Talk:Default browser

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When I click on a hyperlink in an email msg in Outlook, it opens both Foxfire and IE. I have done all I can in "Folder Options: File Types" to make Foxfire the default browser, except that I have not hand-edited the registered file type "Internet Shortcut" (no extension). I have tried the freeware "Setbrowser 1.4". I am running Windows XP Home. Any suggestions?

Set Default Browser not there now

We do not see "Set Default Browser" on the General page of 0.9.3.

What we see on General is the following: a checkbox next to "Firefox should check to see if it is the default browser when starting" and a "Check now" button.

When I click "Check now", it says, "Firefox is already set as your default browser".

I need a way to toggle back and forth. I have an application that does not operate properly if IE is not the default browser. (Sorry, but I have to use the application frequently.) The only way I can move back and forth is to uninstall Firefox and reset IE as the default browser.

Can't you just go to Internet Otions in the control panel and go to the Programs tab and tell IE to Check to see if it is the Default Browser without uninstalling Firefox?

I have the same problem - I set FireFox as my default browser, but I want the default switched back to IE. Setting the "check if IE is the default browser" option in the Internet Options settings does not cause IE to check. IE does not have a "check now" option like FireFox. Looks like I might need to manually change the app using view options in the file settings dialog. Figured it out: click Reset Web Settings - that'll force IE back to being the default browser. The standard checkmark next to "check if IE is the default" works on another machine, so it's a matter of something mucking up your IE settings. Once you reset the web settings, you'll have to make sure you reset all your security settings and junk.

HyperText Transfer Protocol with Privacy

What is this protocol and why does it matter nowadays? Where and when would I use it? Other than this article and a brief mention of it in http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=191219 (written for IE 4.0 128bit) I can hardly find any mention of it when I search for it using google. Looking at the action for the folder type it doesn't look like its an old name for Https:. Tanstaafl 00:41, 6 March 2006 (UTC)

I would not remove URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol with Privacy since I believe that it is needed to start your default browser from https: links in mail messages. I did a groups.google search and found here that it's the description for HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\https so I exported the key in regedit, which I'm copying below.
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\https]
@="URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol with Privacy"
"EditFlags"=dword:00000002
"URL Protocol"=""
"Source Filter"="{E436EBB6-524F-11CE-9F53-0020AF0BA770}"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\https\DefaultIcon]
@="C:\\PROGRA~1\\MOZILL~1\\FIREFOX.EXE,1"
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\https\shell]
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\https\shell\open]
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\https\shell\open\command]
@="C:\\PROGRA~1\\MOZILL~1\\FIREFOX.EXE -url \"%1\""
I also found it mentioned here: http://www.microsoft.com/windows/ie/community/columns/oetopten.mspx under How do I make hyperlinks in messages work again? Quote:
If hyperlinks are still not working, it's likely one or more registered file associations 
are configured incorrectly.   To repair the asociations:
1. Click Start, click My Computer, and then click Folder Options on the Tools menu.
2. Click the File Types tab.
3. Select URL:Hypertext Transfer Protocol in the list of registered file types.
4. Click the Advanced button (Windows XP), or the Edit button (other versions).
5. In the list of Actions, select open and then click the Edit button.
6. The Application used to perform action box should contain this, including quotation marks:
"C:\Program Files\Internet Explorer\iexplore.exe" -nohome
If instead it contains a short name version of that path, or an incorrect path, change it to the above. Click OK.
7. Repeat steps 3-7 for the file type URL:Hypertext Transfer Protocol with Privacy.
8. Click OK to close the Folder Options window.
For more detail see Internet shortcuts in Outlook Express do not start Web browser
I was thinking that we should post similarly detailed instructions or at least include the "open" action that should be entered for Firefox. For example, Here's what I show on Windows XP in Folder Options -> Filetypes as associated with Firefox. All Edit -> "Application used to perform action" boxes are shown as: C:\PROGRA~1\MOZILL~1\FIREFOX.EXE -url "%1"
  • URL:File Transfer Protocol
  • URL:Gopher Protocol
  • URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol
  • URL:HyperText Transfer Protocol with Privacy
  • HTM File
  • HTML File
  • SHTML File
Alice Wyman 01:59, 6 March 2006 (UTC)
P.S. After doing some more googling I'm not so sure anymore about needing "HyperText Transfer Protocol with Privacy" but I would still include it in the article, as it doesn't hurt to list it along with the other URL protocols. Alice Wyman 16:47, 6 March 2006 (UTC)

KDE

The information for KDE does not suffice. Setting the program with kcontrol will only work for kde programs. It will e.g. not work for Thunderbird. For this, the Gnome settings have to be used. At least in SuSe, these are available through Applications -> Tools -> Desktop -> Personal Configuration -> Default applications. (The exact words might be a bit different, I have a localised version.) This alters the Gnome settings, which will work for Thunderbird.

Furthermore, most of the time, entering firefox %s or thunderbird %s will not work, but a starter script will be needed, as described in Make external programs in Linux use the right browser. Hendrik 09:03, 12 March 2007 (UTC)


-nosplash

do we really need the -nosplash parameter as there is no such thing in Firefox? o_O --FatJohn 02:43, 3 November 2007 (UTC)

-nosplash should not be needed (Bug 324023 – Command line method of setting the default browser) Alice 12:10, 3 November 2007 (UTC)
I removed -nosplash from the instructions. Alice 18:33, 24 November 2007 (UTC)