Invoke an application installed on your computer from a web page

Question

I am currently developing a web application. The application needs to open other applications installed on the computer. The end user will use Windows and Internet Explorer, the application does not have to support other web browsers.

Some people told me that I should use "URL scheme" with javascript, but can not find any example.

I found a possible solution but uses activex, How to launch an EXE from Web page (asp.net)

Answer 1

It's not so easy. You need to develop your own plugin for each web browser. Here is some helpfull links NPAPI, PPAPI, and IE BHO.

Another approach is to use ClickOnce application as launcher.

Answer 2

this is another possible solution.

Check if URL scheme is supported in javascript

HTML:

<a class="uri-link" data-uri="qobuzapp://" href="#">URI</a>​

Javascript (using jQuery here):

var windowHasFocus;

$(window).focus(function() {
  windowHasFocus = true;
}).blur(function() {
  windowHasFocus = false;
});

function goToUri(uri) {
  document.location = uri;
  setTimeout(function(){
    if(windowHasFocus) {
      if(confirm('You do not seem to have Qobuz installed, do you want to go download it now?')){
        document.location = 'http://www.qobuz.com';
      }
    }
  }, 100);
}

$('a').on('click', function(){ 
  goToUri($(this).data('uri')); 
});​