How to launch a Google Chrome Tab with specific UR

Question

Is there a way I can launch a tab (not a new Window) in Google Chrome with a specific URL loaded into it from a custom app? My application is coded in C# (.NET 4 Full).

I'm performing some actions via SOAP from C# and once successfully completed, I want the user to be presented with the end results via the browser.

This whole setup is for our internal network and not for public consumption - hence, I can afford to target a specific browser only. I am targetting Chrome only, for various reasons.

Answer 1

UPDATE: Please see Dylan's or d.c's anwer for a little easier (and more stable) solution, which does not rely on Chrome beeing installed in LocalAppData!

---

Even if I agree with Daniel Hilgarth to open a new tab in chrome you just need to execute chrome.exe with your URL as the argument:

Process.Start(@"%AppData%\..\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe", 
              "http:\\www.YourUrl.com");

Answer 2

As a simplification to chrfin's response, since Chrome should be on the run path if installed, you could just call:

Process.Start("chrome.exe", "http://www.YourUrl.com");

This seem to work as expected for me, opening a new tab if Chrome is already open.

Answer 3

If the user doesn't have Chrome, it will throw an exception like this:

    //chrome.exe http://xxx.xxx.xxx --incognito
    //chrome.exe http://xxx.xxx.xxx -incognito
    //chrome.exe --incognito http://xxx.xxx.xxx
    //chrome.exe -incognito http://xxx.xxx.xxx
    private static void Chrome(string link)
    {
        string url = "";

        if (!string.IsNullOrEmpty(link)) //if empty just run the browser
        {
            if (link.Contains('.')) //check if it's an url or a google search
            {
                url = link;
            }
            else
            {
                url = "https://www.google.com/search?q=" + link.Replace(" ", "+");
            }
        }

        try
        {
            Process.Start("chrome.exe", url + " --incognito");
        }
        catch (System.ComponentModel.Win32Exception e)
        {
            MessageBox.Show("Unable to find Google Chrome...",
                "chrome.exe not found!", MessageBoxButtons.OK, MessageBoxIcon.Error);
        }
    }

Answer 4

// open in default browser
Process.Start("http://www.stackoverflow.net");

// open in Internet Explorer
Process.Start("iexplore", @"http://www.stackoverflow.net/");

// open in Firefox
Process.Start("firefox", @"http://www.stackoverflow.net/");

// open in Google Chrome
Process.Start("chrome", @"http://www.stackoverflow.net/");