CODEWITHSUNDEEP
google-chrome-extension
user2398029
user2398029

Reputation: 6947

Only allow one active instance of a Chrome extension

I have a Chrome extension which needs to be open only in one window per machine at a time. What would be the best way to enforce this condition? For example, is there a mechanism to point the user to an existing tab running the extension, if there exists such a tab?

The relevant parts of my manifest file are as follows:

manifest.json

{

    "manifest_version": 2,

    "browser_action": {
        "default_icon": "/img/favicon.ico",
        "popup": "main.html"
    },

    "background": {
      "scripts": ["open.js"]
    }

}

And the open.js reads as follows:

open.js

chrome.browserAction.onClicked.addListener(function(tab) {
  chrome.tabs.create({'url': chrome.extension.getURL('test.html')}, function(tab) {
  });
});

Upvotes: 2

Views: 2601

Answers (1)

Santiago Angel
Santiago Angel

Reputation: 1137

Update Updated to also include focusing on a tab that is in a different window

Since no one posted the answer to this question here it is, taken from Rob W's github as linked in the comments under the question https://github.com/Rob--W/stackexchange-notifications/blob/8947b9982cd7b9e04ccf0ef23510571f39d33c4e/Chrome/using-websocket.js#L66-L82.

This is a more basic version replacing the openTab() function found in the original code with the basic command to open a new tab.

var options_url = chrome.extension.getURL('options.html');
chrome.tabs.query({
    url: options_url
}, function(tabs) {
    if (tabs.length == 0) {
        chrome.tabs.create({ url: "main.html" });
    } else {
        // If there's more than one, close all but the first
        for (var i=1; i<tabs.length; i++)
            chrome.tabs.remove(tabs[i].id);
        // And focus the options page
        chrome.tabs.update(tabs[0].id, {active: true});
        chrome.windows.update(tabs[0].windowId, {focused:true})
    }
});

Upvotes: 3

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