Using a custom URL handler on Windows for any scripting purpose

mleo2003

Similar to the macOS post on this, Windows has the option to setup a custom protocol handler. Part of this requires writing a script to target, but that is usually left for the person implementing this to worry about (custom paths and search options, etc.).

As for putting such a script into use, the main trick is to add the following entries (or similar) to the Registry:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\zettel]
@="URL:Zettel Protocol"
"URL Protocol"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\zettel\DefaultIcon]
@="C:\\Program Files\\ZettelProtocol\\handler.exe,1"

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\zettel\shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\zettel\shell\open]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\zettel\shell\open\command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\ZettelProtocol\\handler.exe\" %1"

Save the above as "zettel.reg", and update paths as needed. Then just import the file (double clicking it should do the job), and you have a new protocol available.

That's literally it, nothing else is needed. The "%1" above is the full URI that was activated (all of zettel://202005271955) so the script/program can parse this for a valid link, do whatever searching/database lookups it wants, and then can open the default editor for any file it finds.

ctietze

That's rad! Didn't know it would be this simple!

What if you neither have a proper compiled .exe, or the knowledge to produce one yourself? Could this work with scripts? Maybe invoking a Python script? What would the call look like in that case? (On *nix, you'd just have something like python /path/to/script %1, but I'm not sure about Windows's open commands.

Also, do you have to fill in e.g. zettel:// into this line?

"URL Protocol"=""

mleo2003

Using a script should work just the same, you just may need full paths if python is not setup in the Windows PATH (works oddly similar to linux in that regard). C:/Python27/python.exe /path/to/script %1 or similar, that would do it. Depending on the script, it could work for both Windows and Mac, even.

And the settings I have above are what I have on my computer, I just exported them as is. I can use the Run box and enter "zettel://20200528113931" and it fires my custom script (I use AutoItScript to do the work there, and it has a compile to exe feature).