[RESOLVED] pdf files show as black page

[matw]

New Windows 7 install -> new Firefox install -> new noscript install

Noscript seems to work as usual ... until ... I try to open a pdf file. ...
I click on the pdf icon to allow this pdf file to display
I get an error dialog box from Adobe that has no error message (i.e. i'ts blank)
The page displays black.
I set noscript to "temporarily allow all this page" and the page still displays black.

The error console shows no error.

I disable noscript. The pdf file loads and displays just fine.
I enable noscript. The page displays black.

Please suggest what I might try to diagnose what is going on.

--matw

[dhouwn]

Please suggest what I might try to diagnose what is going on.

The content of the Error Console helps in most cases, but I am not so sure about this one.

[Giorgio Maone]

Could you try to reinstall latest Adobe Reader version?

[Guest]

Removed and installed Acrobat Reader (9.3)
Removed and installed firefox 3.6.3
Did not reinstall noscript, as the plugin was disabled (unistall didn't remove everything. I am unsurprised.)
A pdf page displayed fine.
Enabled noscript -> the same pdf page displays black.

Possibly relevant fact: Adobe CS4 suite is installed on this system (includes Acrobat Pro). I am not sure what program is actually getting called to open pdf web pages. I don't see an indication within the browser. Will try to investigate what "reader" gets run outside of firefox.

--matw

[Guest]

Acrobat Pro was the default reader.
Changed and verified that Acrobat Reader was the new default reader.
The pdf web page reader in firefox looked a little different.
The behavior with respect to noscript was the same.

--matw

[Giorgio Maone]

Could you try on a clean profile, with just NoScript ?
(BTW, uninstalling it "doing nothing" is surpristing indeed, it may hint at a corrupted profile).

[Guest]

I just reinstalled and ensured that the <username>\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox folder had been cleared out and replaced.

Unfortunately, opening pdf web pages in firefox now show black pages. This is before installing the noscript plugin, so I have to get that working before I can say anything about the behavior with noscript.

Bummer. Thank you for the suggestions. Corruption somewhere seems likely. When I get firefox and adobe working together again, I will try adding noscript and report on how it works.

--matw

[Guest]

After many experiments from removing profiles.ini to reinstalling firefox and noscript, I can say that I have not yet found a way to make black-page occurrences happen all the time. However, it is pretty easy to get a black page.

At the time of my last post, enabling and disabling Java Console made a difference, even if noscript was disabled. However, after a firefox reinstall (without noscript) pdf pages display properly whether or not Java Console is enabled.

Black pages seem to happen most often when a site is forbidden and I then double click on the pdf icon at the center to allow the pdf to be displayed. While in this state, firefox may or may not display a black page depending on my subsequent action (it is all quite confusing). The behavior is sensitive to the manner by which the web page is subsequently invoked (reload current page, double click on a desktop link, click on link in the sidebar, ...). Quitting and restarting firefox, after saving (or not) open tabs, causes various results.

When I manage to get firefox into a state where black-pages become likely, I found that removing profiles.ini brought firefox into a somewhat well behaved state. While in this state, it is usually sufficient, when firefox blocks a pdf page, to avoid black-pages by not doubelclicking on the pdf icon and instead allowing the domain (temporarily or permanently).

So, it seems that there is a noscript dependency, but I can't say much beyond that.

Regards, --matw

[Giorgio Maone]

Wild guess: since I've never seen black rectangle instead of PDF pages, but I did see black artifacts caused by bad graphic drivers under unusual or stressful conditions, could you check if your drivers are up to date?

[Guest]

A "Wild guess" is welcome.

The graphics driver is the latest according to Device Manager.

Throughout, Error Console, remained silent, so it isn't much help here. (Error Console works however)

I am pretty much out of my skill range here, but I would like to know what program is failing when I get a black page. Can I coax firefox and noscript (and whoever else) into telling me what it is doing as it does it?

--matw

[therube]

URL of this PDF?

Not particularly relevant, but can't hurt to read through: PDF pages don't appear in web browser window (Acrobat 4.0-6.0.x, Acrobat Reader 4.0-5.x, Adobe Reader 6.0x)

You say Acrobat Reader 9.3, but is it actually 9.3.2 (& if not there is an update to 9.3.2).

Possibly relevant fact: Adobe CS4 suite is installed on this system (includes Acrobat Pro).

Having both Pro & Reader installed jogs a memory, let me see what I can find.

Again possibly not relevant but, PDF pages don't appear in web browser window (Acrobat 7.0 and 3D, Adobe Reader 7.0-8.0, and Acrobat 8).

(I was actually thinking of this, but it is a different issue, PDF's don't open in SeaMonkey.)

[Giorgio Maone]

Could you (temporarily?) install Foxit Reader as well, letting it activate its plugin, and see if anything changes?

[dhouwn]

Or alternatively PDF-XChange Viewer.

[JamesM]

I had this problem. I have Acrobat pro 8 installed as well as adobe reader. I discovered that in the Preferences/Internet, the "Display PDF in browser" checkbox was ticked in both Acrobat Pro and in reader. Unchecking it in Acrobat Pro solved the problem.

Hope this helps anyone else with similar problem.

[me]

edit, preferences, accessibility
either uncheck replace document colors or change custom colors to white background with black text
i do not know how these settings were changed in the first place!