URL Filtering (URL Sandbox)

URL filtering (URL sandbox) is used to decide which URLs are opened in a default web browser instead of Nuvola Player. For example, a Google Play Music user definitely doesn't want to open a Google Plus link in Nuvola Player, but in his default web browser.

Default URL Filter

Nuvola.WebApp looks at allowed_uri field of metadata.json. If this field is not empty, it is compiled as a regular expression and stored at WebApp.allowedURI property. The default URL filter implemented in Nuvola.WebApp._onNavigationRequest then allows navigation only to URLs that match that regular expression, other URLs are opened in a default web browser.

{
  ...
  "allowed_uri": "^https?://(play\\.google\\.com/)"
}

Custom URL Filter

Since the default URL filter is a JavaScript function, you can override it to match your needs. The method Nuvola.WebApp._onNavigationRequest is a handler for Nuvola.Core::NavigationRequest signal.

var WebApp = Nuvola.$WebApp()

...

WebApp._onNavigationRequest = function (emitter, request) {
  if (request.url === 'https://www.npr.org/') {
    // choice.npr.org redirects to 'https://www.npr.org/' regardless of the original domain (one.npr.org)
    // Let's go to the home page instead of showing www.npr.org in a new window.
    request.url = 'https://one.npr.org/'
    request.approved = true
  } else {
    // Apply URL filter otherwise
    Nuvola.WebApp._onNavigationRequest.call(this, emitter, request)
  }
}

...

Debugging URL Filter

If you run Nuvola Player with -D or --debug flag, you will see URL filtering in action:

[Runner:DEBUG    Nuvola] webengine.vala:443: Navigation, current window:
uri = https://checkout.google.com/inapp/frontend/passive?&usid=0&plid=0,
result = true, frame = (null), type = WEBKIT_NAVIGATION_TYPE_OTHER

[Runner:DEBUG    Nuvola] webengine.vala:440: Navigation, new window:
uri = https://plus.google.com/u/0/?tab=YX, result = true, frame = _blank,
type = WEBKIT_NAVIGATION_TYPE_LINK_CLICKED

The debugging message contains following information:

• Whether to open request in a new window or in the current window (request.newWindow).
• The URL of the request (request.url).
• The result of the Nuvola.Core::NavigationRequest signal (request.approved).
• The type of the request.