How do I set the Windows default browser, for a custom application, like foobar.exe?

I have a custom application that I'd like to use in order to handle default browser requests; how do I configure Windows to use my application instead of the current default browser?

Solution 1:

I'm also rather interested in knowing the answer to this. I've been looking for an app or some script that I can stick in as the 'default browser' that intercepts links and then prompts me what to do (open with browser A, B, or C, run custom app, etc). That would be so awesome.

According to this article, http://support.microsoft.com/kb/224816

When you select Make this the default browser in Internet Explorer and in later versions of Netscape, the browser registers itself into all of the following keys to make itself the default browser (among other entries that are written).
HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.htm HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT.html HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\http\shell\open\command HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\http\shell\open\ddeexec\Application HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ftp\shell\open\command HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ftp\shell\open\ddeexec\Application HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\gopher\shell\open\command HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\gopher\shell\open\ddeexec\Application

EDIT

I have since found this awesome tool for windows: http://browserchooser.codeplex.com/

Solution 2:

Looks like this is what I needed: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd203067(VS.85).aspx

Update: I hacked together a quick registry script for this: http://pastebin.com/KPYyGcaV

Solution 3:

See File Types and File Associations and Registering an Application to a URL Protocol.