Operating system
Windows
Joplin version
3.2.12
Desktop version info
Joplin 3.2.12 (prod, win32)
Client ID: 3e0375c83ca146e48041d94f4f1d1d53
Sync Version: 3
Profile Version: 47
Keychain Supported: Yes
Revision: d6f1ca4
Backup: 1.4.2
Freehand Drawing: 2.14.0
What issue do you have?
well, the permissin issue with th inbuilt pdf viewer will not be resolved by mozilla but it could be resolved by joplin since evernote can do it. I asked chatGPT for info and it said:
Firefox treats its built-in PDF viewer as a special internal page, which means that extensions must have explicit permission to interact with it. Here’s why Evernote’s clipper appears to work while Joplin’s does not:
-
Special URL Schemes and Permissions:
Firefox’s internal PDF viewer uses a unique URL scheme that isn’t covered by standard host permissions. For an extension to operate on such pages, it must declare explicit permissions for these special URLs. Evernote’s clipper is designed to either include these broader permissions or use alternative methods, so it can access the content even in the internal viewer. -
Different Implementation Approaches:
Evernote’s clipper may not rely solely on injecting content scripts into the PDF viewer tab. It can instead capture the PDF by processing its URL or by using background scripts that fetch the PDF directly—bypassing the need to operate inside the viewer’s context. In contrast, Joplin’s clipper relies on the normal extension permissions model, which means it cannot run on pages that Firefox flags as internal without the proper host permissions. -
Security Model Limitations:
Firefox’s security model is designed to protect internal pages from unwanted external manipulation. Since Joplin’s clipper does not have the required permission to run on these internal pages, it shows the “Missing host permission for the tab” error. Evernote’s clipper either requests or is granted the extra permissions needed to bypass this limitation.
In summary, Evernote can clip PDFs from Firefox’s built-in viewer because its extension is built with either broader permissions or a different clipping approach that works around Firefox’s internal page restrictions—while Joplin’s clipper adheres strictly to the standard host permission rules, leading to the clipping issue.
So, it appears that joplin needs to relax the standard host permission rules for pdfs.
With so many prior posts related to this very important capability that is currently lacking I suggest that it be made a high priority todo item. I would tackle it but I fear my skill set is impoverished and I would be unable to figure it out.
