Error when installing Hosted Chrome Extension

Question

I built a chrome extension. I don't want to host it (yet) in the chrome webstore. I want to self host it. I have packaged the .crx, and deployed it to my localhost. Here is the code I use to serve it:

app.get('/myext.crx', function(req, res){
  var file = __dirname + '/public/myext.crx';
  res.download(file);
});

Then I have an anchor tag that points to the file:

<a href="/myext.crx">Install <strong>myExt for Chrome</strong></a>

When it downloads, it has the correct content-type header (per the instructions http://developer.chrome.com/extensions/hosting.html). Here is the info from the Network tab in Chrome Devtools when I click the anchor:

**Response Headers**
Connection:keep-alive
Content-Description:File Transfer
Content-disposition:attachment; filename=myext.crx
Content-type:application/x-chrome-extension
Date:Sat, 14 Dec 2013 07:09:46 GMT
Transfer-Encoding:chunked
X-Powered-By:Express

It all looks good, but Chrome still shows me the yellow banner error saying "Apps, extensions, and user scripts cannot be added from this website".

Am I missing a setting in the manifest? Can someone tell me what the issue is? Does it have anything to do with the fact that I am serving on localhost and the "homepage_url" and the "update_url" both point to my actual domain name?

Anyone, please.

UPDATE It downloads the file, but gives me the aforementioned error. If I open Tools > Extensions and then drag the file from the bottom of Chrome onto the Extensions page, it won't install it. Nothing happens. HOWEVER, if I open a Finder window and drag it from the Finder window onto Tools > Extensions page, it installs fine.

Not sure if this info helps or not.

Answer 1

Chrome is starting to block extension installs that are not from the Chrome Web Store. If you don't want an extension to be fully published in the CWS, you can limit the audience with the publish to test accounts or accessible by URL only features.