The Chrome Web Store rejects uploads whose manifest contains a "key" field
("manifest must not contain 'key'") — it assigns its own id. pack-extension.sh
intentionally kept "key" in the zip, so every upload failed. Now the script
stages a copy and removes "key" for the zip only; the unpacked DIR and the signed
.crx keep "key" so local Load-unpacked + managed force-install stay pinned to
ciiljdlhd…. After the first store upload, add the store-assigned id to the
native-messaging allowed_origins (connect.rs EXTENSION_ID) so the store build pairs.
Verified on Chrome 149 (unmanaged macOS): a force-install policy pointing at a
SELF-HOSTED crx is tagged [BLOCKED] in chrome://policy ("Error, Warning") — Chrome
refuses off-Web-Store force-installs on non-cloud-managed browsers. So the
self-hosted-crx approach cannot work on consumer Chrome; the extension must ship
via the Chrome Web Store (same reason codex/claude do).
- UPDATE_URL -> Chrome Web Store update endpoint; add STORE_URL (one-click Add to
Chrome) as the guaranteed path + headless fallback
- install instructions now offer: A) one-click store link, B) silent profile
force-install (works once published), with Load-unpacked as the pre-publish stopgap
- build extensions/ab-connect.zip (CWS upload package; manifest "key" kept so the
published id stays ciiljdlhdpfckdcfkphgmfalanpdejep)
- extensions/store/{SUBMISSION.html,privacy.html}: full listing copy, permission
justifications (debugger is the review-sensitive one), privacy policy
- drop dead self-hosted extensions/updates.xml; pack-extension.sh now builds the zip
Not released yet — force-install only works after the store listing is Published.
Chrome 149 killed every GUI-free way to load an *unpacked* extension into the
real profile: --load-extension removed in Chrome 142 (incl. the
--disable-features workaround), local-.crx external install blocked on macOS
since Chrome 44, remote-debugging-port killed in Chrome 136. So agents were
stuck automating the chrome://extensions Load-unpacked native file dialog —
unworkable.
`extension install` now writes a macOS configuration profile that force-installs
the signed .crx from a hosted update_url (ExtensionInstallForcelist policy). One
approval in System Settings (a single fixed Install button — cua-driver-friendly,
unlike a file dialog) → Chrome force-installs + auto-updates the extension on next
launch. No token, no per-use confirmation, and binary-install users no longer
need the extensions/ folder (crx is fetched from the URL).
- pin a stable signing key; new extension id ciiljdlhdpfckdcfkphgmfalanpdejep
- ship signed extensions/ab-connect.crx + extensions/updates.xml (raw GH host)
- scripts/pack-extension.sh re-signs with the stable key; .secrets/*.pem ignored
- uninstall removes the profile file + prints `profiles remove` hint
leeguooooo