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Author Topic: Google Chrome - non-default profile as default browser how-to?  (Read 16370 times)

Alec_Burgess

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Note: using BrowserTraySwitch 2.05.01(not new beta), WinXP SP3
I've set up a separate Google Chrome (dev) profile by copying
default C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default
to: D:\Data Files\Google Chrome profiles\LightChrome\Default

and invoking it with a shortcut with target:
"C:\Documents and Settings\<user>\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --user-data-dir="D:\Data Files\Google Chrome profiles\LightChrome" -first-run

I want to be able to make the profile LightChrome (as its name implies one that runs with much fewer extensions and apps enabled) the default browser. Unfortunately setting chrome://settings/browser [Default Browser] to true leaves the default browser as the default not my special profile.

I also want the ability to switch default browser back to the Google Chrome-default or any other browser (eg. IE8, Opera, Firefox)

Some googling found:
http://superuser.com...e-as-default-browser
In that thread Answer 2 says:
Ok, so i did a search and replace of all the chrome.exe in my registry with the specific command link So

"C:\Users\PROFILE-NAME\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" -- "%1"
was replaced with

"C:\Users\PROFILE-NAME\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" --user-data-dir="C:\Chrome Profile \location" --omnibox-popup-count=10 -- "%1"

everywhere and so far haven't run into any troubles. But there should definitely be a more easier/elegant way of doing this.
Before testing myself ... any alternate suggestions or comment on whether this will work and whether BrowserTraySwitch will capture this and be able to continue to switch back and forth between two Google Chrome profiles and other browers?

Alec_Burgess

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Re: Google Chrome - non-default profile as default browser how-to?
« Reply #1 on: July 05, 2011, 11:40 PM »
Reply to myself (in case others have same question):
Make a copy of the btsreg file and change occurrences of -- "%1" to  --user-data-dir="<path-to-profile-folder"  -- "%1"

There s/b three occurrences, one each for http, https, and ftp.
Here is a patch file that does the above (you will have to change for local conditions)
Code: Text [Select]
  1. 55c55
  2. < HKEY_CURRENT_USER|Software\Classes\HTTP\shell\open\command||"C:\Documents and Settings\Alec\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" -- "%1"|!
  3. ---
  4. > HKEY_CURRENT_USER|Software\Classes\HTTP\shell\open\command||"C:\Documents and Settings\Alec\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"  --user-data-dir="D:\Data Files\Google Chrome profiles\LightChrome"  -- "%1"|!
  5. 85c85
  6. < HKEY_CURRENT_USER|Software\Classes\https\shell\open\command||"C:\Documents and Settings\Alec\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" -- "%1"|!
  7. ---
  8. > HKEY_CURRENT_USER|Software\Classes\https\shell\open\command||"C:\Documents and Settings\Alec\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"  --user-data-dir="D:\Data Files\Google Chrome profiles\LightChrome"  -- "%1"|!
  9. 115c115
  10. < HKEY_CURRENT_USER|Software\Classes\ftp\shell\open\command||"C:\Documents and Settings\Alec\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe" -- "%1"|!
  11. ---
  12. > HKEY_CURRENT_USER|Software\Classes\ftp\shell\open\command||"C:\Documents and Settings\Alec\Local Settings\Application Data\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"  --user-data-dir="D:\Data Files\Google Chrome profiles\LightChrome"  -- "%1"|!
As noted in Help file an icon can be specified by putting an ico file in the folder containing the btsreg file with the same name.
This will be displayed by BroswerTraySwitch tray icon instead of the normal Google Chrome icon.
I found a source here: http://www.iconspedi.../google-chrome-26-4/

mouser

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Re: Google Chrome - non-default profile as default browser how-to?
« Reply #2 on: July 05, 2011, 11:43 PM »
Thank you so much for posting your solution Alec; I apologize i have been coding on another project so i've been slow responding to posts lately.

I'm glad you got it working  :up: