# How to Limit Intent Handlers to App Instances in the Selected Workspace Using Interception

**URL:** <https://community.interop.io/t/how-to-limit-intent-handlers-to-app-instances-in-the-selected-workspace-using-interception/723>\
**Category:** io.Connect Browser\
**Tags:** FAQs\
**Created:** [October 12, 2026, 5:00am UTC](https://community.interop.io/t/how-to-limit-intent-handlers-to-app-instances-in-the-selected-workspace-using-interception/723 "2026-10-12T05:00:57Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![toni.petrov](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex028/user_avatar/community.interop.io/toni.petrov/32/17_2.png) [@toni.petrov](https://community.interop.io/u/toni.petrov)\
**Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 5:00am UTC](https://community.interop.io/t/how-to-limit-intent-handlers-to-app-instances-in-the-selected-workspace-using-interception/723/1 "2026-10-12T05:00:57Z")

</div>

## Question

When an app raises an Intent, I want running app instances to be considered as Intent handlers only if they are in the currently selected Workspace. The goal is to avoid an Intent being handled by an app instance in a Workspace that isn’t currently in use.

## Solution

Use a [Plugin](https://docs.interop.io/browser/capabilities/plugins/setup/index.html) in the Main app to [intercept](https://docs.interop.io/browser/capabilities/plugins/interception/index.html) the [`"raise"` operation of the `"intents"` domain](https://docs.interop.io/browser/capabilities/plugins/domains-operations/index.html#intents-raise).

In the interception handler:

1. Use the io.Connect APIs (e.g., `io.workspaces` and/or `io.appManager`) to compile the list of instances or apps that should be considered as possible handlers.
2. Set this list as the `handlers` property of the `intentRequest` in the intercepted control message.
3. Forward the `"raise"` command to the platform with `platform.system.sendControl()`, setting `skipInterception` to `true` to avoid an infinite loop.
4. Return the result of `sendControl()`.

### Interceptor Example: Filter the Handlers by the Selected Workspace

```typescript
const raiseIntentInterceptionRequest: IOConnectBrowserPlatform.Plugins.InterceptorRegistrationRequest = {
  // @todo: type controlMessage as https://docs.interop.io/browser/capabilities/plugins/domains-operations/index.html#intents-raise
  async callInterceptor(controlMessage) {
    const activeWorkspace = await io.workspaces?.getWorkspace((workspace) => !!workspace.isSelected)
    const workspaceWindows = activeWorkspace?.getAllWindows()
    const workspaceWindowIds = new Set(workspaceWindows?.map((workspaceWindow) => workspaceWindow.id))
    const intentRequest: IOConnectBrowser.Intents.IntentRequest = controlMessage.data.intentRequest;

    const filterFn = (handler: IOConnectBrowser.Intents.IntentHandler) => handler.type === "app" || workspaceWindowIds.has(handler.instanceId);

    if (intentRequest.handlers?.length) {
      // use the handlers from the intent request to filter the ones from the current wsp
        controlMessage.data.intentRequest.handlers = intentRequest.handlers?.filter(filterFn);

        return await platform.system.sendControl({ ...controlMessage, settings: { skipInterception: true } });
    }

    // gather all intent handlers for the current intent request and then filter them
    const possibleHandlers = (await io.intents.find(intentRequest.intent)).map((intent) => intent.handlers).flat();

    controlMessage.data.intentRequest.handlers = possibleHandlers?.filter(filterFn);

    return await platform.system.sendControl({ ...controlMessage, settings: { skipInterception: true } });
  },
  interceptions: [
    {
      domain: 'intents',
      operation: 'raise',
    },
  ],
}

```

* * *

#### Refer to:

- [Plugins \> Setup](https://docs.interop.io/browser/capabilities/plugins/setup/index.html)
- [Plugins \> Interception](https://docs.interop.io/browser/capabilities/plugins/interception/index.html)
- [Plugins \> Domains & Operations \> Intents \> “raise”](https://docs.interop.io/browser/capabilities/plugins/domains-operations/index.html#intents-raise)
- [Intents API](https://docs.interop.io/browser/capabilities/data-sharing/intents/intents-api/index.html)