Making skype links work
So here’s a short description of how to make skype: links in your browser work.
Applies to Mozilla (Firefox) and Konqueror. Assumes you have skype-action-handler installed in /usr/local/bin – adjust path as appropriate.
]]>### For Mozilla (Firefox)
* Open Mozilla (Firefox)
* Type about:config in the address-bar to open the configuration editor.
* Use the scroll bar to navigate to the network.protocol… section.
* Check if the network protocol section includes a network.protocol-handler.app.skype key.
* If a key exists, edit it. If no key exists, create a key by right-clicking on any key and selecting New -> String from the pull-down menu.
* Enter network.protocol-handler.app.skype as the key name.
* Enter /usr/local/bin/skype-action-handler as the key value.
### For Konqueror
Locate the KDE services directory (it most probably will be ~/.kde/share/services/ for you). In this directory, create a file named skype.protocol. Add the following code to this file:
[Protocol]
exec=/usr/local/bin/skype-action-handler “%u”
protocol=skype
input=none
output=none
helper=true
listing=false
reading=false
writing=false
makedir=false
deleting=false
When you restart Konqueror, the action handler will work.
### For Opera
(courtesy of ZennouRyuu)
* Click on Tools>>Preferences>>Advanced>>Programs then click “Add”
* In the “Protocol” field enter skype and then select “Open With Other Application” and in the box enter /usr/local/bin/skype-action-handler
That is it, it works straight away.
### For GNOME-aware browsers (Epiphany, Firefox 1.5)
(courtesy of sebi)
Run the following two commands:
/usr/bin/gconftool-2 -s -t string /desktop/gnome/url-handlers/skype/command ‘/usr/local/bin/skype-action-handler “%s”‘
/usr/bin/gconftool-2 -s -t bool /desktop/gnome/url-handlers/skype/enabled true
The changes should become effective immediately.
Hi! Thank you for your hint about firefox. In my system (suse 10.1 firefox 1.5.0.9) the link works if it is in the form skype:user?call but does not work with a skypecast link. I also tried with /usr/bin/skype-action-handler plus the skypecast link and it did not work. Any suggestion? Thank you, Mauro
This only seems to work if I type the URL directly into the address bar. However, it doesn’t work for image/links because the “is Skype installed” script can’t tell you have Skype installed. Is there some way of reporting back to the script that you have Skype installed?
James
Erm, well. This is for links that are not guarded by evil javascript. You may also try to register application/x-skype mimetype manually for the browser you use (this will make JS allow such links).
Registering this mimetype when installing skype is in TODO for next skype version tho.
This’ really cool
I just found this post after installing Skype 1.4beta for Linux on my ubuntu today. I thought, “Coool! There’s a solution finally!”, but suddently I relized that there’s no “skype-action-handler” in the latest relaease……
I’ve tried to point the calue to /usr/bin/skype and add
network.protocol-handler.expose.skype to false
and
network.protocol-handler.external.skype to true
But after clicking the skype:someone?chat link, it opens(excute) an other skype and says database failed….
My problem is:
If there’s no skype-action-handler in this skype release, how and what should I do to ask skype which’s already running to make a call, instead of start running another skype?
If it won’t bother, plz just msg me…
Truely Thanx!
my skype: bluetraveler
Do these instructions need to be updated for the new Skype 2.0 linux beta release, I cant seem to find the action-handler
There’s a bunch of third-party action handlers lying around, just use the search, Luke.
Please update this as applicable for current releases (here in 2008 almost 2009).
How do I get skype-action-handler if I don’t have it? where do I get it?
Thanks!
On Linux (Ubuntu 9.04) after upgrading FireFox to 3.0.9. skype links don’t work. I have reinstalled skype, but it didn’t help. Still the same invitation to download Skype. It seams that action-hadler or what ever is gone. Any ideas?
Skype on Ubuntu 2.0.0.72-1
Links workd with FF 3.0.8 and Skype 2.0.0.72-1
I struggled to do this on Ubuntu 9.04 (Gnome), Firefox 3.0.11. Finally got it to work after piecing together bits of information from this area and the web. So I’ve wrote down exactly what I’ve done – hope someone finds it useful!
Installing Skype on Ubuntu (or Debian)
This how to will show you how to install a Skype client in Ubuntu & Debian base operating system.
1. First of all you need to start up Synaptic Package manager. Go to System->Synaptic Administration->Synaptic Package Manager
2. From Synaptic, go to Settings->Repositories. Click on Third Party Software Tab. Click Add, and put on this line :
deb http://download.skype.com/linux/repos/debian/ stable non-free
Click Add Sources.
3. Click Close, and Click ‘Reload’ at the top of Synaptic. Now you can locate Skype and install it from Synaptic.
Download and install the Skype Action Handler
http://search.cpan.org/~ecarroll/Net-DBus-Skype-0.02/
and extract.
In a console, navigate to extracted files directory and run these
perl Makefile.PL
make
make test
make install
For Mozilla (Firefox)
* Open Mozilla (Firefox)
* Type about:config in the address-bar to open the configuration editor.
* Use the scroll bar to navigate to the network.protocol… section.
* Check if the network protocol section includes a network.protocol-handler.app.skype key.
* If a key exists, edit it. If no key exists, create a key by right-clicking on any key and selecting New -> String from the pull-down menu.
* Enter network.protocol-handler.app.skype as the key name.
* Enter /usr/local/bin/skype-action-handler as the key value.
### For GNOME-aware browsers (Epiphany, Firefox 1.5)
Run the following two commands:
/usr/bin/gconftool-2 -s -t string /desktop/gnome/url-handlers/skype/command ‘/usr/local/bin/skype-action-handler “%s”‘
/usr/bin/gconftool-2 -s -t bool /desktop/gnome/url-handlers/skype/enabled true
Thats it – Test Call should work in Firefox
Alright.. I’ve tried these steps to get Skype buttons or links to work with FireFox. I no longer get the pop up window requesting that I have to install skype. A window opens asking which program should open with. I selected skype. It loads for a second or 2, and a second copy of Skype appears in my task bar. Instead of starting the call, it just opens a new instance of skype. Very frustrating. If anyone has a solution to this I’d love to know. Thanks in advance.
skype version:
Version: 2.0.0.72-mdv
Currently installed version: 2.0.0.72-mdv
Group: Applications/Internet
Architecture: i586
Size: 19895 KB
Medium: None (installed)
OS: Mandriva One 2009.1 Spring
kernel: 2.6.29.6-desktop586-1mnb
Alright.. I’ve tried these steps to get Skype buttons or links to work with FireFox. I no longer get the pop up window requesting that I have to install skype. A window opens asking which program should open with. I selected skype. It loads for a second or 2, and a second copy of Skype appears in my task bar. Instead of starting the call, it just opens a new instance of skype. Very frustrating. If anyone has a solution to this I’d love to know. Thanks in advance.
skype version:
Version: 2.0.0.72-mdv
Currently installed version: 2.0.0.72-mdv
Group: Applications/Internet
Architecture: i586
Size: 19895 KB
Medium: None (installed)
OS: Mandriva One 2009.1 Spring
kernel: 2.6.29.6-desktop586-1mnb
In version 2.1.0.47 the skype-action-handler is included and stored /usr/bin in my Suse 11.1. There is a dependency problem however and I could not find information how to solve this. When I start skype-action-handler from the command line it says:
Can’t locate Moose.pm in @INC (@INC contains: /usr/lib/perl5/5.10.0/x86_64-linux-thread-multi /usr/lib/perl5/5.10.0 /usr/lib/perl5/site_perl/5.10.0/x86_64-linux-thread-multi /usr/lib/perl5/site_perl/5.10.0 /usr/lib/perl5/vendor_perl/5.10.0/x86_64-linux-thread-multi /usr/lib/perl5/vendor_perl/5.10.0 /usr/lib/perl5/vendor_perl .) at /usr/lib/perl5/site_perl/5.10.0/Net/DBus/Skype.pm line 3.
BEGIN failed–compilation aborted at /usr/lib/perl5/site_perl/5.10.0/Net/DBus/Skype.pm line 3.
Compilation failed in require at /usr/bin/skype-action-handler line 4.
BEGIN failed–compilation aborted at /usr/bin/skype-action-handler line 4.
Followed @thestudio53 instructions and this works with Firefox 3.6.13 on Ubuntu 10.10 with Skype Beta 2.1.0.81. On the first test, when the applications selection dialog appears, select skype-simple-dialer or change to it from the Preferences menu.
This only works for me when Skype is running and you right click the link to open in a new tab.
Suggestion form “thestudio53 commented Wednesday, Jul 8″ worked FINE with my installation (UBUNTU 10.10). thanks a lot…
I’ve been around this loop many times now; I spent hours on it yesterday. On my Ubuntu 11.10 and Firefox 7 setup, it just does not work.
I have the action handlers installed (several different versions, now) and they all work as a command line call. I’ve registered them according to the instructions, as I described below.
network.protocol-handler.app.skype = /usr/local/bin/skype_action_handler_1.0.py (this is what I names Phil Kollman’s file – I’ve also tried the perl version and Carroll’s version)
I’ve tried installing and reinstalling both Firefox and skype; I’ve tried the Canonical release of skype and the latest one direct from skype.
I just keep getting an error message that no application is installed that registered itself to use the called protocol
Customer support just point me back to these same forums, so I’ve reached a complete dead end. Has anyone gotten this to work on ocelot / 11.10? What’s the trick?
I think I solved it, and it’s down to a change in the way that Gnome catalogs Applications. However, it’s probably not elegant and if any of you maistros can help improve it, we’d all be grateful:
1) list a new .Desktop file in /usr/share/applications/defaults.list by adding the following line:
x-scheme-handler/skype=firefox-skype.desktop
2) create a firefox-skype.dedsktop file in /usr/share/applications with the following lines:
[Desktop Entry]
Encoding=UTF-8
Name=Skype Action Handler
Comment=Call from Skype
GenericName=Skype Client
Exec=/usr/local/bin/skype_action_handler_1.0.pl %u
Terminal=false
X-MultipleArgs=false
Type=Application
Icon=skype
Categories=Application;Network;
MimeType=x-scheme-handler/skype;
#replace /usr/local/bin/skype_action_handler_1.0.pl with your own file and path name
and it seems to work