Google has a new (to me, at least) way they're dealing with "apps" in the Chrome Web Store. They've separated those into Websites & Apps & left Extensions as-is. In their infinite wisdom, they also decided that they should create a "Chrome App Launcher" shortcut on the desktop when you install an App. So, today there is this shortcut on the desktop because I installed Google Keep in Chrome Portable. It points at my PAc Chrome Profile but it did not get removed when I closed Chrome Portable. I'm not quite sure what should happen with it but I don't think it should be left behind.
John, would you please take a look at this? I've intentionally left it on my desktop in case you need more info but I'd think it's easily reproducible. Thanks!
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Creating a taskbar pin automatically is a violation of the Windows program guidelines, so that should not be happening. I run every copy of Google Chrome before we push it out (Stable, Beta and Dev) on Windows 7 and it isn't happening here.
I also don't use any of those Google Chrome 'apps' so that's why it may not have happened to me. The Google Chrome apps install locally, not within Chrome. Extensions will install within Chrome.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
there's more! It's not a taskbar pin, at least for me since I'm still running XP. It's a regular old desktop shortcut icon that simply says "Chrome App Launcher." The icon is set to launch Chrome using my profile wtih a --show-app-list parameter. Clicking it gets me a miniature version of the Apps pages that are normally shown as part of the Chrome New Tab page. It has its own 3-line menu icon that just shows the user profile name, Settings, Help & Feedback. It also has a Search box on the same row with the nenu icon.
I think the Apps actually do still install within Chrome proper, not locally. I see signs of them in my Profile directories & some can actually be disabled on the Extensions page within Chrome. I don't see any traces of them outside of Chrome - other than this desktop icon. I think what differentiates Chrome Apps from Websites or Extensions is that they can run within the browser without being online & they use local storage within the profile to store their data for that offline access. But they're still Chrome Apps so they're "installed" within Chrome itself, not some separate place in the file system.
Would you try installing one to see, John? I'm running Beta if you think it matters...
It's actually pretty cool, though. Would it be possible for you to make a launcher for chrome portable? I know this is simple enough to run from a batch file, but I hardly know any NSI scripts, so I'm not sure how to run it in a way that would be portable.
Code from start menu:
chrome.exe --show-app-listI tried this with current stable on Win XP. Logged in and installed Angry Birds. Got no Chrome App Launcher on the desktop.
Is there any way you can create a reproducible set of steps to cause the shortcut to be created? I'd like to get this addressed.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!
Yeah, um I did this on 7. I found this link: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/launcher, clicked it, it asks if you want to 'install' it, and it pops up. I know for a fact that it runs off chrome.exe and not app_host.exe or wow_helper.exe.
I think I may have figured it out. All you would need to do is make an executible out of this. Run as batch file and it should be fine.
start GoogleChromePortable.exe --show-app-listIt APPEARS to be fully portable, as it runs through the launcher. The 'profile' folder appeared when I first-launched through this, so I don't think it should leave anything behind. You may want to test this, though.
I thought you should know this. It generated a 'settings' link in unpinned windows 7 start menu. However, it didn't change the start menu entry for the admin-installed chrome. I don't know how it reacts to the registry.
If I install the "Pocket" (Formerly Read it Later) app, it pins a shortcut to the Taskbar, makes a Desktop shortcut, makes a Google Chrome folder in Start Menu with the shortcut, and makes a start menu folder called Chrome Apps with Pocket in it.
If I do not run them (because that would run Chrome out of PAL), and close Chrome, the shortcuts remain but no Data is left behind. I can then delete these shortcuts and they don't come back (maybe installing more apps that trigger the app launcher would).
So the custom launcher should prevent these shortcuts from appearing/backup local chrome shortcuts, and make a PAL entry for the App Launcher.
Any apps you install will cause the launcher to appear. While we portablize Chrome extensions, apps will not be portablized or tested and are not recommended. Chrome apps are designed for local installs only.
Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!