The usual first step to fix this is what @morat suggested: close TB > rename handlers.json > restart TB.

If that doesn't work, set the two mentioned configs

network.protocol-handler.warn-external.http and network.protocol-handler.warn-external.https

to true and repeat the first step.

[dryflycaster]

Now just like magic the links in all of my emails are working.

This could be a coincidence but it took place on or just after the latest TB update ( Version 102.11.0, first offered to channel users on May 10, 2023 ).

Did the latest update fix the problem ? I have no idea, I'm just happy the links are now working.

_bill

[morat]

It's possible that the update fixed the problem.

No info in 102.11.0, 102.11.1 or 102.11.2 release notes.

Thunderbird Release Notes
http://www.thunderbird.net/thunderbird/releases/