BUG: Flow Launcher does not open Web Searches in Arc Browser

[pratyakshm]

Checks

• [X] I have checked that this issue has not already been reported.

• [X] I am using the latest version of Flow Launcher.

Problem Description

When I type a web search query in Flow Launcher and press to open it in the default browser, the browser opens but a new tab concerning the query never opens.

Arc is a new web browser for Windows, currently in closed beta. Should it be necessary for you to use the browser, join the waitlist at https://www.isarconwindowsyet.com/.

To Reproduce

1. Invoke Flow Launcher and type in a web search query.
2. Press Enter. Now, you expect the query to open in a new tab in the default web browser.
3. Actually, focus is shifted to the default web browser. However, a new tab for the search result of the typed query is never created. Instead, the web browser sits blank and clueless as its last state.

I have run the following command just to determine if the issue lies with in Arc browser itself, and it worked fine.

Start-Process https://google.com

Also, all external links to web sites open inside Arc browser as expected. Thus, it's safe to say that the issue lies within Flow Launcher.

Screenshots

https://github.com/Flow-Launcher/Flow.Launcher/assets/54220235/08a3f541-86f2-4571-bf4b-04fa13351e8c

Flow Launcher Version

1.17.2

Windows Build Number

22635.3276

Error Log

```shell 23:49:20.7847+05:30 - INFO - App.OnStartup - Begin Flow Launcher startup ---------------------------------------------------- 23:49:20.7895+05:30 - INFO - App.OnStartup - Runtime info: Flow Launcher version: 1.17.2 OS Version: 22635.3276 IntPtr Length: 8 x64: True 23:49:21.1729+05:30 - INFO - PluginManager.InitializePlugins - Total init cost for is <4ms> 23:49:21.1729+05:30 - INFO - PluginManager.InitializePlugins - Total init cost for is <4ms> 23:49:21.1729+05:30 - INFO - PluginManager.InitializePlugins - Total init cost for is <2ms> 23:49:21.1804+05:30 - INFO - PluginManager.InitializePlugins - Total init cost for is <17ms> 23:49:21.1804+05:30 - INFO - CommunityPluginSource.FetchAsync - Loading plugins from https://fastly.jsdelivr.net/gh/Flow-Launcher/Flow.Launcher.PluginsManifest@plugin_api_v2/plugins.json 23:49:21.1979+05:30 - INFO - PluginManager.InitializePlugins - Total init cost for is <27ms> 23:49:21.1979+05:30 - INFO - PluginManager.InitializePlugins - Total init cost for is <24ms> 23:49:21.2134+05:30 - INFO - PluginManager.InitializePlugins - Total init cost for is <46ms> 23:49:21.2134+05:30 - INFO - Flow.Launcher.Plugin.Program.Main - Preload programs cost <17ms> 23:49:21.2134+05:30 - INFO - Flow.Launcher.Plugin.Program.Main - Number of preload win32 programs <160> 23:49:21.2134+05:30 - INFO - Flow.Launcher.Plugin.Program.Main - Number of preload uwps <70> 23:49:21.2393+05:30 - INFO - PluginManager.InitializePlugins - Total init cost for is <73ms> 23:49:21.2513+05:30 - INFO - PluginManager.InitializePlugins - Total init cost for is <54ms> 23:49:21.2659+05:30 - INFO - CommunityPluginSource.FetchAsync - Loading plugins from https://gcore.jsdelivr.net/gh/Flow-Launcher/Flow.Launcher.PluginsManifest@plugin_api_v2/plugins.json 23:49:21.2659+05:30 - INFO - CommunityPluginSource.FetchAsync - Loading plugins from https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/Flow-Launcher/Flow.Launcher.PluginsManifest@plugin_api_v2/plugins.json 23:49:21.2659+05:30 - INFO - CommunityPluginSource.FetchAsync - Loading plugins from https://raw.githubusercontent.com/Flow-Launcher/Flow.Launcher.PluginsManifest/plugin_api_v2/plugins.json 23:49:21.2659+05:30 - INFO - PluginManager.InitializePlugins - Total init cost for is <105ms> 23:49:21.2659+05:30 - INFO - PluginManager.InitializePlugins - Total init cost for is <108ms> 23:49:21.4767+05:30 - INFO - CommunityPluginSource.FetchAsync - Loaded 153 plugins from https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/gh/Flow-Launcher/Flow.Launcher.PluginsManifest@plugin_api_v2/plugins.json 23:49:21.4767+05:30 - INFO - PluginManager.InitializePlugins - Total init cost for is <317ms> 23:49:21.7901+05:30 - INFO - App.OnStartup - Dependencies Info: Python Path: C:\Users\Praty\AppData\Local\Programs\Python\Python312\pythonw.exe Node Path: 23:49:22.0948+05:30 - INFO - App.OnStartup - End Flow Launcher startup ---------------------------------------------------- 23:49:22.1038+05:30 - INFO - App.OnStartup - Startup cost <1477ms> 23:49:22.2514+05:30 - INFO - ImageLoader.Initialize - Preload images cost <1030ms> 23:49:22.2514+05:30 - INFO - ImageLoader.Initialize - Number of preload images is <50>, Images Number: 50, Unique Items 17 ```

[deefrawley]

Does it work when you specify Arc in the Default Web Browser setting for Flow?

[pratyakshm]

@djordjepekic Hi, no, it does not work even after adding a new entry for Arc in the Default Web Browser setting.

Screen shot of the setting:

Upon inspecting the default web browser path for Chrome in Flow's settings, I tested if using "arc" in Win + R brings up Arc too, and it does.

So, I updated Arc's entry in Default Web Browser setting to use "arc" as path, instead of the absolute path.

And I still face the same issue. No new tab is created.

[djordjepekic]

Wrong @ 😁

[pratyakshm]

Oops, sorry about that, @djordjepekic.

Looping in @deefrawley to the ticket.

[taooceros]

maybe they shares a slightly different command line arg compared to other browser...

[taooceros]

Probably nothing much we can do without a document or at least access to arc....if you understand how their command line interface work we are happy to accept pr.

[Yusyuriv]

Keep in mind that Arc for Windows is still very much experimental (latest version is 0.14.1) and lacks a lot of features present in all other browsers. For example, they added closing tabs by pressing Ctrl+F4 only 8 days ago.

[Yusyuriv]

That being said, I do have access to it, so if anyone has any ideas, I'm happy to try them.

[taooceros]

I downloaded it (with school email). Seems to be interesting. As it is a appx package, it probably requires some additional handling compared to other browser. Also there's no document about the command line usage....

[taooceros]

I guess the problem is on their side. There's no command line argument for its app....

[deefrawley]

Changing this from a bug to an enhancement as it seems the issue is with the browser, not Flow.

[pratyakshm]

Yep, I've contacted them regarding this issue. Hoping that they attend to this.

[DianP]

@pratyakshm

I've been tinkering for awhile for this, and i accidently found this.

This is my setup: Basically in the General > Default Browser > Add > and insert the path to some random wording like "Non Existence Path" And it works 😲.

Untitled-video-Made-with-Clipcha.webm

[ricktrade]

@pratyakshm

I've been tinkering for awhile for this, and i accidently found this.

This is my setup: Basically in the General > Default Browser > Add > and insert the path to some random wording like "Non Existence Path" And it works 😲.

Untitled-video-Made-with-Clipcha.webm

Thanks for posting! This also worked for me!

Running Arc Build : 0.17.2.21183 (0000) OS Version: 10.0.19045 and Flow launcher 1.18.0

[pratyakshm]

@DianP that's hilarious and interesting! 😆 quite curious how it works under the hood just like that.

but thanks haha!

[dot-Justin]

@pratyakshm

I've been tinkering for awhile for this, and i accidently found this.

This is my setup: Basically in the General > Default Browser > Add > and insert the path to some random wording like "Non Existence Path" And it works 😲.

Untitled-video-Made-with-Clipcha.webm

Thanks for sharing, though this doesn't work for me. Does anyone have any ideas other than this?

(EDIT: after doing this and relaunching a few times, it works! thank you!)

[notashleel]

@pratyakshm

I've been tinkering for awhile for this, and i accidently found this.

This is my setup: Basically in the General > Default Browser > Add > and insert the path to some random wording like "Non Existence Path" And it works 😲.

Untitled-video-Made-with-Clipcha.webm

Thank you for sharing this! It works like a charm!

[jdkcoder]

@pratyakshm

I've been tinkering for awhile for this, and i accidently found this.

This is my setup: Basically in the General > Default Browser > Add > and insert the path to some random wording like "Non Existence Path" And it works 😲.

Untitled-video-Made-with-Clipcha.webm

Magic LOL. It worked!!!

[HaveSomeRubicon]

wow i did not expect that to work lol

[IgorWeisss]

@pratyakshm

I've been tinkering for awhile for this, and i accidently found this.

This is my setup: Basically in the General > Default Browser > Add > and insert the path to some random wording like "Non Existence Path" And it works 😲.

Untitled-video-Made-with-Clipcha.webm

Works like a charm! Thanks so much!