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Arc Browser

Open neoOpus opened this issue 1 year ago • 28 comments

Please add this New Browser to the detection list

Arc

When I attempt to add it manually, the icon isn't picked up because this browser installs as a WindowsApp (UWP), and since customizing browser icons isn't possible (a feature that would be great to have for every browser and profile), it appears as shown in this screen capture.

image

Note: Ignore the icons for other browsers, as they're not visible since I haven't reinstalled them yet.

neoOpus avatar May 03 '24 03:05 neoOpus

Arc is weird, and seems to have only fully bound the notion of launching a url via the "CWA Protocol Association Execute Command" [as bound in a DelegateExecute registry key to the GUID ({A56A841F-E974-45C1-8001-7E3F8A085917} ONLY WHEN ITS THE DEFAULT BROWSER]

but after objectively more hours than it was worth, I discovered/verified that it will also end up working if one calls Windows.System.Launcher.LaunchAsyncUri

with LauncherOptions setting TargetApplicationPackageFamilyName to TheBrowserCompany.Arc_ttt1ap7aakyb4

fundamentally this is all .NET stuff, I gather (its not my area of expertise), so it should be not hard to implement directly if one is so inclined, but as shared in https://github.com/U-C-S/Hurl/issues/100#issuecomment-2105612332 - I managed to force into PowerShell and then that PowerShell script inside a .{bat,cmd} container so it could be treated as an exe

I don't per se have a solution for the icon, but if you were inclined to do one of them "batch to exe" convertors, you could then probably just set the icon on that.

donaldguy avatar May 11 '24 07:05 donaldguy

Arc won't install on Windows 11 at all. It does seems like a new and slightly unstable browser. It may be worth revisiting when it works properly?

image

aloneguid avatar Jun 10 '24 12:06 aloneguid

Commenting just to have this thread on my watchlist. I'm also interest in Arc support.

arendon1 avatar Jun 20 '24 14:06 arendon1

Still can't install it (I'm usually testing new browsers in Windows Sandbox). It seems Arc is only available for Windows 11?

aloneguid avatar Jun 26 '24 10:06 aloneguid

Still can't install it (I'm usually testing new browsers in Windows Sandbox). It seems Arc is only available for Windows 11?

You're totally right, current version of Arc are only Windows 11 exclusively, they seem to be working on Windows 10 version of it.

https://resources.arc.net/hc/en-us/articles/19400148671383-Unsupported-Devices

Is this a major issue to recognize it as a browser?

arendon1 avatar Jun 27 '24 15:06 arendon1

@arendon1 Honestly I don't know because I can't even install it on Widnows 11 (see error above).

aloneguid avatar Jun 27 '24 16:06 aloneguid

@arendon1 Honestly I don't know because I can't even install it on Widnows 11 (see error above).

Actually, I don't have any problem installing it, if you want, I can provide you a remote control to a fresh Windows 11 today or this weekend so you can do your testing and updates… Please let me know if you are interested and what remote control software do you want to use (RustDesk, AnyDesk, Teamviewer, Parsec)

neoOpus avatar Jun 27 '24 21:06 neoOpus

I have not tried this myself, but there's a workaround for a similar tool here https://github.com/U-C-S/Hurl/issues/100#issuecomment-2113632225

lnkd61 avatar Jun 28 '24 15:06 lnkd61

@neoOpus I appreciate the offer, but it seems Arc haven't figured a way to create a way to install it. I've seen reddit comments people suggesting modifying their installer, installing custom certificates, setting up Windows Store correctly, enabling developer mode and so on which seems like a terrible way to support this. Until Arc supports all current Windows versions and not a specific edition of Windows 11 with custom configuration it's a no go for me. The other way to support this is to write a custom program that opens Arc and then invoke it from BT, but that might be a waste of energy because Arc people may create a proper installer by then.

aloneguid avatar Jun 28 '24 17:06 aloneguid

I was thinking it might be possible to open a URL via a browser extension. Also the browser would have to be opened if it's not running.

For now I find it easier to just have my default browser as Arc, and use the BT extension to open links in Firefox in 1 click.

Theblockbuster1 avatar Jun 28 '24 20:06 Theblockbuster1

@Theblockbuster1 commented on Jun 28, 2024, 4:01 PM EDT:

I was thinking it might be possible to open a URL via a browser extension. Also the browser would have to be opened if it's not running.

For now I find it easier to just have my default browser as Arc, and use the BT extension to open links in Firefox in 1 click.

Originally posted by @Theblockbuster1 in https://github.com/aloneguid/bt/issues/76#issuecomment-2197549966

There is a solution for that through the BT chrome extension available in the Chrome store or linked on the webpage created by Ivan @aloneguid. This extension enables you to right-click on the link and select the option from the context menu to open it in BT (app), which will then suggest the browsers you have installed to choose from.

neoOpus avatar Jun 28 '24 20:06 neoOpus

Yes, that's what I'm using :) it's very useful. I mostly use it by clicking on the extension icon to reopen the current tab.

Theblockbuster1 avatar Jun 28 '24 20:06 Theblockbuster1

There are other extensions that can do the same thing like these

https://webextension.org/listing/open-in.html

You pick the one you just need but you can opt to configure General Purpose

But please next time open another discussion if your request is unrelated

On Fri, Jun 28, 2024, 16:22 blok @.***> wrote:

Yes, that's what I'm using :) it's very useful. I mostly use it by clicking on the extension icon to reopen the current tab.

— Reply to this email directly, view it on GitHub https://github.com/aloneguid/bt/issues/76#issuecomment-2197594381, or unsubscribe https://github.com/notifications/unsubscribe-auth/AAKS6MC5OTZMGRHNC7KA7VTZJXAZDAVCNFSM6AAAAABHEZHUIOVHI2DSMVQWIX3LMV43OSLTON2WKQ3PNVWWK3TUHMZDCOJXGU4TIMZYGE . You are receiving this because you were mentioned.Message ID: @.***>

neoOpus avatar Jun 28 '24 21:06 neoOpus

Seems like Arc will be coming to windows 10, and I think this might make it a normal recognisable browser for all windows versions. See https://browserco.typeform.com/to/k37wtsev?typeform-source=arc.net#source=download

aloneguid avatar Jun 29 '24 09:06 aloneguid

@donaldguy I have solved the issue of opening links in Arc via UWP API in Windows, so it's coming along. What's left is detecting whether Arc is installed.

aloneguid avatar Jul 09 '24 10:07 aloneguid

At the moment I'm able to detect Arc browser (and Firefox Windows Store version as a bonus)

image

The only outstanding issue is finding out where Arc stores chromium profiles on disk (looking for help here). Arc itself needs to be launched differently via UWP COM API but i've done this already.

aloneguid avatar Jul 09 '24 13:07 aloneguid

At the moment I'm able to detect Arc browser (and Firefox Windows Store version as a bonus)

image

The only outstanding issue is finding out where Arc stores chromium profiles on disk (looking for help here). Arc itself needs to be launched differently via UWP COM API but i've done this already.

Unfortunately, I do not have access to a Windows machine, so I won't be able to investigate anything personally. Additionally, the profile is likely behind a random naming scheme for security reasons. However, the Arc team may be able to provide a way for you to access the information you need. Do you need me to contact Arc on your behalf?

neoOpus avatar Jul 10 '24 02:07 neoOpus

No worries @neoOpus thanks, I found it, and it's under ..\AppData\Local\Packages\TheBrowserCompany.Arc_ttt1ap7aakyb4\LocalCache\Local\Arc\User Data\Local State which is a normal Chromium data folder with all the usual stuff inside.

What I've got left is passing an argument to Arc which it seems to ignore at the moment. It's not UWP issue as I can do it now for Firefox MSSTORE version.

aloneguid avatar Jul 10 '24 08:07 aloneguid

No worries @neoOpus thanks, I found it, and it's under ..\AppData\Local\Packages\TheBrowserCompany.Arc_ttt1ap7aakyb4\LocalCache\Local\Arc\User Data\Local State which is a normal Chromium data folder with all the usual stuff inside.

What I've got left is passing an argument to Arc which it seems to ignore at the moment. It's not UWP issue as I can do it now for Firefox MSSTORE version.

I think this part of the path "ttt1ap7aakyb4" is random and changes from one user to another which could be a problem but if the field can be edited then anyone can use the appropriate path by looking in their folders tree

neoOpus avatar Jul 10 '24 08:07 neoOpus

Arc is weird, and seems to have only fully bound the notion of launching a url via the "CWA Protocol Association Execute Command" [as bound in a DelegateExecute registry key to the GUID ({A56A841F-E974-45C1-8001-7E3F8A085917} ONLY WHEN ITS THE DEFAULT BROWSER]

but after objectively more hours than it was worth, I discovered/verified that it will also end up working if one calls Windows.System.Launcher.LaunchAsyncUri

with LauncherOptions setting TargetApplicationPackageFamilyName to TheBrowserCompany.Arc_ttt1ap7aakyb4

fundamentally this is all .NET stuff, I gather (its not my area of expertise), so it should be not hard to implement directly if one is so inclined, but as shared in U-C-S/Hurl#100 (comment) - I managed to force into PowerShell and then that PowerShell script inside a .{bat,cmd} container so it could be treated as an exe

I don't per se have a solution for the icon, but if you were inclined to do one of them "batch to exe" convertors, you could then probably just set the icon on that.

This is really interesting. Arc does not open URL even if it's the default browser for me.

aloneguid avatar Jul 10 '24 08:07 aloneguid

It seems to work now

image

aloneguid avatar Jul 16 '24 11:07 aloneguid

It's now released in 4.0.1, please try.

aloneguid avatar Jul 16 '24 11:07 aloneguid

These are amazing news! tysm for your hard work Ivan!

arendon1 avatar Jul 18 '24 15:07 arendon1

The arc browser icon disappeared for me on browser after I updated the arc browser. Had to use the rediscover browsers button to get the icon back. Didn't get to test whether it was just the icon that was gone or the browser option itself had stopped working as I had already clicked the rediscover browsers button by then.

rp1231 avatar Jul 19 '24 04:07 rp1231

Can confirm prev commenter case. After Arc's update had to refresh the browser discovery on bt. Not a big issue, but a behavior worth noting, I think.

arendon1 avatar Jul 19 '24 07:07 arendon1

I can confirm this as well, rediscover does fix it, but that's not ideal. Issue is that on update msstore apps will change the folder name where they are installed, so I need to handle this as well, should be fixed soon. The good news is browser ID is not changed, so all the confiruration is kept on rediscover.

aloneguid avatar Jul 19 '24 08:07 aloneguid

I can confirm this as well, rediscover does fix it, but that's not ideal. Issue is that on update msstore apps will change the folder name where they are installed, so I need to handle this as well, should be fixed soon. The good news is browser ID is not changed, so all the confiruration is kept on rediscover.

Would caching the browser Icon be a possible solution?

rp1231 avatar Sep 06 '24 11:09 rp1231

I can confirm this as well, rediscover does fix it, but that's not ideal. Issue is that on update msstore apps will change the folder name where they are installed, so I need to handle this as well, should be fixed soon. The good news is browser ID is not changed, so all the confiruration is kept on rediscover.

Would caching the browser Icon be a possible solution?

Maybe the discover should be reworked... if it finds the browser in the setting file then it should just update the path and keep it at the same position without messing with other settings unless necessary... but it is up to Ivan!

neoOpus avatar Sep 07 '24 00:09 neoOpus