Chrome Url Extension

Installing

• Obtain the chrome native component (python package). Options:
  • from pip

    $ pip install chromeurl
            

  • from the source tree

    $ cd native
    $ python setup.py install --user
            

• Install the extension. Options:
  • manually from the chrome web store (preferred)
  • automatically from the web store (may require root privileges)

    $ chromeurl --install-manifest extension
            

  • from local source tree
    • navigate to chrome://extensions/
    • Load Unpacked the extension directory rooted at ./chrome
    • note the extension `ID` as UNPACKED_EXTENSION_ID
• Native host manifest (make chrome aware of the native host). Options:
  • if extension came from the webstore

    $ sudo chromeurl --install-manifest native
            

  • if unpacked locally and loaded from source:

    $ sudo chromeurl --install-manifest native --extension-id <UNPACKED_EXTENSION_ID>
            

Get current url

• While chrome is running, make an HTTP request to get the current url

  $ curl http://127.0.0.1:19615/tabs/current/url
  https://developer.chrome.com/extensions/activeTab
      

Debugging

• start chromium from a terminal to see native host debug messages
• navigate to the extension background from page (chrome://extensions) to see background page log messages

Security

• Any local process may read the user’s current url