9

There is this particular chat app called Line but it does not provide Linux version. But thankfully the developer made a chrome extension. In the past, extensions were integrated with chrome://apps so it was very easy to add shortcut to desktop. Line also does not provide the web version like WhatsApp or Microsoft Teams so cannot add shortcut directly. Any help would be highly appreciated. Line extension (top right corner) does not show up on chrome app list:

Line extension (top right corner) does not show up on chrome app list

I'm running Chrome 87.0.4280.88 on Ubuntu 20.04.01 64 bit

Raffa
  • 35,113
Farhan Hafizh
  • 183
  • 1
  • 6

2 Answers2

11

All you really would have to do is get the Chrome Extension ID of the app and then add it to a .desktop file.

Goto chrome://extensions and that will bring them all up. Look for the app in question:

Details of a Chrome extension called LINE. Its ID is "ophjlpahpchlmihnnnihgmmeilfjmjjc".

Then add that ID with a /index.html at the end of it to the command that Google Chrome will launch. For example, a "Line Chat.desktop" with the following lines:

[Desktop Entry]
Version=1.0
Type=Application
Name=Line Chat
Comment=Line Chat
Exec=google-chrome --app="chrome-extension://ophjlpahpchlmihnnnihgmmeilfjmjjc/index.html"
Icon=
Path=
Terminal=false
StartupNotify=false

You can always find an icon you like and add it to the Icon= line.

The --app=<url> argument tells Chrome to launch in app mode, hiding UI elements. If you want the extension page to open in an ordinary tab, use something like

Exec=google-chrome "chrome-extension://ophjlpahpchlmihnnnihgmmeilfjmjjc/index.html"

instead.

Hope this helps!

Kisaragi Hiu
  • 113
Terrance
  • 43,852
  • This definitely worked! But one thing, I couldn't launch the .desktop right away. I had to copy the file to /usr/share/applications and the launch it from app launcher. But it will open Line on a Chrome window with tabs, not as individual app. So i made a shortcut again directly from Chrome. Now it's perfect. Thank you very much!

    I'm sorry if my comment doesn't make sense or have grammatical error here and there. English not my first language.

     – Farhan Hafizh Dec 22 '20 at 15:02
  • @FarhanHafizh ~/.local/share/applications is enough. Create if not exists already. Also, the icon can be found from find ~ -iname '*line*'. – Polv May 23 '21 at 03:26
  • I need this for mac and windows as well – Alexandra larosa Aug 11 '23 at 14:38
  • @Alexandralarosa If you are wanting just a short cut to the Google Chrome apps you have installed, just bring up your Google Chrome browser, go to chrome://apps, then right-click the app and choose Create Shortcut. It will make you a desktop, start menu and quick launch shortcut for whatever app you want. – Terrance Aug 12 '23 at 14:15
  • @Terrance No I want to go to chrome-extension://ilfhfhffaipnjdlbgfkeljalig/app.html from desktop for each OS. – Alexandra larosa Aug 16 '23 at 11:26
1

Note that the URL="..." must point to a valid file. Not all extensions have a index.html in the root folder. Sometimes you have to "dig" a bit to find them.

kgingeri
  • 11