Browser Picker Script

Overview

The Browser Picker Script allows you to dynamically select which browser to use when opening links in Linux. So if you click on a link in a terminal, application or a notification, it will open in the browser you select. It's useful if you use multiple browsers or browser profiles such as chrome profiles and want to open links in a specific browser each time. It's been tested in Linux Mint with Cinnamon Desktop but should be fine on Ubuntu and Debian as well.

Problem it solves

• You have different browsers or browser profiles for work and personal use and want to open links in the correct browser

Key Features

• Dynamically choose between active browser windows (e.g., Chrome, Firefox).
• Support for opening URLs in new browser instances if no active windows are found.
• Fully configurable to set as the default browser for your system.

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Installation

Prerequisites

1. Browsers

   • Google Chrome: Download and install from Google Chrome Official Website
   • Mozilla Firefox: Install via package manager:

     sudo apt install firefox

2. Dependencies

   sudo apt install python3 python3-gtk-4-0 xdotool

Setup Steps

1. Download and Save the Script

   • Save browserpicker.py in a directory (e.g., ~/bin/)

   mkdir -p ~/bin
   # Copy browserpicker.py to ~/bin/
   # Note: browserpicker_tkinter.py is kept for legacy support

2. Make the Script Executable

   chmod +x ~/bin/browserpicker.py

3. Create Desktop Entry Create the file ~/.local/share/applications/browserpicker.desktop:

   Add the following contents (replace <your-username>):

   [Desktop Entry]
   Version=1.0
   Name=Browser Picker
   Comment=Select which browser to use
   Exec=/usr/bin/env python3 /home/<your-username>/bin/browserpicker.py %u
   Terminal=false
   Type=Application
   Icon=web-browser
   Categories=Network;WebBrowser;
   MimeType=x-scheme-handler/http;x-scheme-handler/https;

4. Update Desktop Database

   update-desktop-database ~/.local/share/applications/

5. Set as Default Browser

   # Set as default browser
   xdg-settings set default-web-browser browserpicker.desktop
   
   # Associate with HTTP(S) URLs
   xdg-mime default browserpicker.desktop x-scheme-handler/http
   xdg-mime default browserpicker.desktop x-scheme-handler/https

6. Verify Installation

   xdg-settings get default-web-browser
   # Should output: browserpicker.desktop

Usage

Basic Usage

Run the script directly with a URL:

./browserpicker.py https://example.com

Interface

The Browser Picker provides an intuitive GTK4-based GUI with the following features:

• Active Window Selection: Shows all currently open browser windows
• New Browser Options: Launch new instances of installed browsers
• Keyboard Navigation:
  • ↑: Select previous option
  • ↓: Select next option
  • Enter: Open URL in selected browser/window

Supported Browsers

• Mozilla Firefox
• Google Chrome (includes profile picker support)

Configuration

Adding Additional Browsers

The script can be configured to support other browsers like Brave. Simply modify your browserpicker.py:

# Modify these variables to add support for additional browsers
self.BROWSERS = {
    "Mozilla Firefox": "firefox",
    "Google Chrome": "google-chrome",
    "Brave Browser": "brave-browser"  # Add additional browsers here
}

The dictionary key is the name of the browser that will be displayed in the GUI. The value is the command to launch the browser.

The browser command should match the executable name in your system PATH.

Technical Details

• Uses xdotool for window management and keyboard simulation

Contributing

Feel free to submit issues, fork the repository, and create pull requests for any improvements.

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Troubleshooting

Common Issues

2. Browser not launching

   • Verify browser executables are in your system PATH
   • Check that browser packages are properly installed

3. Keyboard shortcuts not working

   • Ensure no conflicts with system shortcuts
   • Verify tkinter installation is complete

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Credit

The original code and idea was inspired by a Stackoverflow answer done using tkinter. I can't remember the link to before I added new features. If you know the original answer, please let me know so I can credit you! The tkinter version is kept in browserpicker_tkinter.py but I won't be updating it.