I'm running into what seems to be a serious usability problem for users trying to use a Google Drive app from more than one account. In order for an app to be able to use Drive APIs on a user's behalf, the user must install the associated Chrome Web Store app while logged in as that user. The problem is that the Chrome Web Store seems to look for an app being installed per browser, whereas the Drive API needs the app to be installed per user.
As far as I can tell, the only way to install the same app for multiple users in the same (Chrome) browser is to install with one user, then log in as the second user, uninstall the app (which the CWS says is already installed), and then reinstall it (so that Drive will mark the app as installed for the second user). This is a very confusing experience, because during this process the app and the CWS are sending the user mixed messages about whether the app is installed.
I'm not sure if there's a canonical app to test for system bugs like this. Is DrEdit live somewhere? But if you want to see the problem behavior in our implementation, install the Graphing Calculator by Desmos.com as one user, launch it and log in using google drive and verify that everything is working. Then log out from the app, and use https://accounts.google.com to log in to google as a different user, and try using the app again. The app will tell you that it isn't installed (that's what Drive's APIs are telling us) and direct you to the CWS, which claims that the app is installed.
We are aware of the issue. And I agree this is a really bad experience for users using the same Browser (and the same Chrome session). One of the issue is that the account you are logged-into chrome can be different than the account you are logged into Google Web (Gmail, Chrome Web Store, Drive etc...) Therefore the Chrome Web Store has to make a choice to either use the apps's install status on the Browser or the Web Google account.
If you write an FAQ for your users maybe you can suggest that the most effective way to install the app for the second user is to simply install it using another browser like Firefox. Especially since Firefox won't be impacted by this issue because the app doesn't get installed on Firefox, only on the Drive account :)
The bug is filed internally, now we can only wait for it to be prioritized and fixed/sorted-out. We are also working on some other way for apps to have an install flow that doesn't involve the Chrome Web Store so that it will be less impacted by all of he Chrome Web Store/Chrome browser intricacies.
I'll make sure to ping our eng team on that issue again.
Related
I'm trying to determine if I can access any browser api for chrome OS that will allow me to identify the device that its running on when the application has been force-installed in kiosk mode as a PWA.
We're running into exactly the same issue right now. The correct path seems to be to create a PWA and to connect it to a (pre-installed) extension that has access to the enterprise.deviceAttributes:
See https://developers.chrome.com/apps/migration:
"If there is a capability that your Chrome App has that the regular web platform can't provide, it might be available as an extension API. In this case, you use a progressive web app together with an externally connectable extension your web app can send messages to."
enterprise.deviceAttributes are only accessible if the calling App/Site is pre-installed to the device and not loaded dynamically, so it cannot run in the PWA by design.
But with this tutorial, it seems possible:
https://developer.chrome.com/extensions/messaging#external-webpage
We're looking into that right now and will post our progess here.
As I know you can install an extension outside the market without expected limitations, for example, autoupdate. You need to be in develop mode.
You can read this thread to understand the problem:
Install chrome extension as external extensions
The think is, anyone know another way to install an extension in your chrome (internal use in a company o class). I like to think that I can sign the extension with a shared certificate or something like that. And send the extension to the users.
Google no longer allows it.
Protecting Chrome users from malicious extensions
Continuing to protect Chrome users from malicious extensions
There are 4 types of extension install still available:
Direct installation from Webstore or inline install from a website, but hosted on Web Store.
Indirect installation through registry manipulation (e.g. companion extension for a native app), but it still must be hosted in the Webstore.
Local development installs; will nag on every Chrome restart and no autoupdate mechanism.
For Enterprise only, policy-based installs. Note that on Windows that requires computers joined to a domain. In this case there are no restrictions on where the extension is hosted.
I have (had) a hosted app in the Chrome Web Store, built using the following Developer documentation:
https://developers.google.com/chrome/apps/docs/developers_guide
After being in the Chrome Web Store for years, I recently received an email saying my app does not comply:
Your item did not comply with the following section of our policy:
Do not post an app where the primary functionality is to install or
launch another app, theme, or extension. For example, if your app’s
primary function is to launch a desktop app that the user has already
installed, that is not allowed. Another example is a packaged app that
just launches a website.
My question is: Did the rules change? A Hosted App IS an app that launches a website. Does anyone know what to change in a Hosted App to make it compliant again?
A Hosted App, a Chrome App (successor to Packaged App), and a Chrome Extension are three separate things, distinguished by how their manifest.json file is set up. What this email appears to be saying is that you're not allowed to have a Chrome App (which they call a packaged app) whose only purpose is to launch another app or a web site. They are saying nothing about Hosted Apps, which continue to be allowed, as far as I know. (I have one in the Chrome Web Store myself.)
Is your app truly a Hosted App? Or, is it a (legacy) packaged app or a Chrome App?
Currently I am exploring the possibilities and features of Google Chrome apps. As I see to run chrome apps we need to distribute them through chrome App Store. Could we develop a application as a chrome app, which will not need to release to general public or for a limited audience?
Is there anyway that we could package it to native OS executable like .exe in windows or .app in MacOS. So for users who doesn't have chrome installed will also can without any issue. Or at least could we distribute without submitting it to the App Store.
Also I am wondering whether we can run another application through chrome apps? For example I am planing to develop a java application and start with the chrome app.
You can distribute a Chrome App without using the Chrome Web Store, but you'll have to explain to users how to install it, and it's a little tricky: They have to open the Extensions window in Chrome and then drag the installation file to that window. Upon dropping it, there will be a dialog asking them if they want it installed. (They can't just double-click on a file or do anything else that's easy like that.)
Chrome Apps can't directly launch native apps, but they can communicate in various ways with native apps (or any apps) once those other apps are running.
(Some parts of your question are ungrammatical, so I can't be completely sure what you're asking, but the above is what I think you're asking.)
Chrome Extensions are only installable from the Web Store, but Applications can be privately hosted with some provisos: https://developer.chrome.com/extensions/hosting
We have read other posts where it is said that for us to store a file in a google drive, the client must install a web app form the Chrome Store. But the fact is that we do not need a Web App and do not want to have our customers install a "non-app" just to get access to their drives. We have found suggestions to use the Document List API but we do not find it in the API Console as it has been deprecated.
The error we get is:
"googleapi: Error 403: The authenticated user has not installed the app with client id XXXXX"
Please advise.
Thanks
Check this question for the reason behind the installation requirement: Reason for installation through Chrome Web Store.
And stay tuned for announcements very soon!