Can't use browser search (Plugin Web Search)

[mudnug]

Description of the new feature / enhancement

Allow customizing how browser exe is called

Scenario when this would be used?

When search fails

Supporting information

Plugins based on the web search feature also fail: Daydreamer-riri/PowerToys-Run-WebSearchShortcut#29

[davidegiacometti]

Hi @mudnug, any change to do some tests? Can you please open a PowerShell, run this and paste the output here?

$progId = $(Get-ItemProperty -Path Registry::HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Shell\Associations\UrlAssociations\http\UserChoice -Name ProgId).ProgId
$command = $(Get-ItemProperty -Path Registry::HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\$progId\shell\open\command).'(default)'
Write-Host $progId
Write-Host $command

Can you also try to run Start-Process "https://github.com" in a PowerShell window?
Is BrowseRouter launched?

This would help determine if there is something wrong with the code used to find the systems default browser.

/needinfo

[mudnug]

BrowseRouterURL
Z:\BrowseRouter\BrowseRouter.exe %1

[mudnug]

"Search the web" fails with the messagebox and "Open in default browser" works (for URLs).

[mudnug]

@davidegiacometti Would PowerToys be confused when the path to the browser has a space or unicode character?

[2024-11-29 14:38:19.4918] [ERROR] [D:\a\_work\1\s\src\modules\launcher\Plugins\Community.PowerToys.Run.Plugin.WebSearch\Main.cs::182]
Failed to open BrowseRouter.

[2024-11-29 14:38:51.8898] [INFO] [D:\a\_work\1\s\src\modules\launcher\PowerLauncher\ViewModel\MainViewModel.cs::975]
OnHotkey

[2024-11-29 14:38:54.8007] [INFO] [D:\a\_work\1\s\src\modules\launcher\PowerLauncher\ViewModel\MainViewModel.cs::975]
OnHotkey

[2024-11-29 14:38:56.5528] [ERROR] [D:\a\_work\1\s\src\modules\launcher\Wox.Infrastructure\Helper.cs::192]
-------------------------- Begin exception --------------------------
Message: Unable to open M:\3: An error occurred trying to start process 'M:\3' with working directory 'C:\Users\[user]\AppData\Local\PowerToys'. The system cannot find the file specified.

Exception full name  : System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception
Exception message    : An error occurred trying to start process 'M:\3' with working directory 'C:\Users\[user]\AppData\Local\PowerToys'. The system cannot find the file specified.
Exception stack trace:
   at System.Diagnostics.Process.StartWithShellExecuteEx(ProcessStartInfo startInfo)
   at Wox.Infrastructure.Helper.OpenInShell(String path, String arguments, String workingDir, ShellRunAsType runAs, Boolean runWithHiddenWindow)
Exception source     : System.Diagnostics.Process
Exception target site: Boolean StartWithShellExecuteEx(System.Diagnostics.ProcessStartInfo)
Exception HResult    : -2147467259
-------------------------- End exception --------------------------


[2024-11-29 14:38:56.5528] [ERROR] [D:\a\_work\1\s\src\modules\launcher\Plugins\Community.PowerToys.Run.Plugin.WebSearch\Main.cs::182]
Failed to open BrowseRouter.

The error in the log shows it is truncating the process foldername and using the wrong directory
An error occurred trying to start process 'M:\3' with working directory 'C:\Users\[user]\AppData\Local\PowerToys'. The system cannot find the file specified.

[mudnug]

By the way, Start-Process "https://github.com" has no trouble nor does choosing to launch a URL in the browser with PowerToys.

[davidegiacometti]

Hi @mudnug
Isn't Z:\BrowseRouter\BrowseRouter.exe the path of the browser?
Where does M:\3 came from?

[mudnug]

Good question. I modified the path when I showed you the powershell results to hide some path info. It is closer to Z:\3 BrowseRouter\BrowseRouter.exe %1

There is a space after 3

[davidegiacometti]

Yeah, the space can certainly be an issue. I think the string should be escaped by ", like "Z:\BrowseRouter\BrowseRouter.exe %1".
Have you manually set it as default browser or from the Windows settings?

[mudnug]

I used the windows settings app

[mudnug]

I just tried manually editing the (default) registry key at
Computer\HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\BrowseRouterURL\shell\open\command
to "Z:\BrowseRouter\BrowseRouter.exe %1"
and restarting PowerToys
but got the same error

and then "Z:\BrowseRouter\BrowseRouter.exe" %1
and restarting PowerToys
Which launches the browser without an error but doesn't include the entire set of terms (only the last one)

and then "Z:\BrowseRouter\BrowseRouter.exe" "%1"
Which focuses the browser but doesn't execute a search

[mudnug]

Part of this was fixed in nref/BrowseRouter#63 (which now uses the correct registry value). Still can't execute searches, but that might not be a PowerToy issue? (I'm not sure how it's calling the browser to execute the search.)

[RaSan147]

same for Opera GX