Desktop Shortcut in non-Default browser?

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Level 1

8 points

Desktop Shortcut in non-Default browser?

Good Evening,

I have Google Chrome set as my default browser in Lion. To access certain DOD websites I have to use Safari since it can access my PKI smartcard and chrome can't. I'd like to create a few desktop shortcuts for these websites to open in Safari, not chrome. I can drag the URL to the desktop and it creates the shortcut. I right clicked on the icon and changed the "open with" to Safari but when I then double click the icon it still opens in the default browser, Chrome.

Any mac geniuses out there who know of a script or something to force those specific desktop shortcuts to open in Safari(not default browser) vs Chrome (default browser)?

Thank you!

Mac Pro, Mac OS X (10.7)

Posted on Jul 28, 2011 10:05 PM

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Answer 1

Best reply

Polyergic

Level 1

9 points

Jan 3, 2017 3:28 PM in response to dfromc

In macOS 10.12 Sierra, I solved this with a simple AppleScript, and posted the solution in detail at http://apple.stackexchange.com/a/267324/71739. In summary, create an AppleScript application with this code:

tell application "Safari" to open location "https://apple.stackexchange.com/"

But keep a copy of the Script file, because you can't reopen Applications in the Script Editor.

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Answer 2

sagig

Level 1

0 points

Aug 1, 2011 12:30 PM in response to dfromc

I'm looking to do the exact same thing. any help will be appreciated!

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Answer 3

dpbklyn

Level 1

0 points

Sep 21, 2011 8:42 AM in response to dfromc

Any word on this? I am trying to do the exact same thing...

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Answer 4

Sep 26, 2011 1:19 PM in response to dfromc

Solved: https://discussions.apple.com/thread/442442?start=0&tstart=0

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Answer 5

andyBall_uk

Level 7

20,516 points

Sep 26, 2011 1:28 PM in response to Pinksteady

oddly - Open with ... then choosing Safari - works fine.

Changing the 'open with' in Finder-Get Info to Safari seems still to follow the default browser setting.

Sooo - instead of that, change the .webloc file extension to . webbookmark & you should be all set - at least it works here.

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Answer 6

Sep 26, 2011 1:31 PM in response to andyBall_uk

Didn't spot that, your tip worked, thanks!

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Answer 7

gromfy

Level 1

0 points

Jun 27, 2013 6:29 AM in response to andyBall_uk

This isn't working for me for a URL I want to force open in Firefox (Chrome is my default). Right-click "open with" works. But, even after changing the "open with" in "get info" to Firefox, it opens in Chrome.

Changing ".webloc" to ".webbookmark" broke it entirely. It does open in FF, but as an XML file that outputs this:

Any ideas? Thanks.

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Answer 8

andyBall_uk

Level 7

20,516 points

Jun 27, 2013 9:15 AM in response to gromfy

I see what you mean, that's odd. If right click or drag onto Firefox dock icon isn't suitable - the only way I find for a double-click is to create a plain text .html file as below (changing the address to suit) & set that to open in FF.

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