Chrome command line folders not supported

ryanhaver

I run a Chrome shortcut with the following command line parameters in the target field: C:\Users\Ryan\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe --disk-cache-dir="R:\Chrome" --user-data-dir="R:\Chrome"



This allows me to store my entire Chrome Profile and Cache on a RAM disk, which in this case is drive letter R. I have had no issues with any other extensions but the 1Password Extension will not install when I run Chrome with these parameters. A standard instance of Chrome will accept the Extension and I can use it without issues. When I try to install the extension when chrome is launched using the additional parameters I am provided with a message from within Chrome that states: "Extensions, apps, and user scripts can only be added from the Chrome Web Store." When installing the extension under a normal instance of Chrome it stores the extension in the standard location, not on my RAM Disk. Since 1Password doesn't sync their extension because of cross platform incompatibility issues I'm not sure what to do. I guess I can find the extension files manually and transfer them to the appropriate location on my RAM disk.



I am just wondering why I can add the extension under a normal instance of Chrome, but Chrome notifies me of their [url="http://support.google.com/chrome_webstore/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=2664769&p=crx_warning"]policy[/url] only when I am running Chrome with the above properties and then try to install the 1Password Extension.



I am running the most recent stable version of 1Password for Windows (1.0.9.296) with Chrome (21.0.1180.60 m) on Windows 7 64bit. The extension version is 3.9.5.



Any help is greatly appreciated.

ryanhaver

I think I found out what the issue is. It appears that once updated to Chrome [color=#282828][font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif](21.0.1180.60 m), regardless of how I run Chrome the extension is required to be installed from the "Chrome App Store". I had previously installed the extension on the older version of Chrome, but without the added parameters. 1Password opens Chrome without the command line parameters so understandably it is installing the files in the default windows directory for my users account; in my case that is "[/font][/color]C:\Users\Ryan\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome" I can't get it installed on the running Profile on my RAM Disk because i am now running a build of Chrome that no longer supports installing extensions from 3rd party websites (Chrome auto updated itself).



Is there any chance that the wonderful developers are going to post their 1Password Extension for Chrome on the "Chrome Web Store"?

ryanhaver

I am guessing the preferred way of doing this would be using Google's [url="https://developers.google.com/chrome/web-store/docs/inline_installation"]inline installation method[/url], because it would be a seamless for the end user, they wouldn't have to navigate away from your website. The only thing that you would need to worry about is publishing separate extensions for different platforms, but I'm sure that it would work fine.



In the meantime I am unable to use 1Password efectively because of the wonderful new Chrome security feature.

ryanhaver

LOL, you can just drag the extension into the extension list. Might as well delete this thread.



It looks like you guys are already working on getting the Extension into the "Chrome Web Store", that's great news. you guys have your work cut out for you with how fast browsers are updated now.



Thanks for all your hard work.

ryanhaver

I feel kinda stupid responding to my own posts, nonetheless I'll continue to document my failure to get the extension working properly with the additional command line parameters I use. A normal instance of Chrome works great with the Extension.



When running [font=helvetica, arial, sans-serif][color=#282828] a shortcut with C:\Users\Ryan\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe --disk-cache-dir="R:\Chrome" --user-data-dir="R:\Chrome" in the target field, like i usually do, I get a persistent red badge and when trying to unlock with my master password it just says "Connecting: [counting up]" I've attached an image of what i get when trying to unlock the extension. I'm guessing the 1Password Helper looks at the default folder location for the extension; since it can't find it, because my extension is actually installed in an alternate directory on RAM disk, it will not connect. Is there any way to get this working if a user stores their Chrome Profile in a non standard directory?[/color][/font]

khad

Hey Ryan,



It looks like you are figuring things out pretty quickly. I've barely had a chance to reply before you made another post for me to read. <img src='http://forum.agilebits.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />



For those following along at home, Google recently began requiring extensions in Chrome to be installed through the Chrome Web Store. We're working on making the 1Password extension available on the Chrome Web Store, but it will take some more re-architecting due to some changes in Google's requirements from when we first began preparing for this eventuality. Until then you can still easily install the 1Password extension by dragging the CRX file onto Chrome's extensions list.



As for loading a different profile from the command line, I'm sorry to say that 1Password does not support this old (now deprecated) multiple profile concept. 1Password does, however, support the official multiple users concept for Chrome:



http://support.google.com/chrome/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=2364824&topic=1678460&ctx=topic

ryanhaver

I think I might write a novel for those at home <img src='http://forum.agilebits.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />



Unfortunately I am not using command line parameters to create another user, instead I am storing my user profile and cache on a RAM disk to reduce writes to the SSD running my operating system. This also significantly increases the speed of browser operation because RAM is much faster than any mechanical drive or SSD. It looks like I'll just have to deal with the 1Password Helper not being able to identify the storage of user profiles in non default directories. I don't think your development team would make changes for one user. It is however common to store an internet browser profile and/or cache on an alternate storage media to increase performance. I'm surprised this never been an issue with any other users, or has it?



I might be able to get it working by using Symbolic Links or NTFS Junction Points, although I don't know if it will work even then because I'm only guessing that it's the 1Password Helper that looks for the extension in the user profile's default location. Could you clarify if I'm right about this?

khad

I think this has come up once before when another user was loading a different Chrome profile from the command line, but it was resolved by simply using the built-in Users feature. The location is determined by %APPDATA% AFAIK. Offhand I'm not sure if there is a way to change this in Chrome itself, but command line options are not supported for the 1Password extension.

macs

Hi Ryan and Kyad,



We provide a chrome extension which is installed from our website. Access to the website and the extension is free for all our customers who have an account. Either we have to provide some instructions on how to download and install the extension or we provide the inline method and host it in the web store. The second option is more user friendly however we only want people who have access to our site to download and install it. Is it possible to have an inline install from the web store without the extension being listed in the web store.



Macs

khad

Welcome to the forums, Macs. Thanks for posting! We are aware of these options but there are other issues related to [url="http://www.w3.org/TR/CSP/"]CSP[/url] that need to be addressed in the extension before we can forge ahead. <img src='http://forum.agilebits.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />



We're working on it and appreciate your patience. In the meantime, it's a simple drag and drop.



[img]https://img.skitch.com/20120801-fwy1dr656heknccmimygsyjaa.png[/img]

ryanhaver

Looks like I guessed right. It was very easy to do with NTFS Junction Points. I actually don't need the command line arguments at all using NTFS Junction Points. This way I can store my cache and user profile on my RAM disk and also use 1Password! <img src='http://forum.agilebits.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />

khad

Perfect! I'm glad that worked for you. Thanks for letting me know. Enjoy your weekend! <img src='http://forum.agilebits.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':D' />

TrakDah

Hi there



I have the same problem, and I believe I know what's "wrong" in my case, but I don't seem to be able to fix it by myself.



Background:

I have an SSD dirve as the primary drive, and I don't enjoy using it for temp files. So I launch Chrome (and my other browsers) with the temporary files pointing to my secondary HDD. The problem in Chrome is that this is not really supported; there's no really good way of making Chrome run off of anything but the primary drive (thank you Google!). The trick to get this working, and I'm not alone here, is to run Chrome with a few parameters:

[quote]C:\Users\userID\AppData\Local\Google\Chrome\Application\chrome.exe --disk-cache-dir="D:\Program Files (x86)\Chrome User" --user-data-dir="C:\Google\Chrome"[/quote]



So, in my case, I can install and run the extension for 1password fine when (for testing) I run Chrome in the normal fashion. Running Chrome without the extra parameters, I can access the But it won't work with the alternate disk-cache path.



Note that all other extensions I have do work properly for both launch methods. It's only (to my knowledge) 1password that doesn't work.

Note also that I have tried removing and re-adding the extension several times, and that I waited for a new release of the extension that I was hoping would have worked with Chrome 21 before I now decided it's time to write you.



Conclusion is that you (Agile software) own the problem; it's something your extension does that's not standard and that easily breaks with Chrome. I am able to break it by running Chrome on a PC with an SSD (any SSD web page will tell you to run Chrome with an alternate disk-cache path), but many others seem to have troubles with the extension in Chrome.



I have zero problems with the extension in Safari, both on the PC and my several Macs, and neither in any other form or way (iOS etc).



Please advice

Regards

/Rb

khad

Welcome to the forums, Robert! I think you nailed the problem right here:



[quote]The problem in Chrome is that this is not really supported…[/quote]



These command line parameters are deprecated AFAIK.



I know that [b]--user-data-dir[/b] was deprecated ever since Chrome began supporting multiple users in its settings. The [b]--disk-cache-dir[/b] parameter may be deprecated as well or an advanced feature only for testing purposes. Give it a shot without the [b]--user-data-dir [/b]parameter and see if it helps. I'm not sure that it will, but the [b]--user-data-dir [/b]parameter will definitely cause problems for 1Password as mentioned above in this existing thread on this issue into which I merged your post.



Please let me know if you do find success when eliminating the [b]--user-data-dir[/b] parameter.



Cheers,

TrakDah

Hi



It took me while to try that, and another while to reply. But I confirm that this works. Thanks.



(not too happy about having to pay for the new iOS app again though, especially since I just cashed up for the Pro-version. But I guess it is what it is)

khad

[quote]It took me while to try that, and another while to reply. But I confirm that this works. Thanks.[/quote]

Thanks for following up. I'm glad that worked for you. <img src='http://forum.agilebits.com/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.png' class='bbc_emoticon' alt=':)' />





[quote](not too happy about having to pay for the new iOS app again though, especially since I just cashed up for the Pro-version. But I guess it is what it is) [/quote]

If you recently purchased 1Password 3 for iOS, we'll take care of you. Please see:



http://learn.agilebits.com/1Password4/iOS/transition.html#i-love-supporting-good-software-but-i-literally-just-purchased-a-few-weeks-ago-is-there-anything-you-can-do



If we can be of further assistance, please let us know. We are always here to help!