Status: Unconfirmed
Owner: ----
Labels: Type-Bug Pri-2 OS-All Area-Misc
New issue 15745 by [email protected]: Chrome does not support the
HTML EMBED tag "pluginspage" attribute
http://code.google.com/p/chromium/issues/detail?id=15745
Chrome Version : dev-channel 3.0.190.4 (Official Build 19293)
URLs (if applicable) : N/A
Other browsers tested: Firefox
Add OK or FAIL after other browsers where you have tested this issue:
Safari 4: (Not tested)
Firefox 3.x: OK
IE 7: (N/A - The HTML OBJECT tag is used to load an ActiveX Ctrl)
IE 8: (N/A - The HTML OBJECT tag is used to load an ActiveX Ctrl)
Summary:
The HTML EMBED tag "pluginspage" attribute is not currently supported
by Chrome for downloading and installing NPAPI Plugins over the
internet.
As the "pluginspage" attribute is supported by Firefox, and Chrome
aims to be compatible with Firefox, I was advised by John Abd-El-Malek
to file a bug report.
Detail:
IE has a mechanism for downloading an ActiveX Control (packaged as a
.CAB file) over the internet via an OBJECT tag, and Firefox has a
mechanism for downloading an NPAPI Plugin (packaged as an .XPI file)
over the internet via an EMBED tag.
However, although Chrome supports NPAPI Plugins and even provides a
mechanism for packaging NPAPI Plugins in an "Extension" file (ie .CRX),
it does not have a mechanism for downloading NPAPI Plugins over the
internet.
I have an NPAPI plugin (that I originally wrote for Firefox) which I
need to download and install to Chrome over the internet using an
embedded object (ie the HTML EMBED tag).
My first attempt at installing my NPAPI Plugin on Chrome was to invoke
the same HTML page as I used for Firefox. This failed to download my
Plugin, presumably because Chrome does not recognise Firefox's .XPI
file format.
As downloading my Firefox .XPI file to Chrome failed, I packaged my
plugin files plus a manifest.json into a .CRX file:
manifest.json
plugins\npmyplugin.dll
plugins\mylibrary.dll
plugins\myprogA.exe
plugins\myprogB.exe
using the method described in
http://dev.chromium.org/developers/design-documents/extensions/packaging
and used an EMBED tag with the "pluginspage" attribute in my HTML to
download it:
<embed id="MY_PLUGIN" type="application/vnd.my-plugin"
width=640 height=480
pluginspage="http://mysite.com/test/npapi/chrome/myplugin.crx";>
My manifest.json file contains:
{
"name": "My plugin - NPAPI Plugin",
"description": "My plugin - NPAPI Plugin",
"version": "1.0.0.0",
"format_version": 1,
"id": "0100250D31938CE363354F8282F68C24EBF5B542",
"plugins": [ { "path": "plugins/npmyplugin.dll", "public": false } ]
}
If I use Chrome to invoke the .CRX file locally on my PC, the plugin
installs and runs fine.
However, if I invoke an HTML page that references the .CRX file using
an EMBED tag, Chrome does not download and install the plugin. It
simply states "No plugin available to display this content".
(I have the --enable-extensions flag appended to my Chrome.exe command
line)
What steps will reproduce the problem?
1. Produce an .XPI or .CRX file that contains an NPAPI plugin. (Whether
to use an .XPI or .CRX file or even some other format depends on what
mechanism the Chrome Team decide to use for downloading).
2. Produce a test HTML file that references the file to be downloaded
(need to modify the type and pluginspage attributes):
<html>
<head><title>Test</title></head>
<body>
<embed id="MY_PLUGIN" type="application/vnd.my-plugin"
width=640 height=480
pluginspage="http://mysite.com/test/npapi/chrome/myplugin.crx";>
</body>
</html>
3. Invoke the HTML file under the dev-channel Chrome browser
What is the expected result?
If the NPAPI plugin is not already installed, I expect the URL
referenced by the pluginspage attribute to be downloaded and installed.
Ideally, Chrome would support downloading Firefox .XPI files via the
EMBED pluginspage attribute. Then developers can use the same file
for both Chrome and Firefox.
If that is not feasible, the next best thing would be to be able to
download Chrome .CRX files via the EMBED pluginspage attribute.
What happens instead?
The jigsaw-puzzle icon is displayed with the message text "No plugin
available to display this content".
Please provide any additional information below. Attach a screenshot if
possible.
For further information please refer to discussion "How do I deploy an
NPAPI plugin over the internet from HTML ?" on the Chromium-dev Google
Group.
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