I tried the second approach on Windows and Linux. I couldn't get it
work on Windows. On Linux, it works only if I start Chrome from the
~/.config/google-chrome/Default/Extensions dir.
It does not install a copy. Instead it uses the file specified in
external_extensions.json. I wonder if it works with auto-update (or is
it expected that an extension installed this way should only be
updated by Admin by updating the specified file?)
Anyway the starting dir limitation seems a bug. And if I uninstall it
from UI, the files stay where they are, but restarting Chrome does not
show the extension. I had to edit Default/Preferences to show the
extension again. This does not sound right to me, though I don't know
what's the best behavior for uninstalling external extensions.
I couldn't get it work on Windows (dev 4.0.223.11).
Default/Preferences contains "download"."extensions_to_open" which
sounds interesting. Can/how do I use it?


On Oct 27, 9:47 am, Finnur Thorarinsson <[email protected]> wrote:
> The extensions folder under the installation folder contains a file called
> external_extensions.json. If it includes something like:
>
> {
>   "aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa": {
>     "external_crx": "RandomExtension.crx",
>     "external_version": "1.0"
>   }
>
> }
>
> ... then you have a cross-platform way of doing what the registry change is
> accomplishing above.
>
> Here, the id (all the a's) and version must match what is in the crx file.
> These values were hand-edited, like the registry values, so review it
> carefully before using (in case I have a mismatched double quote or
> something).
>
> On Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 09:31, Kevin Jin <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > Sounds like what I need. What about Linux and Mac?
> > Thanks!
>
> > On Oct 27, 9:29 am, Finnur Thorarinsson <[email protected]> wrote:
> > > Yes.
>
> > > For example, on Windows, you can use the registry to specify an external
> > > extension to install.
>
> > > HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Google\Chrome\Extensions
>
> > > Create two string values under this location, called:
>
> > > path = "C:\path\to\your\extension_version.crx"
> > > version = "1.0.0.0"
>
> > > The version string value needs to match the extension version specified
> > in
> > > the json file within the crx file.
>
> > > Then restart Chrome and it should pick up and install the new extension.
>
> > > There is also a way to do this through a preferences file in the
> > \extensions
> > > directory, but I suspect this is what you want.
>
> > > Best regards,
> > > Finnur
>
> > > On Tue, Oct 27, 2009 at 09:16, Kevin Jin <[email protected]> wrote:
>
> > > > Is there a certain command line option or drop-off directory so that
> > > > extensions can be installed w/o end users (of an enterprise)
> > > > interaction?
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