Talk:Steam browser protocol

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IMO someone should make it clear that steam:"<commands>" only works when Steam ISN'T running (right?). The current text doesn't make it all that clear (I tried to see if I could exploit the protocol with steam:"-shutdown" which is meaningless since it only works when Steam is not running). --The MAZZTer 18:47, 15 Aug 2007 (PDT)

You can still launch games with specific arguments using this though—ts2do 19:38, 15 Aug 2007 (PDT)

With me the steam:"<commands>" does not seem to work. I tried to login using the URL (steam:"-login username password") but that only launches steam. Anyone else having this problem?--Haywire

Is there a way to add Servers to your favourites by a sort of commandline. - KillahInstinct

Nope. --Tom Edwards 12:17, 28 Jun 2005 (PDT)

When using steam://connect, can you specify a password? Semi 15:06, 9 Mar 2006 (PST)

Nope. --TomEdwards 01:01, 13 May 2006 (PDT)
You're wrong, there is, steam://connect/<ip>:<port>/<password>/. --Roelof 05:18, 15 February 2012 (PST)

Firefox/Seamonkey? Opera?

Is there/will there be a way to set up non-IE browsers to support steam:// links?

They do already, don't they? --Koraktor
They do (at least firefox does). -Rotzi
Any browser will launch them, so long as Steam is installed properly. The command can be used anywhere at all, in fact. --TomEdwards 09:30, 14 Feb 2007 (PST)
To clarify, this is a feature built into Windows and is not tied to any specific browser. Whenever a "steam:" link is passed to the Windows shell, Windows looks it up in the registry, which tells it to invoke steam.exe. --The MAZZTer 18:49, 15 Aug 2007 (PDT)

This does not work properly on firefox. It will work in IE. I can make a link to join a server just fine with IE, but firefox does not actually join the server, just brings steam to the forefront. --bazookatooth 18:49, 15 Feb 2011 (PDT)

Can't use steam:// anymore

Apparently since 30/5 update, i'm not able to use a "steam://" based functions such as adding media or the support function.[1]--RP 18:32, 1 Jun 2006 (PDT)

Didn't the May 31st platform update fix it? --TomEdwards 02:28, 2 Jun 2006 (PDT)
Not for me--RP 04:03, 2 Jun 2006 (PDT)
It have always worked here, I suppose it's an bug in Internet Explorer. Does it work in an alternative browser? --dutchmega 04:17, 2 Jun 2006 (PDT)
Don't know, don't have an alternative broswer, but tbh I don't think it's related--RP 10:10, 2 Jun 2006 (PDT)
Well, I've downloaded FF and found out what's the problem! I've moved STEAM to a different drive (from c:\ to d:\), and did everything by the book (moved the entire dir and deleted clientregistry.blob), but apparently when steam:// browser protocol is used, it's still looking for the old steam location (c:\games\steam) instead of d:\games\steam, I'm guessing it can be solved by messing up with the registry, but I don't know how, if someone got a clue...--RP 10:23, 2 Jun 2006 (PDT)
  • More info - I've searched in the registry and there are tons of keys of "steam" which seems to be relevent, as in still linking to c:\ such as:
  1. Hkey_current_user\software\classes\applications\makepak.exe\shell\open\command Type:REG_SZ,Value Details: "C:\games\Steam\bin\makepak.exe" "%1"
  2. Hkey_current_user\software\classes\applications\smp.exe\shell\open\command Type:REG_SZ,Value Details: "C:\games\Steam\bin\smp.exe" "%1"


Relevant keys are:
[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\steam]
@="URL:steam protocol"
"URL Protocol"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\steam\Shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\steam\Shell\Open]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\steam\Shell\Open\Command]
@="\"C:\\Program Files\\Steam\\Steam.exe\" \"%1\""
--Koraktor
Thanks Koraktor! it worked :)--RP 12:57, 2 Jun 2006 (PDT)

Friends?

so i've done it all except that i can't find out what ID it is i have to use for the steam friends add function, i've tried; the account name, the community ID, and the steam ID, but either of them works?

Problems with steam:// protocol using Firefox on Vista

This problem is driving me nuts, have had it for months and believe I've tried every solution mentioned so far. When I click or type steam:// links anywhere in windows or in steam (purchase links for example) firefox opens a tab and asks this: Media:Steam protocol1.jpg If I click "Launch application" another tab is opened with the exact same dialog box, this repeats over and over. If i tick "remember my choice" and click launch, Firefox gets SPAMMED with hundreds of new tabs (not a pleasant experience).

My registry for the steam protocol mentioned above looks like this:

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\steam]
@="URL:steam protocol"
"URL Protocol"=""

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\steam\Shell]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\steam\Shell\Open]

[HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\steam\Shell\Open\Command]
@="\"G:\\spel\\Steam\\steam.exe\" \"%1\""

It's as if Windows believes steam:// apps should be opened with Firefox, Firefox knows they should be opened with Steam but when firefox actually opens the link it does so with some Windows API that again launches firefox and it loops like that forever.

I'm running Vista with UAC disabled, I've reinstalled Steam like 10 times now, with "run as administrator" etc. At one point during my efforts STEAM appeared as a protocol in the "Set Associations" pane of the Windows Control Panel. It was associated with Firefox and when i clicked "Change Program" Steam didn't show up in that list at all, only Firefox (No "browse" button to pick another app like with file associations). I've never tried to associate steam with Firefox so I have no idea how that happened, FF seems to be the default handler for unknown protocols or something?

It's as if Firefox uses some old Windows XP routine to find the correct program for steam:// links, and Vista uses some new "improved" method with other registry keys when it decides which app to launch. Steam works great apart from all the functionality that relies on the steam:// protocol. Anyone that can help be solve this? I've been trying to purchase games for a while, and the new Penny Arcade game made me post here in desperation :)

-Woho Firefox 3 "solved" it, FF3 has the option to select an application manually and override the Vista API.

Suggested commands

The following commands are community suggestions and are not presently featured in Steam:

Connect protocol

  • steam://connect/<IP or DNS name>[:port]/'command1 "arg1" "arg2";command2 "arg1";password "blah";etc..'
    • Connects to the specified server after executing the specified commands --ts2do
    • An alternate syntax which makes more sense if you're familiar with HTTP URL syntax: steam://connect/<IP or DNS name>[:port]/?cvar1=value&cvar2=value&password=blah&etc.. --The MAZZTer 21:03, 31 Jul 2008 (PDT)
    • A similar syntax could be: steam://connect/?ip=<ip>:<port>&password=<password>&hltv=<true/false>&gamedetails=<true/false>&cvars="<cvar1> <value>;<cvar2> <value>;" where gamedetails refers to Server Info (similar to proposed protocol below); and all data under cvars is automatically compiled into a one-time .cfg file. -- JRod 17:13, 22 Nov 2008 (PST)

Overlay Browser

  • steam://overlay/<Website or Arguments From Steam://url>
    • Opens the overlay ingame with the specified parameter, helpful for opening steam groups ingame so players can join. --DontWannaName
      • Second this request, would be great for creating communities for/in L4D Captain-p0t-n00dle 10:02, 10 May 2009 (UTC)
        • Great suggestion. Would love to see that available. Holek 13:16, 16 March 2010 (UTC)

Other

  • steam://invparty/<ID>
    • Invites identified user to current game party. Similar function should be possible for lobbies. This would allow community sites to build their own party formation functions, so they no longer had to rely on Valve guild chat boards or lengthy add friend - invite friend processes.
  • steam://server/<IP:PORT> <ADD | Delete>
    • Allows for making links to add said server to favorites.- Jay7981
  • steam://runadv/<AppID> <parameters>
    • Runs an app allowing you to specify advanced parameters like -windowed. -ultradude25
  • steam://vdc/<page title>
  • steam://gameinfo/<IP or DNS name>[:port]
    • Opens the "Game Info" dialog for the specified server. Maybe also integrated into the server browser, so you don't have to add a server to the favorites to have access to that window. --Koraktor
      • Appreciated -Rotzi
        • Any chance of an update on this? -iNfyo
  • steam://runsingle/<AppID>
    • Runs an app, then shuts down Steam once the game closes. -- AiusEpsi
      • This is stupid. All Source games needs Steam open in order to do anything concerning gcf files, which is the game itself.--Sortie 23:53, 5 Apr 2007 (PDT)
        • It shuts down Steam AFTER the game is ran and closed! Leopard84
  • steam://forceupdate/<AppID>
    • Forces update (if autoupdate fails) of all files (including all linked .gcf) for defined AppID. -- Dwarden
      • I don't get the point. Useless in my point of view. -Rotzi
        • Restarting Steam would be simpler, and have the same effect. --TomEdwards 08:23, 13 Sep 2006 (PDT)
          • I'm afraid it's not that simple, see my post here. -- Dwarden
            • Yea, my steam REFUSES to update ANYTHING, even after re-installing it. A force update would be nice. --PanFrie 04:50, 1 Feb 2008 (EST)
  • steam://friends/message/<id OR username>
    • This would update the /friends/message/ command to allow users to more easily add their IM links to their webpages (i.e. social networking sites). It just seems a little odd that you have to know your numerical steam ID in order to use this command. The /friends/add/ command could also include this functionality.
      • Seconded. (Obviously, this should extend to any other subcommand taking such an ID.) --SamB (talk) 15:27, 1 May 2017 (UTC)
  • steam://checkbuild/<AppID>
    • Compares actual local build of AppID with latest version available at Steam servers for defined AppID.
Results displayed in way: '<AppID> - <ActualLocalBuild>:<LatestBuildAtSteamServers> and if they don't match, it offers user dialog to force update to latest build.

Running a game with command line options?

Is there any way to use steam://rungameid/XXX to launch an app with command line parameters? If not then I don't get why Steam makes desktop shortcuts using this protocol method rather than creating an actual shortcut.

Actualy any steam:// call passed to steam.exe as %1 command line argument, so this mean that you can use any steam:// url as argument for steam.exe whenever its running or not (in case if its running, instead of starting dublicated steam.exe process, it simply pass arguments to running copy of steam). So you can make normal shorcuts with steam://blahblah as argument and this will work, including steam://rungameid/%id% and addition you can try to add extra arguments after 1st one, but im not sure that this will work. - Voodooman 06:39, 29 December 2011 (PST)
I'm not sure that's what (s)he's asking, Voodooman (I could be wrong! was looking for answers for this myself). You can use steam://run/<id>//-mod='mymod' -param1 -param2" - the key is to use the double-forward slash to indicate that command line params are to follow :) Purerizzo (talk) 14:56, 21 December 2014 (UTC)

Possible to Use Commands in Source Games

In my Portal mod, I want to include a menu item for reporting bugs. See my discussion here: Talk:Manipulating the game menu items. So, is it possible to load a webpage using the steam://openurl/<url> command to load a webpage ingame?--Cubis 17:40, 16 August 2011 (PDT)

I suppose this will open Steam overlay browser in-game or would even launch external default browser. Cant you try and test if that work? - Voodooman 06:43, 29 December 2011 (PST)
I have tried this method, and the button does nothing. I was using the Portal 1 engine, and it did not work. It seems that portal 2 uses "url" instead of "command" in the menu res file. See the extras.txt file in portal 2. I have also tried to use the openurl steam command outside of the game, and it didn't work there either. --TheTeenGeek (talk) 23:11, 27 October 2016 (UTC)

Suggestion: open steamcommunity trade links

Hello community,I'll faced with task to make user available to offer via client(not default browser) trade by clicking link so it would be good to implement links that will open links of this kind:https://steamcommunity.com/tradeoffer/new/?partner=xxxxxxx&token=xxx like steam://url/tradeoffer/new/xxxxxxx/xxx

Cannot get this to work on mac

made a shortcut with these three lines

[InternetShortcut]

steam://friends/players


notice there is a blank line at the end.

Double clicking does give the 'opening file' animation (where the icon enlarges and goes transparent) nothing happens.

but typing steam://friends/players into safari's url bar does work


I also tried editing the 'run.sh' file found in a shortcut for a game I had. Its contents were


open steam://run/257510

I changed that to

steam://friends/players

but still nothing happens

unknown Steam browser protocol

steam://remoteplay/connect

steam://joinparty/

steam://joinlobby/appid/lobbyid/64bit

steam://currentcontrollerconfig/appid

steam://musicplayer/playappalbum/appid/0

steam://open/goonline

Behavior of steam://launch/<id>

The page currently suggests that it might be the same as run. However, it appears as if launch can now also start non-Steam shortcuts and mods, similar to rungameid. Unlike rungameid however, it does not show the "Launching..." pop-window (similar to run).

Another difference between run, rungameid and launch is that you can append /Dialog to Launch (steam://launch/<id>/Dialog) to first open the launch options menu if there are multiple launch options for the game. There are probably more differences that I am not aware of.