How to temporarily use different browser for search?

[mlondon]

I use Chrome as my default browser and usually have a number of tabs open for various purposes.

However Chrome is an energy hog and I dont like to leave it running when I'm using my MacBookPro on battery.

Is there a way to temporarily tell Alfred to open the results of an Alfred search in different browser (ie: Safari) rather than my default one?

Thanks...

[deanishe]

Not really, no. The default behaviour of Alfred, most workflows and basically any other software is to ask macOS to open any URLs (or files, for that matter).

 

You might be able to use ControlPlane to switch your default browser when you’re on battery power. It’s specifically designed for that kind of thing.

[Vero]

@mlondon It all depends on your preferred usage, but I use Safari 95% of the time, so I created this workflow with two ways to launch Chrome on the odd occasion.

 

With the first one, I use the keyword "chrome" and paste a URL I have in my clipboard.

 

I use the second one if I'm in Safari, for example, and the URL is selected in the address bar. The hotkey then grabs the selection in macOS and launches Chrome.

 

 

In both cases, I keep meaning to make it smarter so it doesn't require http or https at the beginning, but given that only catches me out once in a blue moon, I'll admit I never got around to it  

 

Might help you a little!

 

Cheers,
Vero

[Vero]

@mlondon Thinking about this, there are so many ways you could do this...

• A custom fallback search trigger to launch Chrome: https://www.alfredapp.com/help/workflows/triggers/fallback-search/
• An open URL with an alternative action where holding alt or ctrl suggests a different browser: https://www.alfredapp.com/blog/tips-and-tricks/action-modifiers-quick-alternative-actions/

I'll be curious to see what kind of solution you end up choosing  

 

Cheers,
Vero

[deanishe]

You could use ⌘C to copy the bookmark URL, then paste it back into Alfred, and using this simple workflow, choose a different browser.

That said, ControlPlane is the smartest way to do it, imo.

 

It's completely automatic (i.e. it will automatically change your default browser as soon as you disconnect the power cord, and change it back when you plug it back in) and would apply system-wide, not just to URLs opened via Alfred.

 

Any other method will require you to open URLs differently when you're not plugged in.

Edited November 22, 2018 by deanishe

[Michael Rose]

On 11/22/2018 at 2:10 PM, Vero said:

@mlondon Thinking about this, there are so many ways you could do this...

• A custom fallback search trigger to launch Chrome: https://www.alfredapp.com/help/workflows/triggers/fallback-search/
• An open URL with an alternative action where holding alt or ctrl suggests a different browser: https://www.alfredapp.com/blog/tips-and-tricks/action-modifiers-quick-alternative-actions/

I'll be curious to see what kind of solution you end up choosing  

 

Cheers,
Vero

 

 

I'd love a fallback search option that gives option for Safari (personal) or Chrome (work). I can see the pieces of the puzzle are here but don't know how to implement it.

[RodgerWW]

On 11/22/2018 at 9:10 AM, Vero said:

@mlondon Thinking about this, there are so many ways you could do this...

• A custom fallback search trigger to launch Chrome: https://www.alfredapp.com/help/workflows/triggers/fallback-search/
• An open URL with an alternative action where holding alt or ctrl suggests a different browser: https://www.alfredapp.com/blog/tips-and-tricks/action-modifiers-quick-alternative-actions/

I'll be curious to see what kind of solution you end up choosing  

 

Cheers,
Vero

Thank you Vero for this...I can now use a fallback to open Brave for searches when Safari refuses to load certain things.