Open a URL in a private/incognito window

[Jonathan Levi]

Hi all

I am often testing web pages to see what a not-logged-in user would see. I find that the fastest way to do this is to open a new Private window in Safari (or incognito window in Chrome) and paste the URL there. 

It would be so much faster if we could either add an action "Open in Private Window" or "Open With..." (tab) "Safari Private Window"

Then, from there, I could pretty easily make a custom trigger so that it took my clipboard contents and automatically opened in a private url. Something like Option + Command + Control + N.

Any ideas how I can do this most easily?

Thanks all

JL

[Dave Land]

Hi, Jonathan,

This little snippet of AppleScript does the trick:

on open location theURL

tell application "/Applications/Google Chrome.app"

make new window with properties {mode:"incognito"}

activate

set URL of active tab of first window to theURL

end tell

end open location

I'm not sure if the "open location theURL" is useful to you in exactly that form,

because it comes from a script application that I set as my default browser so

that I can open links from other apps in a new window, including an incognito

window, if desired, but it shows where theURL comes from in the "set URL…"

line.

Hope this helps.

Dave

Dave Land

---------------------------------

User Experience Director

LiveWorld

Twitter   @dland

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[1.61803]

This is a short applescript that you can put in ~/Library/Application Support/Quicksilver/Actions/.

using terms from application "Quicksilver"
 on process text theURL
 tell application "Google Chrome"

 make new window with properties {mode:"incognito"}
 activate
 set URL of active tab of first window to theURL
 end

tell
 end process text
 on get direct types
 return {"NSStringPboardType", "Apple URL pasteboard type"}
 end get direct types
end using terms from

This is a longer applescript that also let's you open multiple URLs separated by commas, use web search strings (see comment in script), close the default window when launching Chrome and switch to either full screen or presentation mode.

using terms from application "Quicksilver"
 
 on process text theURLs
 
 if not running of application "Google Chrome" then ¬
 tell application "Google Chrome" to close front window
 
 if theURLs contains "," then ¬
 set theURLs to theURLsToCSV(theURLs)
 if (count of theURLs) is 2 and item 1 of theURLs contains "***" then ¬
 set theURLs to theURLsToWebSearch(theURLs)
 
 repeat with theURL in theURLs as list
 if theURL does not start with "http" then set theURL to "http://" & theURL
 tell application "Google Chrome"
 activate
 if not ((some window whose mode is "incognito") exists) then

 make new window with properties {mode:"incognito"}

 set URL of active tab of first window to theURL
 else
 make new tab at (front window whose mode is "incognito") with properties {URL:theURL}
 end if
 end tell
 end repeat
 
 -- Full Screen Mode
 tell application "System Events"
 if not (value of attribute "AXFullScreen" of front window of process "Google Chrome") then ¬
 keystroke "f" using {command down, control down}
 end tell
 -- Presentation Mode
 (** tell application "Google Chrome" to tell front window
 if not presenting then enter presentation mode
 end tell **)
 
 end process text
 
 on get direct types
 return {"NSStringPboardType", "Apple URL pasteboard type"}
 end get direct types
 
end using terms from


on theURLsToCSV(theURLs)
 -- for multiple values use comma-separated text
 -- comma trick doesn't work with text nor URLs #1727
 set ASTID to AppleScript's text item delimiters
 set AppleScript's text item delimiters to ","
 set theCSURLs to text items of theURLs
 set AppleScript's text item delimiters to ASTID
 return theCSURLs
end theURLsToCSV


on theURLsToWebSearch(theURLsAsWebSearch)
 -- usage: select QS Web Search, change to text mode, add search terms after a comma
 -- example: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=***,søren kierkegaard
 set theSearchTerms to urlEncode(item 2 of theURLsAsWebSearch)
 set QSWebSearchURL to item 1 of theURLsAsWebSearch
 set theWebSearchURL to findReplace("***", theSearchTerms, QSWebSearchURL)
 return theWebSearchURL
end theURLsToWebSearch


on urlEncode(theSearchTerms)
 return do shell script "php -r 'echo urlencode(\"" & theSearchTerms & "\");'"
end urlEncode


on findReplace(findText, replaceText, sourceText)
 set ASTID to AppleScript's text item delimiters
 set AppleScript's text item delimiters to findText
 set sourceText to text items of sourceText
 set AppleScript's text item delimiters to replaceText
 set sourceText to sourceText as text
 set AppleScript's text item delimiters to ASTID
 return sourceText
end findReplace

I tested with most cases (full screen, presentation, normal, incognito, 1+ tabs) at the same time. Let me know how it works.

[Rob McBroom]

On 28 Dec 2015, at 6:52, Jonathan Levi wrote:

> It would be so much faster if we could either add an action "Open in
> Private Window" or "Open With..." (tab) "Safari Private Window"

The existing actions (Open URL and Open URL in Background) just hand the
URL to the OS and your preferences (default browser, tab vs. window,
etc.) take over from there.

Since the private modes of various browsers were all developed
independently, I don’t think there’s any standard way to tell the OS
to open a private window.

It should be possible to add an action to each browser’s Quicksilver
plug-in to handle this, though.

Until then, you’ll need to create an AppleScript action as described
by others.

> Then, from there, I could pretty easily make a custom trigger so that
> it
> took my clipboard contents and automatically opened in a private url.
> Something like Option + Command + Control + N.

Better yet, skip the steps of selecting and copying the URL. Just use
the “Current Web Page” proxy.

--
Rob McBroom
http://www.skurfer.com/

[Jonathan Levi]

By the way, I made .scpt files in the appropriate directory for each of these, but I can't get either of them to work.

[Jonathan Levi]

This is awesome. Thanks to those of you who replied.

Any ideas how to do it with Safari? 

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[1.61803]

On Sunday, January 10, 2016 at 9:38:50 AM UTC+1, Jonathan Levi wrote:

By the way, I made .scpt files in the appropriate directory for each of these, but I can't get either of them to work.

Both actions I tested in QS 1.2.0.

How about you give a more detailed description of your problem?

E.g., do the scripts compile in AppleScript Editor, do the actions show in the second pane, do you see any errors in Console?

You can use Proxy Objects from QS's catalogue to open the current URL in another browser.

Current Web Page (Safari) ⇥ Open With… ⇥ Your Browser

As explained in this thread before, for private modes you'll rather have to resort to some applescript.

I use the longer script I posted in the second pane in a trigger scoped to Safari.

Current Web Page (Safari) ⇥ Incognito Window

[Jonathan Levi]

Hey, thanks for the fast reply.

I'm on QS 1.3.4, and on Yosemite, so I don't have AppleScript Editor, I have "Script Editor"

Got it working in Chrome!!! Awesome, thank you. 

I guess this works and fulfills my needs. I don't understand really how to modify your code to make it open a private Safari window. I read your reply about 10x, but I'm not sure if we're talking about the same thing. It sounds like you're offering a way to move a page from Safari to a chrome incognito window. I'm looking for a way to launch a private safari window with whatever input is in the left pane on quicksilver.

If you're feeling generous, I'd love a way to do it, but if not, you've already helped me a great deal and I can use the script you gave me to do what I want (though it has a lot more features I don't understand yet)

Thanks

JL

[Jon Stovell]

Unfortunately, Safari does not offer programmatic access to its privacy mode. But you can accomplish the task easily enough using this:

using terms from application "Quicksilver"

on process text theURL

tell application "Safari"

set window_ids to id of every window

activate

end tell

tell application "System Events" to keystroke "N" using {command down, shift down}

tell application "Safari"

repeat 10 times

if id of front window is not in window_ids then

set the URL of its front window's current tab to theURL

exit repeat

end if

delay 0.1

end repeat

end tell

end process text

on get direct types

return {"NSStringPboardType", "Apple URL pasteboard type"}

end get direct types

end using terms from

Just save it ~/Library/Application Support/Quicksilver/Actions with a name like "Open in Private Safari Window" and relaunch QS.

[Jonathan A. Levi]

Afraid that one doesn’t work. Had to change “shift” to “option” for my particular setup, but still, doesn’t open any window. Oh well. 

--

Jonathan Levi

Entrepreneur & Eclectic

http://jle.vi

IL: +972 54 296 - 0318

US: +1(408) 318 - 2875

P.S. If I could ask you to do me just ONE favor today, it would be to check out either my TED talk or my Podcast and share it if you enjoy it! Thanks!

P.P.S. My goal is to drastically reduce my use of email in 2016. I hope you’ll join me, and together, we can all be our most productive, least distracted selves!

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[1.61803]

On Monday, January 11, 2016 at 8:21:20 AM UTC+1, Jonathan Levi wrote:

If you're feeling generous, I'd love a way to do it, but if not, you've already helped me a great deal and I can use the script you gave me to do what I want (though it has a lot more features I don't understand yet)

I'm feeling lack of time actually, but I'll give it a shot when I can.

Two things first — can you tell if, when you click on Safari menu bar item, you see an item named Private Browsing, and, if you enable it, does it show a check mark?

And, when enabled, is it so for all tabs and windows or just for the one you were at when changing mode?

In case you use Tor Browser (which actually uses Firefox) you could also use this other applescript the same way.

[1.61803]

On Monday, January 11, 2016 at 8:21:20 AM UTC+1, Jonathan Levi wrote:

I'm on QS 1.3.4, and on Yosemite

After seeing your promo TED talk, I guessed you might have already learnt AppleScript and wrote it yourself overnight :D

Else, here's an ugly GUI applescript, that is, it does the clicking, etc for the user, and since the GUI structure changes between versions, it might not even work for you. Access for assistive devices, or whatever is called in your system, must me enabled in System Preferences for it to function.

The script itself sucks with all the nesting, etc, but it takes into account if a shortcut has been assigned to "Private Browsing…", in which case you might end up with two items, one with ellipsis, one without.

It works with web searches (see comment in script) and full screen (uncomment ⌃⌘F tell block if unneeded).

Tested in Safari 6. YMWV.

using terms from application "Quicksilver"

 
 on process text theURLs
 
 if theURLs contains "," then ¬

 set theURLs to theURLsToCSV(theURLs)
 if (count of theURLs) is 2 and item 1 of theURLs contains "***" then ¬
 set theURLs to theURLsToWebSearch(theURLs)

 
 tell application "Safari"
 activate
 if running then ¬
 tell application "System Events" to tell process "Safari" to ¬
 tell menu bar 1 to tell menu bar item "Safari" to tell menu 1
 try
 tell menu item "Private Browsing…"
 try
 set checkMark to value of attribute "AXMenuItemMarkChar"
 log checkMark -- errors when undefined
 on error
 click
 tell application "System Events" to tell process "Safari" to tell first window to click button "OK"
 end try
 end tell
 end try
 
 tell application "Safari"
 activate
 if not (exists (every window whose id ≥ 1)) then make new document
 repeat with theURL in theURLs as list
 if theURL does not start with "http" then set theURL to "http://" & theURL
 tell first window to make new tab with properties {URL:theURL}
 end repeat
 tell first window to set current tab to last tab
 end tell
 end tell
 end tell
 
 tell application "System Events"
 if not (value of attribute "AXFullScreen" of front window of process "Safari") then ¬

 keystroke "f" using {command down, control down}
 end

tell
 
 end process text
 
 on get direct types
 return {"NSStringPboardType", "Apple URL pasteboard type"}

[Jon Stovell]

I forgot to mention that you need to enable access for assistive devices. On older versions of OS X this is a simple check box in the Accessibility pane in System Preferences. On newer versions, you'll need to go to the Security & Privacy pane, select the Privacy tab, select the Accessibility item in the left sidebar, and add Quicksilver to the list of applications that are allowed to control your computer.

[1.61803]

On Tuesday, January 12, 2016 at 9:17:15 PM UTC+1, Jon Stovell wrote:

I forgot to mention that you need to enable access for assistive devices.

And the version you tested on. ⇧⌘N leaves you with a new bookmarks folder in Safari 6. I suppose "Private Browsing…" is still in the same place in newer versions? 

[Jonathan A. Levi]

Wow, thanks for all your hard work.

I’m on a version where I don’t have “Private Browsing…” but rather “New Private Window”

I tried to change that in your Applescript but it didn’t work.

Let me know if you’d like a copy of my book, as a thank you :)

--

Jonathan Levi

Entrepreneur & Eclectic

http://jle.vi

IL: +972 54 296 - 0318

US: +1(408) 318 - 2875

P.S. If I could ask you to do me just ONE favor today, it would be to check out either my TED talk or my Podcast and share it if you enjoy it! Thanks!

P.P.S. My goal is to drastically reduce my use of email in 2016. I hope you’ll join me, and together, we can all be our most productive, least distracted selves!

[1.61803]

On Wednesday, January 13, 2016 at 7:11:45 AM UTC+1, Jonathan Levi wrote:

Wow, thanks for all your hard work.

I’m on a version where I don’t have “Private Browsing…” but rather “New Private Window”

I tried to change that in your Applescript but it didn’t work.

Let me know if you’d like a copy of my book, as a thank you :)

I checked some images in Google and of course it won't work, the menu item "New Private Window" is under menu bar item "File".

Use Jon's script after enabling Access for assistive devices in System Preferences.

Both could be merged with Safari version checking, but I don't have the time, nor need for that.

Your book about speed reading, right? Nice, send me the link. I hope I can only say better than Woody.

"I took a speed-reading course and read War and Peace in twenty minutes. It involves Russia." 

[Jonathan A. Levi]

Assistive devices was enabled… not sure what’s going on or what I need to do.

Will email you a copy of the book 

--

Jonathan Levi

Life Enthusiast

http://jle.vi

IL: +972 54 296 - 0318

US: +1(408) 318 - 2875

P.S. If I could ask you to do me just ONE favor today, it would be to check out either my TED talk or my Podcast and share it if you enjoy it! Thanks!

P.P.S. My goal is to drastically reduce my use of email in 2016. I hope you’ll join me, and together, we can all be our most productive, least distracted selves!