Originally, if the field entry didn’t include the protocol, clicking on it would open a browser window. Lately, it does nothing but frustrate me. Rather than forcing me (and likely others) to check and edit every URL-type entry, it would be nice/convenient if Codebook would “assume” https:// as the protocol for any entered without one and insert it when calling a browser. Maybe that’s a feature request rather than a bug, but I recall it working otherwise in the past.
Hi @pbabcock,
Thanks for the report, and sorry to hear about the frustration. Could you let me know if we are talking about the macOS version of Codebook, and also how you are attempting to launch the URL fields (e.g. context menu, enter key, double-click?)
In the meantime we’ll look into the behavior in Codebook for macOS to check that things are working as expected.
Sorry for insufficient info - was in a bit of a rush. It was Windows 10 this time, but true for Windows 11 as well. I’m fastidious about updating both my OSes and Codebook, so most recent in both at time of occurrence. Most recent occurrence was immediately before I made the post to the forum. (I’m on my iPhone at present, away from any of my PCs, but can give you version and build numbers tonight if need be).
The method is usually click, double click, 4 zillion clicks… double clicking, if done fast enough, opens the field in edit mode, so I usually go in and add the protocol.
This has been going on for quite some time; not a recent event - I just hadn’t taken the time to report it until now and it apparently hasn’t been a thorn in anyone else’s side.
As an aside: iOS sees the field and opens a browser whether it has a prefix or not. I don’t use codebook on my mac as I only turn that thing on once in a very blue moon…
Hi @pbabcock,
Thanks for the update. In Codebook for Windows, when a field uses a label with a mode of URL / Website (see below), the interface will respond to a double-click event anywhere within the row causing the default browser to launch with the stored value, even without a URL scheme. If a URL scheme is present, a single-click on the text value only will launch the default browser, a double-click will still cause the browser to open. Would you review your label configuration and give that a try when you get the opportunity?
I will, but why the disparity? Why wouldn’t the behavior be consistent whether or not the protocol is specifically stated? I mean, it wouldn’t open a ftp app if I preface the domain with ftp://, would it? No, it will open the default browser. It is likely this single/double-click disparity that is fueling the issue I’m having….
I will follow up with results of your trial, though it’s getting harder to find entries with out the protocol stated due to my frustration over this…
OK. I did your trial. I created a new record using the URL/Website field type and put in an URL without the protocol prefix. Clicking once, it opened a browser. Clicking twice, it opened THREE browser windows. I closed Codebook, reopened it, and tried again. Same behavior. I updated to include the protocol and one click opens a browser; two clicks opens two browsers, three clicks opens three - you have to double-click in some other field to shift to edit mode.
This was consistent today with every entry I encountered having no protocol prefix. Notably not the frustrating click-for-nothing performance I was complaining of, but still indicative that there is an issue with the schema that changing it such that a single click opens a browser for any such entry would alleviate…
This is the machine I was playing with this morning:
| Device name | |
|---|---|
| Processor | Intel(R) Core™ i7-5500U CPU @ 2.40GHz 2.40 GHz |
| Installed RAM | 16.0 GB |
| Device ID | EE9E87BB-90F2-4EBF-87F8-D6F544C5FE11 |
| Product ID | 00330-80000-00000-AA439 |
| System type | 64-bit operating system, x64-based processor |
| Pen and touch | Touch support with 10 touch points |
| Edition | Windows 10 Pro |
|---|---|
| Version | 22H2 |
| Installed on | 2/3/2021 |
| OS build | 19045.3570 |
| Experience | Windows Feature Experience Pack 1000.19052.1000.0 |
(This leads to a Windows Codebook feature request: A “Copy” button on the About screen to copy all that goodness in one fell swoop - like windows has)
Again: I’ve loved this software since it came out as S.T.R.I.P. for PalmOS and am a big advocate for it - innumerable people have bought your software after I’ve chided them for their horribly insecure password practices (some of which remain horribly insecure, but with Codebook 
). I hope to keep loving and recommending it until I pass from this veil of tears! Keep up the great work!
Hi @pbabcock,
Thank you for your trying that out on your system. That is interesting that the double and triple clicks are causing multiple browsers to launch.
We will include an adjustment in a future release of Codebook for Windows such that a single-click on the hyperlink text itself will launch the browser with or without the protocol in place for the field value. Double-clicking on the row itself will also cause the browser to launch with the field value as well.
Thank you for the suggestion about a copy button in the Help > About window, that could certainly be useful!
Just verified on a Windows 11 machine: when there is no protocol prefacing the URL, one click on the URL does nothing, two clicks opens the record for editing. Clicking the field name performs as defined; however, when selecting something, the natural impulse will be to click the thing rather than the field name. Your proposed fix will remedy this.