GetUrl()

README.md

GetUrl()

It retrieves the URL (protocol included) of any browser via either MSAA framework or UI Automation interfaces.

Testing made with the most used* browsers as of September 2023 (versions as of October 2023).

^{* Chrome, Edge, Firefox and Opera (market share above 1%).}

It uses the WinTitle & Last Found Window mechanism, so it receives up to 4 parameters (all optional) as described in the WinExist() ^docs function.

Function signature:

url := GetUrl([WinTitle, WinText, ExcludeTitle, ExcludeText])

Examples

• F1 will retrieve the URL from the active window.
• F2 will retrieve the URL of the last found window.
• F3 will retrieve the URL when the browser is not active.

#Requires AutoHotkey v2.0

F1:: {
    url := GetUrl("A")
    if (url) {
        MsgBox(url, "Active window URL", 0x40040)
    } else {
        MsgBox("Couldn't retrieve an URL from the active window.", "Error", 0x40010)
    }
}

F2:: {
    WinExist("Mozilla Firefox")
    url := GetUrl()
    if (url) {
        MsgBox(url, "Current URL in Firefox", 0x40040)
    } else {
        MsgBox("Couldn't retrieve Firefox URL.", "Error", 0x40010)
    }
}

F3:: {
    url := GetUrl("ahk_exe firefox.exe")
    if (url) {
        MsgBox(url, "Current URL in Firefox", 0x40040)
    } else {
        MsgBox("Couldn't retrieve Firefox URL.", "Error", 0x40010)
    }
}

Files

Files marked with an asterisk work standalone (ie, don't require a library).

• GetUrl.ahk* - Active window only
• GetUrl1.ahk* - Active window only (v1.1)
• GetUrl_Acc.ahk - Uses MSAA
• GetUrl_Acc1.ahk - Uses MSAA (v1.1)
• GetUrl_UIA.ahk - Uses UIAutomation
• GetUrl_UIA1.ahk - Uses UIAutomation (v1.1)

Rename to GetUrl.ahk if using libraries of functions.

Links to Accessibility libraries:

• MSAA Lib (maintained by me) for AutoHotkey (v2.0/v1.1).
• UIAutomation Lib (maintained by thqby) for AutoHotkey v2.0.
• UIAutomation Lib (maintained by Descolada) for AutoHotkey v2.0 (and v1.1).

GetUrl.ahk

#Requires AutoHotkey v2.0

; Version: 2023.10.05.1
; https://gist.github.com/7cce378c9dfdaf733cb3ca6df345b140

GetUrl() { ; Active Window Only
    static S_OK := 0, TreeScope_Descendants := 4, UIA_ControlTypePropertyId := 30003, UIA_DocumentControlTypeId := 50030, UIA_EditControlTypeId := 50004, UIA_ValueValuePropertyId := 30045
    hWnd := WinGetID("A")
    IUIAutomation := ComObject("{FF48DBA4-60EF-4201-AA87-54103EEF594E}", "{30CBE57D-D9D0-452A-AB13-7AC5AC4825EE}")
    eRoot := ComValue(13, 0)
    HRESULT := ComCall(6, IUIAutomation, "Ptr", hWnd, "Ptr*", eRoot)
    if (HRESULT != S_OK) {
        throw Error("IUIAutomation::ElementFromHandle()", -1, HRESULT)
    }
    winClass := WinGetClass("A")
    ctrlTypeId := (winClass ~= "Chrome" ? UIA_DocumentControlTypeId : UIA_EditControlTypeId)
    value := Buffer(8 + 2 * A_PtrSize, 0)
    NumPut("UShort", 3, value, 0)
    NumPut("Ptr", ctrlTypeId, value, 8)
    condition := ComValue(13, 0)
    if (A_PtrSize = 8) {
        HRESULT := ComCall(23, IUIAutomation, "UInt", UIA_ControlTypePropertyId, "Ptr", value, "Ptr*", condition)
    } else {
        HRESULT := ComCall(23, IUIAutomation, "UInt", UIA_ControlTypePropertyId, "UInt64", NumGet(value, 0, "UInt64"), "UInt64", NumGet(value, 8, "UInt64"), "Ptr*", condition)
    }
    if (HRESULT != S_OK) {
        throw Error("IUIAutomation::CreatePropertyCondition()", -1, HRESULT)
    }
    eFirst := ComValue(13, 0)
    HRESULT := ComCall(5, eRoot, "UInt", TreeScope_Descendants, "Ptr", condition, "Ptr*", eFirst)
    if (HRESULT != S_OK) {
        throw Error("IUIAutomationElement::GetRootElement()", -1, HRESULT)
    }
    propertyValue := Buffer(8 + 2 * A_PtrSize)
    HRESULT := ComCall(10, eFirst, "UInt", UIA_ValueValuePropertyId, "Ptr", propertyValue)
    if (HRESULT != S_OK) {
        throw Error("IUIAutomationElement::GetCurrentPropertyValue()", -1, HRESULT)
    }
    ObjRelease(eFirst.Ptr)
    ObjRelease(eRoot.Ptr)
    try {
        pProperty := NumGet(propertyValue, 8, "Ptr")
        return StrGet(pProperty, "UTF-16")
    }
}

GetUrl1.ahk

#Requires AutoHotkey v1.1

; Version: 2023.10.05.1
; https://gist.github.com/7cce378c9dfdaf733cb3ca6df345b140

GetUrl() { ; Active Window Only
    static S_OK := 0, TreeScope_Descendants := 4, UIA_ControlTypePropertyId := 30003, UIA_DocumentControlTypeId := 50030, UIA_EditControlTypeId := 50004, UIA_ValueValuePropertyId := 30045
    WinGet hWnd, ID, A
    WinGetClass winClass, A
    eRoot := condition := eFirst := 0
    IUIAutomation := ComObjCreate("{FF48DBA4-60EF-4201-AA87-54103EEF594E}", "{30CBE57D-D9D0-452A-AB13-7AC5AC4825EE}")
    HRESULT := DllCall(NumGet(NumGet(IUIAutomation + 0) + 6 * A_PtrSize), "Ptr", IUIAutomation, "Ptr", hWnd, "Ptr*", eRoot)
    if (HRESULT != S_OK) {
        throw Exception("IUIAutomation::ElementFromHandle()", -1, HRESULT)
    }
    ctrlTypeId := (winClass ~= "Chrome" ? UIA_DocumentControlTypeId : UIA_EditControlTypeId)
    VarSetCapacity(value, 8 + 2 * A_PtrSize, 0)
    NumPut(3, value, 0, "UShort")
    NumPut(ctrlTypeId, value, 8, "Ptr")
    if (A_PtrSize = 8) {
        HRESULT := DllCall(NumGet(NumGet(IUIAutomation + 0) + 23 * A_PtrSize), "Ptr", IUIAutomation, "UInt", UIA_ControlTypePropertyId, "Ptr", &value, "Ptr*", condition)
    } else {
        HRESULT := DllCall(NumGet(NumGet(IUIAutomation + 0) + 23 * A_PtrSize), "Ptr", IUIAutomation, "UInt", UIA_ControlTypePropertyId, "UInt64", NumGet(value, 0, "UInt64"), "UInt64", NumGet(value, 8, "UInt64"), "Ptr*", condition)
    }
    if (HRESULT != S_OK) {
        throw Exception("IUIAutomation::CreatePropertyCondition()", -1, HRESULT)
    }
    HRESULT := DllCall(NumGet(NumGet(eRoot + 0) + 5 * A_PtrSize), "Ptr", eRoot, "UInt", TreeScope_Descendants, "Ptr", condition, "Ptr*", eFirst)
    if (HRESULT != S_OK) {
        throw Exception("IUIAutomationElement::FindFirst()", -1, HRESULT)
    }
    VarSetCapacity(propertyValue, 8 + 2 * A_PtrSize, 0)
    HRESULT := DllCall(NumGet(NumGet(eFirst + 0) + 10 * A_PtrSize), "Ptr", eFirst, "UInt", UIA_ValueValuePropertyId, "Ptr", &propertyValue)
    if (HRESULT != S_OK) {
        throw Exception("IUIAutomationElement::GetCurrentPropertyValue()", -1, HRESULT)
    }
    ObjRelease(eRoot)
    ObjRelease(condition)
    ObjRelease(eFirst)
    ObjRelease(IUIAutomation)
    try {
        pProperty := NumGet(propertyValue, 8, "Ptr")
        return StrGet(pProperty, "UTF-16")
    }
}

GetUrl_Acc.ahk

#Requires AutoHotkey v2.0

; Version: 2023.10.05.1
; https://gist.github.com/7cce378c9dfdaf733cb3ca6df345b140

GetUrl(WinTitle*) {
    static OBJID_CLIENT := 4294967292, WM_GETOBJECT := 61
    active := WinExist("A")
    target := WinExist(WinTitle*)
    if (!target) {
        return
    }
    objId := OBJID_CLIENT
    wClass := WinGetClass()
    if (wClass ~= "Chrome") {
        appPid := WinGetPID()
        target := WinExist("ahk_pid" appPid)
        if (active != target) {
            objId := 0
        }
    }
    oAcc := Acc_ObjectFromWindow(target, objId)
    if (wClass ~= "Chrome") {
        try {
            SendMessage(WM_GETOBJECT, 0, 1, "Chrome_RenderWidgetHostHWND1")
            oAcc.accName(0)
        }
    }
    oAcc := GetUrl_Recurse(oAcc)
    try return oAcc.accValue(0)
}

GetUrl_Recurse(oAcc) {
    if (ComObjType(oAcc, "Name") != "IAccessible") {
        return
    }
    if (oAcc.accValue(0) ~= "^[\w-]+:") {
        return oAcc
    }
    try for (accChild in Acc_Children(oAcc)) {
        oAcc := GetUrl_Recurse(accChild)
        if (IsObject(oAcc)) {
            return oAcc
        }
    }
}

GetUrl_Acc1.ahk

#Requires AutoHotkey v1.1

; Version: 2023.10.05.1
; https://gist.github.com/7cce378c9dfdaf733cb3ca6df345b140

GetUrl(WinTitle*) {
    static OBJID_CLIENT := 4294967292, WM_GETOBJECT := 61
    active := WinExist("A")
    target := WinExist(WinTitle*)
    if (!target) {
        return
    }
    objId := OBJID_CLIENT
    WinGetClass wClass
    if (wClass ~= "Chrome") {
        WinGet appPid, PID
        target := WinExist("ahk_pid" appPid)
        if (active != target) {
            objId := 0
        }
    }
    oAcc := Acc_ObjectFromWindow(target, objId)
    if (wClass ~= "Chrome") {
        try {
            SendMessage WM_GETOBJECT, 0, 1, Chrome_RenderWidgetHostHWND1
            oAcc.accName(0)
        }
    }
    oAcc := GetUrl_Recurse(oAcc)
    try return oAcc.accValue(0)
}

GetUrl_Recurse(oAcc) {
    if (ComObjType(oAcc, "Name") != "IAccessible") {
        return
    }
    if (oAcc.accValue(0) ~= "^[\w-]+:") {
        return oAcc
    }
    try for _, accChild in Acc_Children(oAcc) {
        oAcc := GetUrl_Recurse(accChild)
        if (IsObject(oAcc)) {
            return oAcc
        }
    }
}

GetUrl_UIA.ahk

#Requires AutoHotkey v2.0

; Version: 2023.10.05.1
; https://gist.github.com/7cce378c9dfdaf733cb3ca6df345b140

GetUrl(WinTitle*) {
    active := WinExist("A")
    target := WinExist(WinTitle*)
    wClass := WinGetClass()
    root := UIA.ElementFromHandle(target)
    static eCondition := UIA.PropertyCondition({ ControlType: "Edit" })
    ; Gecko family
    if (wClass ~= "Mozilla") {
        edit := root.FindFirst(eCondition)
        return edit.GetCurrentPropertyValue(UIA.Property.ValueValue)
    }
    ; Chromium-based, active
    if (active = target) {
        static dCondition := UIA.PropertyCondition({ ControlType: "Document" })
        edit := root.FindFirst(dCondition)
        return edit.GetCurrentPropertyValue(UIA.Property.ValueValue)
    }
    ; Chromium-based, inactive
    static tCondition := UIA.PropertyCondition({ ControlType: "ToolBar" })
    toolBar := root.FindFirst(tCondition)
    edit := toolBar.FindFirst(eCondition)
    url := edit.GetCurrentPropertyValue(UIA.Property.ValueValue)
    wTitle := WinGetTitle()
    ; Google Chrome
    if (InStr(wTitle, "- Google Chrome") && url && !(url ~= "^\w+:")) {
        static mCondition := UIA.PropertyCondition({ ControlType: "MenuItem" })
        menuItem := toolBar.FindFirst(mCondition)
        rect := menuItem.CurrentBoundingRectangle
        w := rect.right - rect.left, h := rect.bottom - rect.top
        url := "http" (w > h * 2 ? "" : "s") "://" url
    }
    ; Microsoft Edge
    static edge := "- Microsoft" Chr(0x200b) " Edge" ; Zero-width space
    if (InStr(wTitle, edge) && url && !(url ~= "^\w+:")) {
        url := "http://" url
    }
    return url
}

GetUrl_UIA1.ahk

#Requires AutoHotkey v1.1

; Version: 2023.10.05.1
; https://gist.github.com/7cce378c9dfdaf733cb3ca6df345b140

GetUrl(WinTitle*) {
    active := WinExist("A")
    target := WinExist(WinTitle*)
    WinGetClass wClass
    root := UIA_Interface().ElementFromHandle(target)
    ; Gecko family
    if (wClass ~= "Mozilla") {
        return root.FindFirstByType("Edit").CurrentValue
    }
    ; Chromium-based, active
    if (active = target) {
        return root.FindFirstByType("Document").CurrentValue
    }
    ; Chromium-based, inactive
    toolBar := root.FindFirstByType("ToolBar")
    url := toolBar.FindFirstByType("Edit").CurrentValue
    WinGetTitle wTitle
    ; Google Chrome
    if (InStr(wTitle, "- Google Chrome") && url && !(url ~= "^\w+:")) {
        rect := toolBar.FindFirstByType("MenuItem").CurrentBoundingRectangle
        w := rect.r - rect.l, h := rect.b - rect.t
        url := "http" (w > h * 2 ? "" : "s") "://" url
    }
    ; Microsoft Edge
    static edge := "- Microsoft" Chr(0x200b) " Edge" ; Zero-width space
    if (InStr(wTitle, edge) && url && !(url ~= "^\w+:")) {
        url := "http://" url
    }
    return url
}

Perhaps I'm not the only one, but in Firefox 143.0b9, GetUrl_Acc.ahk seems to have broken where it used to work perfectly.

1. If the sidebar is open , it grabs that link ex: moz-extension://ec23731a-a096-4bd3-b5d8-61c3c2868d48/sidebar/sidebar.html or
   chrome://browser/content/syncedtabs/sidebar.xhtml
   The only time it doesn't grab the url from the sidebar is if the sidebar is open to History or Bookmarks.

2. Additionally if it does not grab the url from the sidebar, it is still broken as it does not get the url of the active tab but the url from a different tab (can't really pinpoint how it decides which tab yet but if that tab is closed it'll then grab the tab to the right of the closed tab).