Google-chrome – Getting chrome to open “text” files in a tab

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When I look at code samples on the web that are linked to as a .c, .cpp, .h etc file, chrome will download it for me as a file.

Is there a way to get it to open the file (which is really just a text file with a different extension, and chrome does open text files in a tab window) in a tab window?

I would rather not have my downloads folder littered with all of these small code files.

I have looked in the chrome preferences, but have not found anything that relates to this.

Running the dev build of chrome, but I would take the option in any current build of the browser.

EDIT: Is there a way to change the way that chrome handles some mime types like text/x-chdr or others?

Best Answer

I did a bunch of tests and found that some types always trigger a download from remote location. For example, .bat files always try to download while the similar .cmd type opens as text. Likewise, .cpp files always trigger a download while my own .inc type which is an identical copy of the .cpp with the “cpp” changed to “inc” opens as text.

I haven’t checked the source, but I suspect it’s a built-in behavior. They must figure that if it’s a local file (file:///…), you already have it so it is assumed to be trusted, so open it. If however it is a remote file, don’t open it, instead download it so that any anti-virus software on the system can have a look to be safe.

Surprisingly there do not seem to be any other complaints about this on the Chrome bug tracker. o.O I have submitted a report, so we’ll have to see what they say.

Related Solutions

Google-chrome – How to use Autohotkey to focus on an existing Google Chrome tab, not a “container” window

^+i::
if WinExist("ahk_class Chrome_WindowImpl_0")
  {
  WinActivate
  ControlFocus, Chrome_AutocompleteEditView1
  }
else
  Run "C:\Users\vleeshue\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"
return

Should do the trick

("Chrome_AutocompleteEditView1" is the name of the omnibar control, so you could add Send ^a to select all)

Note: To get the ahk_class for your version of Chrome, e.g., ahk_class Chrome_WindowImp1-0, use the AU3_Spy.exe inside the autohotkey directory. This will allow you to find the correct ahk class for your chrome browser if the example one doesn't work.

Update: I can't reproduce, maybe it will be better with another control... To have a list of a window controls I use this code:

#Persistent
SetTimer, WatchCursor, 100
return

WatchCursor:
  MouseGetPos, , , id, control
  WinGetTitle, title, ahk_id %id%
  WinGetClass, class, ahk_id %id%
  WinGet, ControlList, ControlList, A
  ToolTip, Under Cursor:`nahk_id: %id%`nahk_class: %class%`nTitle:%title%`nControl: %control%`n`nWindow Control List:`n%ControlList%
return

So the controls of my google chrome 4.0.249.78 beta (36714) are:

ViewsTextfieldEdit1
Chrome_RenderWidgetHostWND1
Chrome_AutocompleteEditView1
Chrome_WindowImpl_01
Chrome_WindowImpl_02

Windows – Getting Chrome to open an `.html` file in a new window

I guess you could use javascript to open the page in new window on load of the page. http://www.gtalbot.org/BugzillaSection/Bug195867GDR_WindowOpen.html

Best Answer

Related Solutions

Google-chrome – How to use Autohotkey to focus on an existing Google Chrome tab, not a “container” window

Windows – Getting Chrome to open an `.html` file in a new window

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