Open URL and Activate Google Chrome via Applescript

Question

I have the following AppleScript that I wrote many years ago. I use this code to program buttons on my Harmony One universal remote to access online video services via Google Chrome. The code is not working. Google Chrome doesn't launch. I am running the code via RemoteBuddy. The code complies fine, but does not work.

Anyone have any thoughts on what might be the problem, or how I can improve the script to make it work?

tell application "System Events" to set open_applications to (name of everyprocess)
if (open_applications contains "Google Chrome") is true then
        tell application "Google Chrome" to quit
else
        tell application "Google Chrome"
                activate
                open location "http://xfinitytv.comcast.net"
        end tell
        delay 1
        tell application "Google Chrome" to activate
end if

I just tested your script. I changed "(name of everyprocess)" to "(name of every process)" and it works. Anyway, you can still use the code from my answer because it's faster without using "System Events". — , Feb 28 '14 at 23:36

score 42 · Accepted Answer · edited May 23 '17 at 11:53

42

Try it this way:

tell application "Google Chrome"
    if it is running then
        quit
    else
        activate
        open location "http://xfinitytv.comcast.net"
        delay 1
        activate
    end if
end tell

Note: it's using the newer "Enhanced Application Model" (second line), more info here:
How to check in AppleScript if an app is running, without launching it - via osascript utility

edited May 23 '17 at 11:53

Community

1
1

answered Feb 28 '14 at 23:33

...and unlike bookmarks, you can execute javascript after the activate: `execute front window's active tab javascript "alert('example');"` – Sridhar Sarnobat Jul 12 '18 at 01:11
Thanks for this. Would someone share how is this done via JXA? – Richard Domingo Aug 13 '22 at 11:08

score 9 · Answer 2 · answered Dec 30 '16 at 00:26

9

tell application "Google Chrome"
    open location "http://WEBSITEHERE.com"
end tell

answered Dec 30 '16 at 00:26

Duckyy

91
1
1

Can you please add some more context around your answer. Code-only or link-only answers are difficult to understand. It will help the asker and future readers both if you can add more information in your post. – RBT Dec 30 '16 at 00:46
Although elegant and simple, this always opens a _new_ tab for that URL and gives it focus. If you execute this more than once you will end up with multiple tabs for the same URL. Other answers above avoid this by closing the browser first, then reopening it (with no tabs). That has other drawbacks (e.g. where's my email and calendar tabs gone?). A better solution must exist. Anyone? – Fred Truter Dec 05 '19 at 09:59

score 1 · Answer 3 · answered Oct 30 '20 at 09:11

1

osascript -e 'tell application "Google Chrome" to open location "http://yourlink.com.html"'

answered Oct 30 '20 at 09:11

helmett

11
1

Open URL and Activate Google Chrome via Applescript

3 Answers3