i am looking for a way to allow Google Chrome browser to launch an external application. notepad/wordpad, games, video and audio files in vlc media player. I have created a local computer website for the purposes of controlling my computer. It gives access to images and stories with size, text colour, background colour/image controls(saveable) with the help of javascript, html, and css. when it comes to the application side though i cannot get them to launch. i have html image buttons ready to launch them but the most i get is a request to download the file i am trying to launch. how do i get the browser to just launch such a file, without any security questions?

floral

Only way I can think of off hand is to make a program that will launch the file passed to it, if that's even necessary.. and make it handle a new schema (like http:// ftp:// irc:// etc, but your own name). Then make all the links use that schema so when you click them it will launch the app.
For personal use that'd be fine..just remember it'd apply to remote sites without security checks, so it'd technically leave you open to sites running random stuff on your computer.

If your on Windoze this might help.....
http://customurl.codeplex.com/
...never tried it

This'll prolly be relevant aswell....
http://www.google.com/support/forum/...2d974418&hl=en

The best way to do it is to configure a custom URL protocol.

You need to add some registry entries to show what program handles the protocol, but this way you can also pass parameters through.

EG: Create a custom URL protocal called 'Blah' that opens notepad

Add the following registry entries:
1. Right click on [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT] and add a new key:
Blah

2. Right click on [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Blah] add a new string:
URL Protocol

<Leave this string blank>

3. Right click on [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Blah] and add a new key:
shell

4. Right click on [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Blah\shell] and add a new key:
open

5. Right click on [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Blah\shell\open] and add a new key:
command

6. In [HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\Blah\shell\open\command] edit the string value (default):
"C:\windows\notepad.exe"

7. You can now call notepad from a URL using this syntax:
<a href="Blah:">Open Notepad</a>

There's a good article here that describes passing parameters and launching custom apps