I have added this issue to the tracker:
Issue 2203 – Handling download URL does not work when another idle instance is running

Can you send me an email, so I can send you back a development version of WinSCP for testing? Please include a link back to this topic in your email. Also note in this topic that you have sent the email. Thanks.

Thanks for your report. I'll look into it.

Hi

I'm using latest WinSCP.
When I click an SFTP URL in the browser (Firefox), an installed WinSCP takes care of the handling. That's great. Unfortunately the handler behaves differently if WinSCP is already running (or not).

Lets assume following file:
sftp://some.server/some/directory/SomeFile.txt
If WinSCP is running:
SomeFile.txt just gets listed in WinSCP's commander. Download needs to be done manually.

If WinSCP is not running:
The handler asks where to download SomeFile.txt to. WinSCP does not list the file.

For a single file it does not make much difference, but it does for a directory.
Default setting in WinSCP is to download recursively. sftp://some.server/some/directory would download the directory and all sub directories automatically if WinSCP is not running.

How to make WinSCP handler always download or always list?
Preferably the handler asks the user as the people wanting to download something neither have the knowledge nor time to dig through WinSCP config.

Thanks
Tom