Local Filesystem Links — austrALIENsun, AWolf

NOTE for previous users
Starting with Firefox 57, the addon requires you to install an additional helper application. Otherwise the addon cannot function properly. The details are explained in a first-run dialog when you install the addon.

Summary
This Firefox extension scans pages for file:/// links and makes it possible to open them with the system's file browser.

Target Audience
The extensions was created to assist people who like to use HTML pages to link to local files or files located on a network share. For example linking to local files from a wiki page.

Details
Currently there are two methods of opening local file system links.

1) Automatic file link recognition
An automatic file link recognition scans for hyperlinks with a file:/// prefix.
For each of these hyperlinks a folder icon will be inserted on the right side of the hyperlink.
If you click the icon the local file link is opened with the system's file browser..
In case of a link to a directory, the file browser opens the directory.
In case of a link to a file, the file will be selected (NOT executed) in the file browser.

2) Page context menu entry
The extension adds an entry 'Open with Windows Explorer' to the page context menu that works on selected text.
It works as follows:

• Select a text portion that contains the path to a local file or folder (e. g. C:\Windows).
• Right click on the selection and choose 'Open with default file manager' from the context menu.

Supported file links

• Local disk file links like C:\Windows (file:///C:/Windows)
• Network share links (UNC paths) like \\server\folder\file.png (file://///server/folder/file.png). Note, that there are 5 slashes in a row after the file: part.
• Blanks in the path

Known Issues

• Does not work in Private Browsing mode or (which is the same) with history disabled

Test hyperlinks
file:////home/, file:////bin/bash, file:///C:/Windows (does not work here, you have to use this test bed