Background tool to open links in correct Chrome profile?

[kunkel321]

I suspect that this is not even possible, but I thought I'd post anyway -- just in case. 

I use Chrome as my web browser.  Most of my bookmarks etc. are in my main personal profile. At work though, when people share links with me, I have to be in my Google account from work.   You switch profiles by clicking your avatar in the top/right of the Chrome window.   It's also possible to make Desktop links directly to each profile.  In my case the two link targets are:
 
C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome_proxy.exe  --profile-directory=Default
and
C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome_proxy.exe"  --profile-directory="Profile 1"

The problem is that, if you don't specify (by using one of the above links), Chrome will always open a link using the most recently-accessed profile.  So multiple times per day, I'll open a link at work that someone sends me, then Chrome will pop up in my personal profile and give me an error message that I don't have permission to access the file.  It's super-annoying! 

What I'd like is some way to "tell" Chrome that if I open an Outlook email link, use my work profile.  I guess that would need to be some kind of back-running utility that stays on all the time?  I don't know.  Maybe an Outlook add-in is what I need. 

Thoughts?

[wraith808]

I have the same problem. I've found that it opens it up in the last browser that you used. If someone can figure out how it tracks which window you last used and the profile for that one, it seems that would do the trick.

[kunkel321]

I wonder if the setting is in here:
C:\Users\steve\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\User Data\Default

[publicdomain]

What I'd like is some way to "tell" Chrome that if I open an Outlook email link, use my work profile.  I guess that would need to be some kind of back-running utility that stays on all the time?  I don't know.  Maybe an Outlook add-in is what I need. 

-kunkel321 (January 26, 2022, 01:59 PM)

It looks like it's a Windows default program issue (triggered outside of Chrome). Perhaps it can be solved via a "toggle" for handling "mailto:" links.

Thoughts?

-kunkel321 (January 26, 2022, 01:59 PM)

Thinking about a tiny program monitoring/detecting when chrome is active for switching your "mailto:" default app association, then back when Chrome is stopped... It may be as simple as that! (feel free to try changing your default email program. Cheers!)

[wraith808]

It looks like it's a Windows default program issue (triggered outside of Chrome). Perhaps it can be solved via a "toggle" for handling "mailto:" links.

-publicdomain (January 26, 2022, 11:14 PM)

No, it's not. The right app is being triggered. It's just the wrong profile.

[publicdomain]

The right app is being triggered.

-wraith808 (January 27, 2022, 01:44 AM)

Thanks for your input and clarification AMIGO

My "old school-ness" leaked... this was my confusion source:

What I'd like is some way to "tell" Chrome that if I open an Outlook email link, use my work profile.  I guess that would need to be some kind of back-running utility that stays on all the time?  I don't know.  Maybe an Outlook add-in is what I need.

-kunkel321 (January 26, 2022, 01:59 PM)

When giving my 2 cents, I totally related it to the actual Outlook app/program handling "mailto:" email links.

First thing that "popped" in my head was to set mailto: handler app command to open as:

"C:\Program Files\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome_proxy.exe"  --profile-directory="Profile 1" URL

...Regular "https:" links are another use-case. Perhaps that's a job for a Chrome extension.

[kunkel321]

Good thoughts, but I think  Wraith is correct.  Using mailto wouldn't work. 

I'll investigate this more.  I couldn't find anything useful in the above-mentioned AppData folder.  Come to think of it, I didn't think to check the Chrome Add-in store. 

[wraith808]

A little research:

https://www.tutorial...-profile-in-selenium

https://stackoverflo...ing-programmatically

[publicdomain]

Good thoughts, but I think  Wraith is correct.  Using mailto wouldn't work.

-kunkel321 (January 27, 2022, 08:17 AM)

Thanks & yes, Wraith is correct indeed. As I understand more of the issue at hand, it seems the solution would be to detect mail link URL (via automation / extension), stop the loading, then change profile if needed (i.e. change work profile) to ultimately load the link using proper profile.

A little research:

https://www.tutorial...-profile-in-selenium

https://stackoverflo...ing-programmatically

-wraith808 (January 27, 2022, 03:32 PM)

Good finds

Solution is doable

[kunkel321]

I also found a couple of things.  This one
https://bitbucket.or...erchooser2/wiki/Home
seems promising.  Apparently you can set it as the default browser in Windows, it then directs commands as needed.  I couldn't get it to work though, then, while messing with the icon-chooser, I completely broke it.  Now it just crashes over and over.  I even killed and deleted it, and rebooted, and redownloaded it.  Still it crashes. 

This also seems interesting:
https://dospolov.com...-with-account-surfer
it links to this $7 Windows Store app
https://www.microsof...ab=pivot:overviewtab

Not sure I want to pay $7 for an app that might not even work though...

LATER....   Well I took a leap of faith and bought/installed Account Surfer.   It seems to work well.  You do indeed set it as your default browser, then it redirects as needed.  I'm not detecting any sluggishness when opening links.  There are still 15 (yes 15!) Chrome processes running in the background even though I don't have Chrome open.  ...I suppose that's to be expected from Chrome though.

[wraith808]

It's probably because account surfer keeps a handle to chrome even though the window isn't shown for fast loading. I coded something like this for a different reason, and keeping it resident is the only way to get around the long loading time.