Writing a batch file to open Netflix in fullscreen mode in Google Chrome

Question

I'm writing a batch file to open Netflix in Google Chrome in fullscreen mode. My knowledge of batch files is infantile, though...

chrome.exe --start-fullscreen --app=https://www.netflix.com

This of course works when run from the same directory as the chrome executable but doesn't work from anywhere else.

I'm looking for a way to write the batch file to search and locate the chrome.exe and then execute it with the above switches. That way I can share the batch file to other people and it will work regardless of their file paths. Can it be done?

--edit--

Since Appleoddity suggests searching is unnecessary, would this be the best way to go about writing a batch file for this purpose?:

@echo off    
cd\program files (x86)\google\chrome\application
chrome.exe --start-fullscreen --app=https://www.netflix.com

Answer 1

Because people might have program files on an odd drive rather than C (unusual but possible), it's best to use the system variable for the program files folder. Also, as it could be in the local app data folder, we should check there too.

rem :: set file location

if exist %localappdata%\google\chrome\application\chrome.exe (
 set chrome_exe="%localappdata%\google\chrome\application\chrome.exe"
)  

if exist %PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\google\chrome\application\chrome.exe (
 set chrome_exe="%PROGRAMFILES(x86)%\google\chrome\application\chrome.exe"
 )

if exist %PROGRAMFILES%\google\chrome\application\chrome.exe (
 set chrome_exe="%PROGRAMFILES%\google\chrome\application\chrome.exe"
 ) 

 rem :: run chrome
%chrome_exe% --start-fullscreen --app=https://www.netflix.com

Answer 2

I've written something that works. Which I couldn't have done without Sir Adelaide's post. So thank you, Sir Adelaide, for your example. Also thank you everyone else who contributed; it's been educational :)

( I chose batch over powershell because anyone I wanted to share the powershell script with would first have to change their execution policy settings. Which is not necessary with batch.)

if exist "%localappdata%\google\chrome\application\chrome.exe" set file_found="yes" 
if not exist "%localappdata%\google\chrome\application\chrome.exe" set file_found="no" 
if %file_found%=="yes" set chrome_exe="%localappdata%\google\chrome\application\chrome.exe"

if exist "%programfiles%\google\chrome\application\chrome.exe" set file_found="yes" 
if not exist "%programfiles%\google\chrome\application\chrome.exe" set file_found="no" 
if %file_found%=="yes" set chrome_exe="%programfiles%\google\chrome\application\chrome.exe"

if exist "%programfiles(x86)%\google\chrome\application\chrome.exe" set file_found="yes" 
if not exist "%programfiles(x86)%\google\chrome\application\chrome.exe" set file_found="no" 
if %file_found%=="yes" set chrome_exe="%programfiles(x86)%\google\chrome\application\chrome.exe" 

%chrome_exe% --start-fullscreen --app=https://www.netflix.com

Answer 3

I would definitely recommend converting to PowerShell (It's easier, in my opinion) and has heaps of cmd-lets to help with things like this.

In this case we assume Google Chrome has 2 install paths, and therefore this is the main variable we need to account for. Using the Test-Path option we can dictate 2 UNC paths for the potential option.

Here is a script that uses the "Test-Path" we can test if Google Chrome exists in Program Files (x86), and if not, we assign the value of LocalAppData.

Here it is:

    $ConfirmGoogleChrome = (Test-Path "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe")
    $Process = "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"

        function OpenChromeFullScreen {
        If ($ConfirmGoogleChrome -eq $True) {
        start $Process --start-fullscreen --app="https://www.netflix.com"
        }
        else {
        $Process = "%localappdata%\google\chrome\application\chrome.exe"
        start $Process --start-fullscreen --app="https://www.netflix.com"
        }
   }
OpenChromeFullScreen

Note that PowerShell was enabled by default in Windows Vista (I believe) and onwards, and requires the Net Framework to operate - which should be enabled on most moderns OS installs.

Update

Due to the comments stating this may not be as robust as required (as we cannot assume C:\ is the OS install path), I've done a little "improvement":

# Variables for the HomeDrive (OS Install Path)
# Inclusive of the path to AppData

$OSInstallPath  = $env:HOMEDRIVE
$OSLocalAppData = $env:LOCALAPPDATA

# Performs Checks on the end path

$ChromeProgramFiles = (Test-Path "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe") 
$ChromeLocalAppData = (Test-Path "$OSLocalAppData\google\chrome\application\chrome.exe")

# Variable for Google Chrome Path
# We default this to Program Files
$GoogleChrome = "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe"


# Function to set the paths
Function ConfirmSetPaths {
    If ($ChromeProgramFiles -eq $False) {
    $GoogleChrome = "$OSLocalAppData\google\chrome\application\chrome.exe" 
  }
}

ConfirmSetPaths
Start "$GoogleChrome" --start-fullscreen --app="https://www.netflix.com"

Essentially we create variables ("$OSInstappPath" and "$OSLocalAppData" which are system linked variables) for the install path on your PC (as the UNC path may change depending on who runs it.

Then we make an additional 2 variables for the two paths where chrome.exe may exist. The function ConfirmSetPaths will test if chrome.exe exists at the "default" path on the PC (in this instance we used "C:\Program Files (x86)\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe").

If it does exist here, it starts the program. If not, it changes the variable for $GoogleChrome to be the Local App Data folder, and then executes from here.

Changes:

1. Now uses $env variables to dictate the OS Install Path;