Question

When clicking on the text box part of an <input type='file' /> in FireFox3, a file browsing window opens.

This doesn’t happen in IE7. You have to click the ‘browse’ button to open the file browsing window.

How can I prevent the file browsing window from opening in FireFox when a user clicks on the textbox area? I’d like it so it only opens when the button is pressed.

Answer 1

How can I prevent the file browsing window from opening in FireFox when a user clicks on the textbox area?

Obscure it with another element.

<div style='position: relative'>     <input type='file' />     <div style='position: absolute; top: 0; left: 0; width: 11em; height: 2em;'> </div> </div> 

But don’t do this. It’s awfully brittle and will break in many circumstances.

I’d like it so it only opens when the button is pressed.

I doubt your users would like it, though. It removes expected functionality from the browser, and doesn’t replace it with anything better. Or indeed anything at all.