Gmail has this nice feature where you can open PDF files and Office documents directly in your Google Docs account bypassing the need of any desktop software like Acrobat Reader or Microsoft Office.
If you find this Gmail feature handy, you’ll probably also enjoy using the "Send to Google Docs" extension for Firefox.
This extension (download link) lets you read online documents directly in your Google Docs account with a simple right click (see screenshot).
It works with popular file formats like PDF, Excel, Word, PowerPoint and all Open Document formats. "Send to Docs" can also import HTML web pages in Google Docs provided they have the right extension.
You right click any document link on the web, choose "Send to Google Docs" from the context menu and the file will immediately open as a Google Document. The file also gets saved permanently in your Google Docs account.
I’ll distribute this add-on directly from the Firefox official site once it gets approved by the Mozilla team. Similar ‘direct web uploaders’ already exist for Scribd and Flickr.
Find this article at: http://www.labnol.org/software/open-web-documents-in-google-docs/4275/
web: http://www.labnol.org/ email: amit@labnol.org


Reader Comments
That’s a nice extension Amit.
I was wondering if there’s such an offline tool which will help open documents on your PC directly in your browser in Google Docs in a similar fashion. This could come in handy for opening documents which aren’t in the .docx format in Vista. It will save the time taken to convert it or manually upload it to an online viewer.
Written by Abhijeet Mukherjee on 08.20.08
I wouldn’t advertise that it can open “any” web document, b/c GDocs does not support docx yet.
Written by nka on 08.20.08
the google toolbar allready provides some opening documents, but not for pdf or web pages. good job Amit.
Written by acms on 08.20.08
I consider myself a pretty savvy Firefox user, but for some reason, I can’t figure out how to install this… Do I choose to “save as” [and if so, where do I put it] or “open with” [if so, with what? Firefox?]?
Thanks, sorry to be a little slow…
Written by Tom on 08.20.08
Didnt work for me. I have firefox of course. But cliking on the link above, FF did not know how to open it; and neither do I. And my office, customers, and I are on the 2007 standard now; which Gdocs does not support. Anyone know how to run this?
Written by Jerr on 08.20.08
Does it allow you to select which google docs account it goes to?
I have the free docs setup plus google sites.
I may also want to upload to a docs site others have that I have write access enabled on.
Written by googleaddict on 08.20.08
Great idea, but I downloaded the app and my Vista computer doesn’t know what to do with a .xpi file. Any ideas?
Thanks!
Written by John Dutton on 08.20.08
If you trouble installing the Firefox XPI file on your computer, try these steps:
Step 1. Right click and download this file to your desktop link
Step 2. Open a new tab in Firefox and drop-n-drop this xpi file from the desktop onto the new tab.
Written by Amit Agarwal on 08.20.08
Thanks, Amit - that worked! Great script - very useful.
Written by John Dutton on 08.20.08
Hi love this extension, I hate having to downloading PDFs from the web.
Written by Edwin Yip | Mind Mapping is as Effortless as Typing on 08.20.08
It’s nice feature indeed. I purchased new Laptop and does’t want to shell out money for MC Office for opening could of documents in a month. This tool can help all those folks like me, who can save money on MS Office. I am assuming that this software does’t look for MS license before opening. Pls correct me if i am wrong. Thanks. Sachin
Written by Sachin on 08.20.08
Very productive….saves a lot of time. Thanks
Written by vinitneo on 08.21.08
Hey…not working with .pdf. Any clue what’s happening? Neither I am getting ‘Open in Google Docs’ default link besides a .pdf file (though in context menu, I see the link due to add-on).
Written by Ganesh on 08.21.08
for those having trouble installing the addon.
1. download the file above (or right-click save link as…)
2. open firefox
3. select File > Open File
4. search for the downloaded file.
it should then pop up with the install addon dialogue box and it should be all good then.
cheers,
will
Written by Will on 08.21.08
I have intalled it using the classical procedure and the explained ones but when I use it (I have tried several links with several files .pdf, .doc, etc.), nothing happens. Any ideas?
Written by Mario on 09.03.08
Great extension, but I had 2 problems with it (using Firefox 3.01):
1) It doesn’t play nice with Gears, I had to disable the gears extension to get it to work - with gears enabled, it simply opens a new firefox window with my current google docs list view, no sign of the new document
2) it always opens the imported document in a new window, instead of following the “open in new tab” directive in firefox tab options
Thanks again for the great extension!
Written by rdza on 09.07.08
I wonder if you can change openning mode to the new tab on the same window instead of openning another window…. That will be better.
Written by nettrotter on 09.10.08
Does this work with Google Desktop search results of doc files on your hard drive?
Written by Mark on 09.29.08
I like this add on but now it doesn’t work.
When i try to send a document to google docs it opens a new window with an uRL like this
link
and all i see is
Not Found. Error 404
It doesn’t matter if it is a dic, pdf, ppt or any opther format file. It always does the same.
¿Why?
Bu the way. Could you improve this addon to let me choose to open a new tab instead of a new window
Thanks
Written by profe_chef on 10.12.08
I can’t get it to work. I right-click select “Send to Google Docs”, but nothing happens…
Written by Vince on 10.13.08