(Official) Chrome extension in the Chrome Web Store

[Rob--W]

With the acceptance of PR #3017, the repository contains a fairly usable Chrome extension.
It's listed in the Chrome Web Store at https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/pdf-viewer/oemmndcbldboiebfnladdacbdfmadadm

However, it's not (yet) mentioned in the README because (quoting @brendandahl at #3017):

I'm not comfortable with is linking from the github page to the add-on that you build. We have no way of knowing what's actually going into the add-on. I'm still thinking about how we should do this.

This issue is a reminder about the presence of the published extension in the Chrome Web Store.

[Rob--W]

Chrome extension's version history

The source code snapshot for the latest Chrome release is available at https://github.com/Rob--W/pdf.js/tree/cws-release.

• 0.8.25 fe4c190 (4 April)
• 0.8.129 a081c2d (4 May)
• 0.8.169 869b878 (16 May)
• 0.8.291 4e83123 (29 jun)
• 0.8.298 be012ed (1 jul)
• 0.8.303 d2fe06247318caa2311436a183cba3775948d7db (2 jul)
• 0.8.352 78d3b60 (17 jul)
• 0.8.355 fde86cd (17 jul)
• 0.8.388 02906d7 (30 jul)
• 0.8.429 e5cd027 (14 aug) + Rob--W@a4dd4b1
• 0.8.488 c5bcd7a (5 sep)
• 0.8.558 ea50c07 (29 sep) = Rob--W/pdf.js@c5bcd7a...ea50c07
• 0.8.599 99e4504 (11 oct) = Rob--W/pdf.js@ea50c07...99e4504
• 0.8.604 6070a37788 (13 oct) = Rob--W/pdf.js@99e4504...6070a37
• 0.8.606 820b9541 (14 oct)
• 0.8.616 820b954...b59ebde (16 oct)
• 0.8.787 b59ebde...58407cf (17 dec)
• 0.8.884 2926974...070d77a (17 jan 2014)
• 0.8.1122 070d77a...b82af51 (6 mar)
• 0.8.1351 b82af51...bd11111 (2 apr)
• 1.0.215 bd11111...6d33025 (15 may)
• 1.0.604 6d33025...c3fb7ee (6 aug)
• 1.0.1061 c3fb7ee...3a540ca (7 jan 2015)
• 1.0.1143 3a540ca...8614c17 (13 feb)
• 1.1.132 Rob--W/pdf.js@8614c17...531bd60 (14 may) = 8614c17...67816bd + d34e6dd
• This list is no longer updated. See https://github.com/Rob--W/pdf.js/releases.

[kiko]

Is it possible to make this extension to be used when opening PDF in Chrome?

[yurydelendik]

@kiko, this extension does just that in chrome (and opera), no?

[kiko]

@yurydelendik, Sorry about the confusion.
Yes, it does open PDF by clicking pdf links online.

I would like to know about handling of PDF files when opening it via "Ctrl +o".
It seems only plugins such as Chrome's buit-in or Adobe's can handle that.

If that is the case, Is there a way to bring up the extension interface with blank pdf ?
So I can use "Open" button to select PDF file.

[kiko]

Answer to myself.
Enable "Allow access to file URLs" in chrome://extensions just does that. :)

[brendandahl]

Closing, linked to in the readme now.

[Rob--W]

@kiko Thanks for sharing your confusion, I have updated the description of the Chrome Web Store entry to make this more clear.

[skoehler]

Where do I report bugs / feature request for the chrome extension? https://github.com/Rob--W/pdf.js/tree/cws-release doesn't seem to have an issue tracker enabled.

[Rob--W]

@skoehler I've enabled issues at https://github.com/Rob--W/pdf.js/issues.

If you think that the issue is also relevant for PDF.js, just create a new issue at mozilla's pdf.js repository (here) and add /cc @Rob--W. Then, I'll also receive a notification.

[stuartpb]

Would it be possible to get a version of the extension hosted directly from Mozilla via http://developer.chrome.com/extensions/hosting.html ?

[Rob--W]

@stuartpb
No that's not possible. Google is making it very hard for regular users to install Chrome extensions outside the Chrome Web Store.

Besides, the current extension in the CWS is already used by 350k+ users, so switching would be confusing (I don't have the private key which is needed for preserving the extension ID).

If there's a significant update of PDF.js that you want to see asap in the Chrome extension, just send me a mail. I'll checkout from master, build the extension and publish it.

Any other questions?

[brunomoulin]

Hello, Rob--W.
Is there a way to have hand tool enabled by default in chrome's extension? I'm using chrome at/as a kiosk...
Thank you.

[Rob--W]

@brunomoulin The hand tool preference will be added in the future (follow issue #4560 for progress updates).

Until then, just press H to toggle the hand tool.

[brunomoulin]

@Rob--W
Thank you very much for the promptness in your reply.
We would like to use it to see official parliamentary documents in our system. It runs on debian linux touchscreen devices and the docs could be shown either embedded (preferred) or in a separate tab, but the hand tool as default is a must since deputies won't bother activating it...
If you want to, you can take a look at the system here: http://www.camara.leg.br/PautaEletronica and click in "Legislação", then in any of the options.
Thank you again for your time and attention.

[Rob--W]

@brunomoulin I will put the task on my todo list for the next two weeks and see what I can do. Does your organization use managed installations, or do you manually install the PDF Viewer from the Chrome Web Store?

[brunomoulin]

@Rob--W , I don't know if I understood your question. What is a managed installation? Here's what we got:
Our custom built Debian ditro with everything we need inside, including chrome and all of its plugins. We have to toss everything in prior to building the distro for security reasons. The rooms where the machines sit are public. If anyone tempers with the machines or manages to pass our security checks, when the system reboots, everything gets back to default.
So, we are installing plugins from chrome web store to our machines and copying their files into our OS skeleton prior to building. When it builds, it takes chrome ang plugins along.
Did I answer you?
Thank you again.

[Rob--W]

@brunomoulin
Managed installations are typically used in enterprises and organizations. This feature allows administrators to set default settings for Chrome. For more info, see
http://www.chromium.org/administrators/.

I'm bringing it up because I'm wondering how you're going to use the requested hand tool preference feature. The feature is only useful if your deployment infrastructure supports remembering changed default preferences. One way to set defaults is through managed extensions (as mentioned before).
Another method is to install the extension, set the default preferences and then take a snapshot of the disk.

If my explanation is still not clear, feel free to mail me if you prefer to discuss this in private.

[brunomoulin]

Hi, Rob.
Thank you for the reply and sorry for delaying mine.
We do use managed installations. I just wasn't linking it with its name...
Anyways, we could also use firefox which works with grab and drag plugin...
Btw, I have 3 more questions for you:

• do you know of a reason why grab / touch plugins doesn't work anymore
  with chrome's built in reader?
• or doesn't with pdf.js on chrome and do in firefox?.
• Pdf.js had an issue with embedded documents, is it gone? It seems to be
  crashing less...

Thank you for you time and support.
Bruno

On Tue, May 13, 2014 at 8:55 PM, Rob Wu notifications@github.com wrote:

@brunomoulin https://github.com/brunomoulin
Managed installations are typically used in enterprises and organizations.
This feature allows administrators to set default settings for Chrome. For
more info, see
http://www.chromium.org/administrators/.

I'm bringing it up because I'm wondering how you're going to use the
requested hand tool preference feature. The feature is only useful if your
deployment infrastructure supports remembering changed default preferences.
One way to set defaults is through managed extensions (as mentioned before).
Another method is to install the extension, set the default preferences
and then take a snapshot of the disk.

If my explanation is still not clear, feel free to mail me if you prefer
to discuss this in private.

—
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHubhttps://github.com//issues/3042#issuecomment-43027641
.

(Mt 19:17) ... Não há bom senão um só, que é Deus ...

[Rob--W]

Hi, Rob.
Thank you for the reply and sorry for delaying mine.
We do use managed installations. I just wasn't linking it with its name...
Anyways, we could also use firefox which works with grab and drag plugin...
Btw, I have 3 more questions for you:

• do you know of a reason why grab / touch plugins doesn't work anymore
  with chrome's built in reader?

Chrome's built-in reader is a closed-source application that cannot be extended with extensions.

• or doesn't with pdf.js on chrome and do in firefox?.

PDF.js is built-in in Firefox, and available as an extension for Chrome (https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/pdf-viewer/oemmndcbldboiebfnladdacbdfmadadm).

• Pdf.js had an issue with embedded documents, is it gone? It seems to be
  crashing less...

Not sure what you mean by "Embedded documents"? Yesterday, I published a new version of the Chrome extension that includes support for certain ways of embedding PDF files in a web page (#4549). This could have affected your PDF viewing experience in a positive way.

A few weeks ago, I submitted patches to Chromium that enhances the experience for embedded PDFs (in frames). This feature will be available in Chrome 36. (currently, PDFs open in a new tab because of technical limitations; starting from Chrome 36, embedded PDFs will be displayed directly in the page)

Thank you for you time and support.
Bruno

To get back to your previous request, since you appear to be using managed installations, I think that using managed storage will be the most effective way to configure the PDF viewer with your default settings. Have you ever configured Chrome through policies? If so, preconfiguring the PDF Viewer will be no different to you.

(note that this feature does not exist yet - I will add it in the future)