Question

One way that Steam lets users launch games and perform many other operations, is by using URI protocols, for example (from Valve developer community):

steam://run/<id> will launch the game that corresponds to the specified ID.

steam://validate/<id> will validate the game files of the specified ID.

How can I get Java to ‘run’ these? I don’t even know what you call it, i.e. do you ‘run’ URIs, or ‘execute’ them, or what? Because persumably these URIs don’t have anything to return, and the URI class in Java doesn’t have anything related to ‘executing’ them, however URL does, but it doesn’t work!

I’ve tried this:

...
try
{
    URI testURI = URI.create("steam://run/240");
    URL testURL = joinURI.toURL();
    // URL testURL = new URL("steam://run/240") doesn't work either
    joinURL.openConnection(); // Doesn't work
    // joinURL.openStream() doesn't work either
}
catch (MalformedURLException e)
{
    System.err.println(e.getMessage());
}
...

Each combination gives the error: unknown protocol: steam.

The system that Steam uses to handle the URIs is definitely working, because for example, I can type the above URI into Firefox and it works.

My eternal gratitude to the person who provides the answer!

Thanks

Answer 1

Try Desktop.browse(URI), this should start the “default action” which is the Steam client for a steam:// URI, e.g.

URI uri = new URI("steam://store/240");
if (Desktop.isDesktopSupported()) {
    Desktop.getDesktop().browse(uri);
}