Question How to disable Built in PDF viewer - Samsung Galaxy S22 Ultra

Hi,
On my S22 Ultra when I am using either Chrome or Opera and click on a web link that contains a pdf the phone will:
Automatically open the PDF in the browser
Proceed to lag for 30 seconds
Tell me the app (either Chrome or Opera) is not responding
Fix itself and go on as if nothing happened
My question is:
How do I restore the question prompt "Would like to: Download, Open the file"
I would like to download the files and look at them with the Adobe Acrobat Reader
This is horrible. I specifically purchased this phone for work and I often need to look up equipment specifications from their respective manufacturer's websites.
So every time now I need to look at a PDF its a whole ordeal.
Please help!
Thanks

Have you installed Adobe reader? Install it if not that will allow you to chose actions
Otherwise see
How to change default apps in Android
Does your smartphone keep using the wrong app to open files and execute procedures? Learn how to change your default apps in this guide.
www.androidauthority.com

raul6 said:
Have you installed Adobe reader? Install it if not that will allow you to chose actions
Otherwise see
How to change default apps in Android
Does your smartphone keep using the wrong app to open files and execute procedures? Learn how to change your default apps in this guide.
www.androidauthority.com
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks for the reply!
I have Adobe installed and have Installed / Uninstalled it a few times to try and maybe trigger a change in the behavior, to no avail.
Unfortunately default apps doesn't seem to be the issue I am having.
I will try to describe the problem more clearly:
Lets say I go to a website that sells electronic equipment.
I find the specific equipment I am interested in.
Click on "PDF Specifications sheet"
My Opera or Chrome browsers proceed to immediately open the PDF file in a tab.
That renders the browser unusable for about 30 seconds while its trying to load the PDF basically bricking my phone because I have to wait for the PDF to load to be able to navigate to "Download PDF" so I can later view it in my adobe app.
(don't know what the behavior is with the samsung browser since I am not interested in using it)

I understand the issue. The article covers what to do, look towards the 2nd part of the article

raul6 said:
I understand the issue. The article covers what to do, look towards the 2nd part of the article
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Apologize, was on a work call so I forgot to mention I followed the default app steps a few times.
I reset all default app settings.
So it doesn't seem to be a default app issue.
The android system does not seem to notice the opening of the PDF file inside the browsers at all.
That leads me to believe this is a browser problem, so I tried finding settings in the browsers themselves, but could not.
I posted a "How to disable the built in PDF view in Opera" question in the Opera Android forums, but nobody has answered for the last 2 days.
This is very frustrating since I believe I can't be the only person with this issue, but I can't find a single trace of info on it on the internet.
Thanks!

I only use Chrome and never had this issue, it always asks what i want to open a PDF with.
Maybe cause I never checked the "use this as default" thing since I use a couple of different methods depending.

Try with Better Open With app to control the default action(s)

Related

Android Brower Issue-multiple pop up windows

Hey Guys,
I have an issue with some of the browsers available for the android phone.
I would like to access work through my phone via VPN web access. I am sucessfull at this.
When I open my work page, it opens up in a popup window. This is okay too as I allow pop ups under settings.
The issue is, when I click on a case in this pop up window, there is an error thats comes up saying"Cannot open another pop up window, only one pop up window at a time". It is trying to open up my case in another pop up window, which it blocks.
I have used froyo 2.2 on a Nexus one, dell streak, galaxy s tab and motorola droid.
I also used Dolphin HD and Dolphin, with the same results.
I downloaded opera, and there was not even an option for allowing pop ups.
Do you guys have any ideas?
I would like to be able to do my work with out having to lug around a laptop everywhere I go.
Thanks again and Happy Holidays!
Maluman
I would love to find out if this is an Android restriction or there are indeed browsers that support multiple pop ups (or can be tweaked to do so). There are some legit websites that actually rely on pop ups for various purposes (chat rooms for example). Old fashioned and annoying yes, but why punish the end users for it?
Darn, I have the same issue on my HTC EVO. My work website uses pop-ups, but I can't open the link on the pop-up that uses another pop-up! All legitimate pop-ups, not ad-ware. There must be a way to allow trusted sites or something.
Is there a solution to this issue??
Has anyone found an answer/fix to this issue? It is definitely an Android issue b/c I have the new HTC Sensation running Android Gingerbread 2.3, and everyone I know w/ an Android phone from 2 years ago to present has had this same issue....we can not open more than 1 popup window at a time. Like all have posted in this thread, I'm trying to access a number of different applications within my job's website (SWAlife - website for Southwest Airlines employees but specifically for flight attendants to change/trade their trips) and it relies on opening popups within popups but it just doesn't work w/ Android devices.
I've tried the stock browser, Dolphin, Opera mini, Skyfire, rotating the phone horizontally, keeping the setting in Landscape only mode while browsing, and of course, allowing Popups in the browser settings. I also need the browser to allow double-clicks to be just that - a double-click.....not a zoom in and out function.
Please, can someone tell me if there is a fix somewhere to this problem??? I'm interested in buying the new Samsung Galaxy S II but refuse to if I'm not able to access all elements of my job's website. Oh, and someone made a SWAlife app that's accessible with iPhone only (works perfectly & allows popups to open within popups) but I HATE to have to buy an iPhone just b/c of this app. :-(
Thanks in advance for any help anyone can provide!!
You know the SWAlife app is in the Android market too, but you will not be able to check the overtime call out list, not built in to the app yet, same with from iPhone app.
Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk
Yea, I've used the Android SWAlife app for some time but it only employees to make non-rev listings, provides company news and operational updates. No Crew Web Access or FA scheduling. In otherwords, this app is pretty useless :-( The one for iPhone, however, is EXACTLY what we need for Android. It allows pilots and FAs to manipulate their schedules in CWA (Inflight Crew Web Access)....it looks identical to what's in SWAlife on the web and functions just as if you were on a PC. Are you aware of another app in the Market that I might be missing that allows that? Thanks for your help!
Questions or Problems Should Not Be Posted in the Development Forum
Please Post in the Correct Forums
Moving to General
I know this is an old problem, but try xScope browser in the market. I needed to be able to open more than one popup window and the website I was trying and failing to access with about 10 other browsers would not work until I tried this one.
I have the same problem. Your tip sounds good. I will give this browser a try. I hope that the search has an end.
This browser works for my sites where I need more than one pop-up. Thanks for the valuable information.

[Q] javascript / browser security advice.

Hey guys, I'm currently using a HTC sensation with the default browser.
The other day a website I was on redirected me to an untrustworthy site which then (via javascript) started an automatic download (virus) I quickly killed my connection and deleted the partial download.
So on my PC I run Google chrome with a "click to play" plugin to avoid rogue javascripts, I am looking for something similar for my phone.
I know chrome is available for my phone however it does not support flash player which is a requirement, I am aware my current browser has a "on demand" option for plugins but I have tested it and it doesn't work.
I tried opera today and couldn't get along with it.
Could anyone tell me the best way to control what gets downloaded from websites on my phone.
Thankyou in advance for any helpful replies. D
I mean, maybe I have been amiss, but I was under the longstanding impression that hijacks, viruses, and all such malware really didn't effect Linux systems. Like, at all.
Well I don't know much about these operating systems but an executable that downloads itself is not something I want on my phone, regardless of its capabilities.
It was an android application package I do not know if its able to extract itself or if it relies on the user to click on it in the download section, don't know what it installs but I'd rather not find out.

[HACK] Flash on Any Website in IE10 Metro Browser [WIN 8 & WIN RT]

Dear all,
As we all know Windows RT/8's IE Metro browser has limited flash support based on a whitelist. However a lot of sites are not (yet) whitelisted and hence do not work as desired. So I did some digging in the whitelist mechanism and found a way to hack it.
Be sure to follow the following steps in respective order:
Open Desktop IE10 type ALT --> Tools --> Compatibility View settings. Now UNCHECK the last checkmark which says: "Download updated compatibility list from Microsoft". If you have done this, you will be able to locally change the whitelist without getting overridden.
WARNING: If this checkbox is checked IE will override your custom whitelist back to default on each rebout, so be sure to uncheck it..
The whitelist is named "iecompatdata.xml" and is located in this path (copy + paste in File Explorer or IE10)
Code:
%HOMEPATH%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\IECompatData\
(Alternatively open File Explorer and search in C:\ for "iecompatdata")
As suggested by danchar4, you can open and edit this file directly with Notepad by pressing WIN + R and type:
Code:
notepad "%HOMEPATH%\AppData\Local\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\IECompatData\iecompatdata.xml"
All whitelisted flash enabled websites are located in this file inbetween the following tags:
Code:
<Flash>
[...]
<domain>zumiez.com</domain>
<domain>zynga.com</domain>
</Flash>
To add a website to the whitelist, all you do is add your desired website inside these tags as follows:
Code:
<domain>YOURDESIREDDOMAIN.COM</domain>
Add as many websites as you desire...
Now we are almost done, one last task is to delete browsing histroy. Open IE10 Metro and click WIN+I (to open settings) --> Internet Options —> Delete browsing history
And you are all set and done. Flash is now enabled in IE10 Metro for the websites you have added to the whitelist!
Of course as with any hack, attempt only at your own risk. I am not responsible in case faulty behaviour occurs... That said, it should be fine
Kind regards,
Marvin
Trouble shooting + faq
TROUBLE SHOOTING + FAQ
I tried to do these steps but it does not work on www.website.com...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the flash content is embedded as an iframe, be sure to also add the domain of the source of the flash content. E.g. be sure to also add the website where the iframe links to to the whitelisted sources, this is what will eventually determine whether flash will be activated or not for this website.
Does this method work for www.website.com?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If 'website.com' uses a standard flash plugin (e.g. if you can view the flash content on a normal desktop with just the standard adobe flash player plugin) it will work with this method. All this method does is activating the built in flash plugin for any website you have added to the whitelist.
I can not find the file "iecompatdata.xml"
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If you can't find this file be sure to enable "show hidden files", this folder will show up now. Alternatively you can find it by searching C:\ for the query "iecompatdata", the file will now show up.
I have added www.website.com to the whitelist, but it does not work!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Be sure to delete your browsing history and refresh the page. If it does not work now, please be sure to check if you have added the website correctly (e.g. within <domain> tags).
After I have rebooted my computer, I have lost my custom whitelist!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Make sure you have UNCHECKED the last checkmark in "Compatibility View settings" which says: "Download updated compatibility list from Microsoft". If you have done this, you will be able to locally change the whitelist without IE overriding it automatically.
Marvin_S said:
After more thorough testing, I found that a domain with a wildcard will not work i.e.
Code:
<domain>*.com</domain>
Does not allow flash to work on all .com sites... so this solution is out of the window, unless somebody knows if a wildcard in this list is supplied differently. I could not find anything in the documentation regarding the use of wildcards in this list, so most likely its not supported.
Alternatively, we could create some kind of "community" maintained whitelist, where anybody can just add any website and we will then point IE10 to download a whitelist from this community maintained source (instead of from Microsoft).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Thanks so much for this work. I remember u from ur past work on wp7/7.5 on here. Thanks again. I almost called MS lite to return my surface because of this stupidity. Are they like apple or what? Trying to decide what u can do and what u can't is a v.stupid idea and whoever decided this at MS should be fired. If I wanted a prison garden, I'd buy an iPad.
---------- Post added at 12:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:34 PM ----------
Now if I can find an easy way to block the ads ill be really happy. These ads are so invading. I didn't realize how much firefox with adblock was until I had to us IE for the last 3 days. quite annoying as it makes content loading so slow.
xirsteon said:
Thanks so much for this work. I remember u from ur past work on wp7/7.5 on here. Thanks again. I almost called MS lite to return my surface because of this stupidity. Are they like apple or what? Trying to decide what u can do and what u can't is a v.stupid idea and whoever decided this at MS should be fired. If I wanted a prison garden, I'd buy an iPad.
---------- Post added at 12:43 PM ---------- Previous post was at 12:34 PM ----------
Now if I can find an easy way to block the ads ill be really happy. These ads are so invading. I didn't realize how much firefox with adblock was until I had to us IE for the last 3 days. quite annoying as it makes content loading so slow.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Your welcome. Glad it was helpful, yes I have been less active due to obligations at the univerisity. If we find a better solution we will let you know.
Some kind of adblocker is also integrated in Internet Explorer. Go to Manage add-ons and then to Tracking Protection. Now download a couple of adblock lists. It is not as good as chrome/ff, but it gets the job done for the most part!
And take some time to get used to your new machine, its a beautiful device and only yet people are starting to explore it and develop for it. It will for sure be a highly demanded device and will most likely reach a lot of developer/hacker interest.
xirsteon said:
Are they like apple or what? Trying to decide what u can do and what u can't is a v.stupid idea and whoever decided this at MS should be fired. If I wanted a prison garden, I'd buy an iPad
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The restriction against other browsers is equally disturbing.
See here: http://news.cnet.com/8301-1001_3-57431236-92/microsoft-bans-firefox-on-arm-based-windows-mozilla-says/
Even Google, who loves to push their own brand name through Chrome, saw the wisdom of allowing the customer freedom.
Lets not forget what, in large part, created Android's success - people jumped ship from Apple because they saw Android as an OS that allowed the consumer as much or as little customization as you want - you want it simple - they present a good out of box experience - you want something more, you can make changes.
We don't need two walled gardens.
Eh, that's just the restriction against third-party desktop apps. Mozilla even acknowledges that they could build a Windows Store app, and in fact they're apparently doing that (http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-57376421-264/coming-in-2012-firefox-for-windows-8s-metro/)... just for some reason they're doing it only for x86. Since Store apps, even for RT, are allowed to use native C/C++ and the compiler supports building them for ARM, I'm really not sure why they don't just recompile it for RT. Yeah, their JavaScript JIT would need to be changed, but they already have a JIT for ARM don't they? That's equally relevant for Firefox on RT in the Desktop or in "Metro" anyhow, so it would be a stupid thing to complain about. In any case, they could just fall back to interpreted JS.
Installed Chrome Browser
GoodDayToDie said:
Eh, that's just the restriction against third-party desktop apps. Mozilla even acknowledges that they could build a Windows Store app, and in fact they're apparently doing that (http://news.cnet.com/8301-30685_3-57376421-264/coming-in-2012-firefox-for-windows-8s-metro/)... just for some reason they're doing it only for x86. Since Store apps, even for RT, are allowed to use native C/C++ and the compiler supports building them for ARM, I'm really not sure why they don't just recompile it for RT. Yeah, their JavaScript JIT would need to be changed, but they already have a JIT for ARM don't they? That's equally relevant for Firefox on RT in the Desktop or in "Metro" anyhow, so it would be a stupid thing to complain about. In any case, they could just fall back to interpreted JS.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I am not sure if this adds anything to the discussion. I don't own a Windows RT machine, but I was in Office Depot the other day looking at their devices. They had a Samsung ATIV Smart PC on display. So, I messed around with if for a while. I had read that other browsers were forbidden on the RT. I thought, I wonder if Google Chrome will run? So I installed it off the internet and it worked.
My question is this: Is it just the MS RT the locks itself down? Why did the Samsung allow me to D/L and install Chrome?
davehries said:
My question is this: Is it just the MS RT the locks itself down? Why did the Samsung allow me to D/L and install Chrome?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
the software restrictions should be the same, the other limitation is that you can't just download x86 software and install it on the RT because x86 doesn't run on ARM processors, are you absolutely certain you were on an ATIV tab running Windows RT or just a samsung tablet running Windows 8 with an x86 processor? If it was already possible to install chrome on Windows RT it'd be all over the internet.
davehries said:
I am not sure if this adds anything to the discussion. I don't own a Windows RT machine, but I was in Office Depot the other day looking at their devices. They had a Samsung ATIV Smart PC on display. So, I messed around with if for a while. I had read that other browsers were forbidden on the RT. I thought, I wonder if Google Chrome will run? So I installed it off the internet and it worked.
My question is this: Is it just the MS RT the locks itself down? Why did the Samsung allow me to D/L and install Chrome?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
it's the samsung smart PC running on x86 hardware? (clovertrail or i5) if it is, then it's running full windows 8 and you can install any legacy apps (like chrome/ff) to your hearts content.
not to go off topic too much, but as to the earlier comment about freedom and choice being the reason android gained so much marketshare so fast. it has more to do with the combination of cheap handsets and carrier penetration, at a time when the iphone was locked to one network in the US and blackberry was slowly falling out of the consumer mindshare. yes, people like us who frequent xda might have moved to it because of the openness of the platform, but the mainstream market really doesn't care about that.
Guys, we are wandering too far off topic. I appreciate the discussion, but please let it be (somehow) related to ways of enabling flash on IE10 on Win RT and 8. The limitations of Windows RT are better to be discussed in appropriate threads
Did anybody do an experiment with this compatibility list? Or tried to deactivate it in its entire? A systems admin or IT pro might no some more details on this?
Marvin_S said:
Guys, we are wandering too far off topic. I appreciate the discussion, but please let it be (somehow) related to ways of enabling flash on IE10 on Win RT and 8. The limitations of Windows RT are better to be discussed in appropriate threads
Did anybody do an experiment with this compatibility list? Or tried to deactivate it in its entire? A systems admin or IT pro might no some more details on this?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I added several websites and it worked fine. I'm a bit bummed as I think MS will find a way to over write the xml file in a masquerade windows update. As far as deactivation is concerned, I thought about making a backup of the xml file, and completely deleting the original to see if it works at all. What do u think?
xirsteon said:
I added several websites and it worked fine. I'm a bit bummed as I think MS will find a way to over write the xml file in a masquerade windows update. As far as deactivation is concerned, I thought about making a backup of the xml file, and completely deleting the original to see if it works at all. What do u think?
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
It might work, but I assume it will just deactivate compatibility view in its entire and hence disable flash for all sites. But its worth the try Let me know if it works!
Marvin_S said:
It might work, but I assume it will just deactivate compatibility view in its entire and hence disable flash for all sites. But its worth the try Let me know if it works!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Well I created a local account to test this. Backup the file and deleted the original. All the blacklisted sites didn't work. So its not 100% possible yet but I bet there's a reg option or even a security policy (secpol.msc) that will turn this check off completely. Perhaps a bit of poke around will yield some insights. I looked in secpol and didn't find anything. So that leaves the registry up for grabs unless they're pulling that wp hidden / reg lock down thing.
xirsteon said:
Well I created a local account to test this. Backup the file and deleted the original. All the blacklisted sites didn't work. So its not 100% possible yet but I bet there's a reg option or even a security policy (secpol.msc) that will turn this check off completely. Perhaps a bit of poke around will yield some insights. I looked in secpol and didn't find anything. So that leaves the registry up for grabs unless they're pulling that wp hidden / reg lock down thing.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
i bet its hidden, since if you want to add a developer website to test flash on you will have to create a reg key in a non existing folder in the ie registry settings called FLASH, so I guess thats the hidden folder. But I wonder if it is possible to somehow trace these folders. I personally dont know anything about the entire mechanism behind the comapibility view. I just discovered it by accident by figuring out where the whitelist was located. So far it seems that it does not take wildcards for domains and also shutting down the list in its entire does not seem to work. We can try to add a 'blank' domain but I doubt it will work.
Doesn't work for me
I am doing just as instructed. I do not know why it doesn't for me. I tried movie2k.to and myp2p, ibliz. None of them work
Marvin_S said:
It might work, but I assume it will just deactivate compatibility view in its entire and hence disable flash for all sites. But its worth the try Let me know if it works!
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
More likely is that it will download the default list, or the current list. I don't really see compatibility view as an issue. What you are getting is the ability to use the major Flash-enabled sites without any of the ad sites, built-in as opposed to using third-party solutions.
mechmouni said:
I am doing just as instructed. I do not know why it doesn't for me. I tried movie2k.to and myp2p, ibliz. None of them work
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Make sure you follow each step correctly. It has been tested and confirmed working by lots of people, on both Windows RT and Windows 8. Make sure you delete browsing history.
Marvin_S said:
Alternatively, we could create some kind of "community" maintained whitelist, where anybody can just add any website and we will then point IE10 to download a whitelist from this community maintained source (instead of from Microsoft).
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Here you can add sites: http://minecraft.digiex.org/flash/
And here is the list itself: http://minecraft.digiex.org/flash/iecompatviewlist.xml
Working with Nuduaa on a auto downloader script to autoupdate it every now and then on the surface.
jessenic said:
Here you can add sites: http://minecraft.digiex.org/flash/
And here is the list itself: http://minecraft.digiex.org/flash/iecompatviewlist.xml
Working with Nuduaa on a auto downloader script to autoupdate it every now and then on the surface.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
Awesome! Now I just have to wait for MS to ship me a damn Surface
If it is done (and there is some automation) I will add it to the first post!
Thank you for maintaining the list. This is great guys... good work!
Does anybody know if Windows RT allows the creation of custom extensions?
help
I am following the steps yet I can't find the place in c drive as described on my surface.

[Q] Can the pop-up browser expand to Chrome?

Is there a way to get the pop-up browser to expand into Chrome instead of the stock browser? I've seen from searches here and via Google that it may have 'glitched' this way for a couple people, but I want to do this deliberately and haven't found a flashable mod or setting to edit. Any directions or advice would be great, thanks!
Just to clarify, here's an example of what I'd like to do:
1) Use the pop-up browser to open a link from my Facebook feed.
2) Click the 'Expand' arrow in the pop-up browser to open the link in Chrome instead of the stock browser.
At the moment there isn't any way for it to happen but I won't be surprise if someone found or create a way to do what your talking about.
There's gotta be some way. A couple people in the CleanROM thread and in the Note II forums have had it glitch where it opens Chrome instead of stock. Maybe I should take a few of the XDA University courses, learn how to code, and poke around in the apk.

Always Force Desktop Website Version

Is there a way to go past the website's UA checks and always load their desktop versions instead of mobile? Asking because I already set in the preferences of all my phone browsers to always load the full desktop version and still, many websites somehow know I'm using a mobile device and force the mobile version.
Anyone found solution for Dolphin or Boat browsers? I've read about "about:debug" and "about:useragent" showing extra UA menu elements which in my case does nothing (android 6). I was also unable to find an user agent switching app that could always force Desktop parameters to the websites.
Even if there's no immefiate solution, I would like to know the principle websites choose which version to load irrespective to browser settings. Is it network/data/service provider settings, or specific browser/resolution signature? Thanks a lot for any ideas.
Menergy said:
Is there a way to go past the website's UA checks and always load their desktop versions instead of mobile? Asking because I already set in the preferences of all my phone browsers to always load the full desktop version and still, many websites somehow know I'm using a mobile device and force the mobile version.
Anyone found solution for Dolphin or Boat browsers? I've read about "about:debug" and "about:useragent" showing extra UA menu elements which in my case does nothing (android 6). I was also unable to find an user agent switching app that could always force Desktop parameters to the websites.
Even if there's no immefiate solution, I would like to know the principle websites choose which version to load irrespective to browser settings. Is it network/data/service provider settings, or specific browser/resolution signature? Thanks a lot for any ideas.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
If the problem is website's UA check, often you can choose an AdWay or something similar, on my phone i'm surprised to see as "auto check" some pop up, check and box.
But for what never stop working, that's need update every day...
There isn't much you can do in this case.
Sometimes in some browsers you've an option with whitelist or other but I do believe they can be related to the mobile display or desktop of a particular site.
Maybe there is an add-on xposed or plugin that I don't know
My problem is that some websites force the mobile version no matter what, as well as lack on services that I need in there, and you couldn't circumvent that in any way.
Yesterday I had to verify an email address and tried with all the browsers I have on my phone (like 5 different). They were all set to display the desktop version and all were forced into the mobile. But on the mobile you couldn't verify the link, probably on purpose (security if on mobile device), and I would not have access to laptop/desktop browser by the evening. The same is with many other features/missing services on forced mobile websites so I want to find a way to have full functionality when on the go.
Does AdWay have options for influencing data the browser notifies to the websites? Anything similar to Mozilla-code based Random Agent Spoofer browser add-on where you can basically force the browser to inject any incorrect data and prevent other data leaking while browsing? Any special cookie mechanisms inherent to mobile browsers only?
Alternatively, can I access browser settings with something like about:config/debug or else? Dolphin, Boat, others? I am sure the browser notifies the correct desktop user agent, there's something else, probably very simple, that tells websites the connection is from a portable device...
Menergy said:
My problem is that some websites force the mobile version no matter what, as well as lack on services that I need in there, and you couldn't circumvent that in any way.
Yesterday I had to verify an email address and tried with all the browsers I have on my phone (like 5 different). They were all set to display the desktop version and all were forced into the mobile. But on the mobile you couldn't verify the link, probably on purpose (security if on mobile device), and I would not have access to laptop/desktop browser by the evening. The same is with many other features/missing services on forced mobile websites so I want to find a way to have full functionality when on the go.
Does AdWay have options for influencing data the browser notifies to the websites? Anything similar to Mozilla-code based Random Agent Spoofer browser add-on where you can basically force the browser to inject any incorrect data and prevent other data leaking while browsing? Any special cookie mechanisms inherent to mobile browsers only?
Alternatively, can I access browser settings with something like about:config/debug or else? Dolphin, Boat, others? I am sure the browser notifies the correct desktop user agent, there's something else, probably very simple, that tells websites the connection is from a portable device...
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
I use "user agent switcher" for chrome and it always works. It requires root though.
Can you provide an example of a website that refuses to show the desktop version?
And additionally, your build.prop contains your device's information. The browser might be transmitting that information to the website.
Thank you, the build.prop info was very helpful. I am not rooted yet as I've got my new phone just less than a month ago so still exploring, but can't really find the file, even among the hidden files on the internal memory. I will explore more and see how it goes.
I am in the UK so for example one of the websites that always loads the limited mobile instead of desktop version is the one of my service provider, EE, ee. co. uk (apologies for the intervals, I'm otherwise not allowed to post it). This mobile version is too basic and 60% of what you could do on a desktop version is cut. I've been on Three Mobile and sometimes I could get their full website working, sometimes not. Other websites are let's say bbc. co. uk and other media/news/bank websites that know, no matter browser settings, you are accessing them from a portable device.
Unfortunately I do not trust Google and any of their products so avoid voluntarily and (un)intentionally handing any personal data over to them. I would have used Mozilla for Android if it was close to the functionality Boat and Dolphin browsers provide. I even contacted the Dolphin team having previously assisted them but have got no feedback whatsoever. There must be a way for editing these unusual browser settings, but as pointed out above, I suspect it has something to do will submitting device ID info from within system folders. Thus probably only browser developers could tell us how the problem could be circumvented (and hopefully at least for now, with no root).
Or the developers of addons such as the Random Agent Spoofer or the user agent switchers.
Menergy said:
Thank you, the build.prop info was very helpful. I am not rooted yet as I've got my new phone just less than a month ago so still exploring, but can't really find the file, even among the hidden files on the internal memory. I will explore more and see how it goes.
I am in the UK so for example one of the websites that always loads the limited mobile instead of desktop version is the one of my service provider, EE, ee. co. uk (apologies for the intervals, I'm otherwise not allowed to post it). This mobile version is too basic and 60% of what you could do on a desktop version is cut. I've been on Three Mobile and sometimes I could get their full website working, sometimes not. Other websites are let's say bbc. co. uk and other media/news/bank websites that know, no matter browser settings, you are accessing them from a portable device.
Unfortunately I do not trust Google and any of their products so avoid voluntarily and (un)intentionally handing any personal data over to them. I would have used Mozilla for Android if it was close to the functionality Boat and Dolphin browsers provide. I even contacted the Dolphin team having previously assisted them but have got no feedback whatsoever. There must be a way for editing these unusual browser settings, but as pointed out above, I suspect it has something to do will submitting device ID info from within system folders. Thus probably only browser developers could tell us how the problem could be circumvented (and hopefully at least for now, with no root).
Or the developers of addons such as the Random Agent Spoofer or the user agent switchers.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
The build.prop is a text file which should be located in system/ folder. And you usually can't view the contents of that folder without root, so that's why you haven't been able to find it.
I visited ee.co.uk using chrome, and I was able to switch between the mobile and desktop version of the site without any issues, even without using the UA changing app. All I did was select "request desktop site" from the side menu.
I tried using CM's stock browser though, and just like you experienced, the same website refused to load in desktop mode. I even went as far as changing the UA in its settings menu and even that didn't work.
So all that you wrote in the last two paragraphs have been confirmed.
Right now, it's either chrome or root until the devs fix/properly implement their UA changing feature.
I was testing other browsers the whole morning here and finally reluctantly tried Firefox. Somehow its Android version never impressed me or was too buggy for me when tested before. Probably because just before going for it I tried Pale Moon and have seen that I can readily edit just about everything via about:config. The Pale Moon's UI settings menu was however completely missing (probably a bug), along with no other controls, so I had to skip it.
So I am glad to report that using Firefox's "Request desktop website" option I finally was able to load desktop versions of websites that were forcing me to always have their mobile one instead. This means that Firefix for now becomes my main browser. As suggested by you, I tried first with Chrome but with no success (using its internal user agent options). There were a few Chrome user agent switchers in the market but although some of them did not explicitly require root, upon starting them they did so I had to uninstall them.
My question yet remains, what exactly tells websites not to load full version, even if browser's user agent reports the correct values. I will leave this to me as I go deeper into this. Glad to have got what I wanted
Thanks a lot for all your help.
Just to add for all having my problem and using Firefox for Android.
By default Firefox will always load the mobile website version and every time you will need to tick "Request desktop site" if you dislike it. As I do, there is an addon called "Desktop by Default" that will always keep the tick on for you. You may instead try creating a new string called "general.useragent.override" adding a desktop OS signature but it won't work (tested by me) for exactly the same websites I had issues with above, so do use the addon instead. It will however work for all other websites that don't have issues with Desktop mode on other browsers.
There is another string that I disabled also called general.useragent.site_specific_overrides.
Tweaking with the Chrome for Android settings seems to require root so Firefox in my case is a God bless. I hope this is helpful to all others with my issue...

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