Install the Firefox Add-On for the Office Connector

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If you are using Firefox as your browser, you will need to install an add-on into Firefox (the Firefox WebDAV Launcher) in order to use some features of the Office Connector. You will be prompted to install the add-on the first time you try to use a function which requires it.

(warning) For more information on the browsers, operation systems and application combinations required to use the Office Connector see Office Connector Prerequisites.

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The Firefox WebDAV plugin which is required to edit Office documents can't be used with Firefox 57 (Quantum) or later, as Firefox has ended support for the technology it relies on. See CONFSERVER-52299 - Getting issue details... STATUS .

If you want to edit Office documents in Firefox you'll need to use Firefox 56 or earlier, or use a different browser.

 

Installing the Firefox Add-On

The first time you try to edit an attached Office document in Firefox 56 or earlier you'll be prompted to install a WebDAV add-on for your browser. Without this add-on you can't edit Office documents from Firefox. 

  1. Choose Edit in Office or Edit Document next to the document you wish to edit.
    You'll see a prompt to download the add-on.  
  2. Choose OK.
    Your browser will ask you to confirm that you want to allow the add-on. 
  3. Choose Allow.
    An installation dialog like the one below will appear.
  4. Choose Install Now.
    Once the installation is complete you'll be prompted to restart Firefox. Make sure you've saved any open pages or other work in your browser before you restart. 
  5. Next you need to configure the add-on, and tell it which applications to use. 

Configuring the Add-On

After installing the add-on you need to configure it, to tell the add-on which desktop applications to launch for each file type.  

Configuring the add-on is slightly different in each operating system.  

Configuring the add-on in Windows

In most cases the add-on will automatically configure itself, based on information from the system registry. The first time you edit a new file type, the add-on will look up the default editor for that file type and make that the permanent setting.

If you want to override the registry settings, or the automatic configuration is not working, you can configure the Firefox add-on manually.

  1. In Firefox locate the WebDAV Launcher add-on and choose Options.
    The WebDAV Launcher Options dialog, like the one below, will appear. 
     

  2. Enter a file extension in the File Extension field. Do not include the leading period in the extension name.
    For example, to associate the 'doc' file extension with Microsoft Word 2003 you would type doc in the File Extension field.

    Using Office 2007 or later?

    You should configure the WebDAV launcher to open both Office 2003 file extensions (doc, ppt and xls) and Office 2007 and later file extensions (docx, xlsx and pptx).

  3. Enter the Application Path - you can either: 
    • Choose Auto to load the associated application from the Windows registry, or
    • Choose Browse to find the application on your computer, or
    • Manually enter the path to the application's executable file.

  4. Choose Add to add the file extension association to the list.
    Repeat this process for all the file extensions you need. 

Configuring the Add-On in Mac OS X

You can't currently edit documents in Mac OS X. See  CONF-25594 - Getting issue details... STATUS .

Configuring the Add-On in Linux

The only known supported Office editor for Linux is OpenOffice (see Office Connector Prerequisites).

There is no automatic configuration on Linux. You will need to associate each file type with your Office editor in Firefox. Note that there is no 'Auto' button in Linux.

The configuration procedure is similar to Windows. For both Ubuntu and OpenSUSE, the configuration will look something like this:

File Extension

Application Path

doc and docx

/usr/bin/oowriter

ppt and pptx

/usr/bin/ooimpress

xls and xlsx

/usr/bin/oocalc

Security Risks

Please be aware that there are security risks in installing this add-on to Firefox. Internet Explorer is exposed to the same risks, because it can directly open Office documents.

Summary of the risks:

  • Office documents can contain macro viruses. Before opening an Office document, make sure that you trust the source of the document.
  • There are known flaws in the Office file formats and Microsoft Office that an attacker can exploit to gain control of your machine. Microsoft has fixed the known exploits in the latest Service Packs for all Microsoft Office versions, but new exploits may arise at any time. Be sure that you trust the source of a document before opening it.

The add-on reduces the risk by supporting:

  • Same origin policy - the add-on can only open documents from the same host that initiated the action.
  • Digital signature - the add-on is digitally signed. When you install the add-on please verify that it is signed by Atlassian.
  • Prompt the user for confirmation - You will always be warned before a file is opened. Please read these warnings carefully before opening a file. The warning tells you the complete URL of the file as well as the complete application path of the application opening the file.

Information about this Firefox add-on

Add-on name:

WebDAV Launcher

Description:

Adds the ability to launch a WebDAV URL directly in a WebDAV-aware client.

Latest version:

See the WebDAV Launcher add-on page at Mozilla

Compatible with:

All versions of Firefox, up to Firefox 56. It is not compatible with Firefox 57 (Quantum) or later.

Author:

Atlassian Pty Ltd

Last modified on Nov 16, 2017

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