I need to deploy some in house software along with an extension, e.g. a native messaging app.
Based on this page: https://developer.chrome.com/extensions/external_extensions
It doesn't look like you can install from an external .crx anymore.
I've used the master_preferences file before:
https://support.google.com/chrome/a/answer/188453
But that only works with new installs & I need to deploy to my existing users who are already setup with Chrome.
So is my only options to publish to the Web Store & have my users click on an Inline Installation link?
Related
My company distributes a Chrome extension along with our Windows apps. I have read the Google guidelines on doing so, here, and see that the recommended method of doing so is to publish the extension in the Chrome Web Store, which we have done. Then, during installation, we should place a key in the Windows registry, which will direct Chrome to download the extension from the store the next time it starts up. This all makes sense, and we are planning to use this method.
However, I am told by some of our developers that they are worried about certain scenarios (specifically in countries where access to Google servers may be blocked) where it may not be possible to install the extension this way. Therefore, they have proposed both using this method, and including the .crx file in our installation package. My question is: Will this cause any issues? For users with a normal connection to Google's servers, will they be able to receive the extension as normal?
Will this cause any issues?
As long as "it's useless, because it can't be installed" isn't an issue, then no, no issues including it. /sarcasm
You cannot install CRX files from third-party sources, even manually (and not at all automatically), with the possible exception of enterprise deployment via domain policies.
The only way to install a non-Store extension is as unpacked. This requires manually switching on the Developer mode, selecting the folder, and enduring the scary warning on every Chrome launch.
I'm afraid you'll need to consider excluding such scenarios from your potential market.
How to local install ALL Chrome CRX without any problem:
Chrome saves ALL information in %LocalAppData%\Google.
Install Chrome
Install Chrome .CRX you are needing
Back up %LocalAppData%\Google
Create WinRar to unpack saved profile to: %LocalAppData%
This bypasses the mandatory Chrome store installation.
What are the downsides of this method?
Using this method could overwrite existing user profile data/bookmarks.
Overwriting user saved bookmarks/passwords may cause data loss for user.
What is a possible workaround?
Firefox can use alternate profile, if set to do so via txt in user profile.
If Chrome profile can load alternate profile, locate the string/text responsible for this & edit it to use the new user profile path, then create a WinRar SFX to install to this new location.
This will then enable Chrome SFX installer (Via WinRar SFX) to install a chrome profile with the .CRX extensions desired already installed & not have to mess with pre-existing user data.
What are the downsides to this method?
Users may wonder how to get their old bookmarks/settings to work.
While users will get the new .CRX, it will be starting with essentially a blank profile.
How you can help:
We know we can install any unpacked CRX via SFX install.
We know we can potentially cause Chrome to use alternate profile to avoid corrupting or messing with user data.
We need someone with an idea how to install unpacked CRX without causing a problem in the old user profile.
Things tried so far:
Tried to locate the file(s) responsible for saving installed .CRX settings.
(Make unpacked CRX load & work properly)
Discovered a key file that contained bookmarks/user data also was the same one responsible for ID the CRX & making it load.
This presented a problem, because how is it possible to import this key file in a WinRar SFX installer, without also overwriting the user bookmarks/saved data?
If anyone can figure this part out, we can then use WinRar SFX to unpack CRX into Chrome profile directory, without overwriting/destroying user data.
Alternate method may be to re-route Chrome to use new profile with desired .CRX files already loaded, then cmd-line import the old profile settings/bookmarks/saved passwords.
If this is possible...
Congrats to all who are seeking solutions!
Working together, we can succeed!
I've written an extension for Google Chrome that will be released with the next version of our product. I want to understand what properties, paths for extraction, registry entries, etc. should I provide the installer of my product so that the end user doesn't have to install the extension on their own manually, and the installer does the complete job of installing the extension, and also notifies the user that the extension has been installed. As of now, the code that I have written is placed in a folder, and I use the "Load Unpackaged Extension" to load the extension. What should I do to achieve the aforementioned task?
Google's current policy on installing extensions via the registry (for Windows machines) is this:
Only extensions from the Google Extension Gallery (or Chrome Web Store - CWS) can be installed via the registry.
See this link - https://developer.chrome.com/extensions/external_extensions - for information on how this can be done. Keep in mind the following:
-This technique will still pop-up a msgbox to the user. its not completely silent.
-When using this technique, if the user subsequently removes the extension from her Chrome, the extension gets "blacklisted" on that chrome and will not re-auto-install until the user re-install it
manually. refer to Auto-installing a google chrome extension won't work ! for details.
Chrome has a couple ways of installing extensions programmatically:
http://www.chromium.org/administrators/pre-installed-extensions
Edit: yes, this policy has changed by now, as FuzzyAmi points out.
If you're using GNU/Linux, this is how you pre-install an extension from the chrome web store for all users:
/etc/chromium/policies/managed/yourextension_policy.json
‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
{
"ExtensionInstallForcelist": [
"yourextensionuniqueidentifiersup;https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx",
"yourextensionuniqueidentifiersup"
]
}
Reference
metamask-chrome - AUR
is there a way to create installer to make google chrome shortcut of a site?
I made a web app and instead of trying to get multiple computers to type the url, I created a shortcut of chrome with this command.
--app=example.com/blah/blah
Is there a way that i can create an shortcut with the command and compile it, with an icon?
You don't need to point to Chrome if that is already the default web browser from the machine. All you need to create is an URL shortcut. All MSI authoring tools should be able to do that.
With the free edition of Advanced Installer you can do like this:
if you don't have AI, download and install it
launch the application and create a "Simple" project, like in the first step from this tutorial
then just create a shortcut to URL in the Files and Folders page, using the option "New Shortcut To -> URL... " and set the URL desired in the configuration dialog of the new shortcut.
save and build the project, the MSI will be generated and you can now install it on the desired machines
Download this sample project file to see how it looks if you have problems following the steps above.
I have a packaged app, but I want to distribute it through my own website - outside of the Google Chrome Web Store. So when user lands on my website, they receive the dialogue box to 'install' my app, and can install it, independently of the Chrome Web Store.
Is it at all possible?
Thanks in advance -
There is a way to do it without --enable-easy-off-store-extension-install -- it's just a little bit trickier for users. You will have to tell your users to do the following:
Download the .crx file from your website.
Navigate to chrome://extensions.
Drag the .crx file from the file explorer onto the extensions page.
This will install the packaged app into Chrome completely independently of the Web Store.
I've written an extension for Google Chrome that will be released with the next version of our product. I want to understand what properties, paths for extraction, registry entries, etc. should I provide the installer of my product so that the end user doesn't have to install the extension on their own manually, and the installer does the complete job of installing the extension, and also notifies the user that the extension has been installed. As of now, the code that I have written is placed in a folder, and I use the "Load Unpackaged Extension" to load the extension. What should I do to achieve the aforementioned task?
Google's current policy on installing extensions via the registry (for Windows machines) is this:
Only extensions from the Google Extension Gallery (or Chrome Web Store - CWS) can be installed via the registry.
See this link - https://developer.chrome.com/extensions/external_extensions - for information on how this can be done. Keep in mind the following:
-This technique will still pop-up a msgbox to the user. its not completely silent.
-When using this technique, if the user subsequently removes the extension from her Chrome, the extension gets "blacklisted" on that chrome and will not re-auto-install until the user re-install it
manually. refer to Auto-installing a google chrome extension won't work ! for details.
Chrome has a couple ways of installing extensions programmatically:
http://www.chromium.org/administrators/pre-installed-extensions
Edit: yes, this policy has changed by now, as FuzzyAmi points out.
If you're using GNU/Linux, this is how you pre-install an extension from the chrome web store for all users:
/etc/chromium/policies/managed/yourextension_policy.json
‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾‾
{
"ExtensionInstallForcelist": [
"yourextensionuniqueidentifiersup;https://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx",
"yourextensionuniqueidentifiersup"
]
}
Reference
metamask-chrome - AUR