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<h1 class="page_title">Packaging</h1>
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<!-- TABLE OF CONTENTS -->
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<h2>Contents</h2>
<ol>
<li>
<a href="#H2-0">Creating a package</a>
<ol>
<li style="display: none; ">
<a>h3Name</a>
</li>
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</li><li>
<a href="#update">Updating a package</a>
<ol>
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<a>h3Name</a>
</li>
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</li><li>
<a href="#H2-2">Packaging at the command line</a>
<ol>
<li style="display: none; ">
<a>h3Name</a>
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</li><li>
<a href="#H2-3">Package format and scripts</a>
<ol>
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<a>h3Name</a>
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<a href="#apiReference">API reference</a>
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<a href="#property-anchor">propertyName</a>
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For information on how to use experimental APIs, see the <a href="experimental.html">chrome.experimental.* APIs</a> page.
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<div id="static"><div id="pageData-name" class="pageData">Packaging</div>
<div id="pageData-showTOC" class="pageData">true</div>
<p>
This page describes how to package your extension.
As the <a href="overview.html">Overview</a> explains,
extensions are packaged as signed ZIP files
with the file extension "crx" —
for example, <code>myextension.crx</code>.
</p>
<p>
<b>Note:</b>
You might not need to package your extension.
If you publish your extension using the
<a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/developer/dashboard">Chrome Developer Dashboard</a>,
then the only reason to create your own <code>.crx</code> file
would be to distribute a non-public version —
for example, to alpha testers.
</p>
<!-- [PENDING: Refer to instructions on submitting an extension for inclusion in the gallery.] -->
<p>
When you package an extension,
the extension is assigned a unique key pair.
The public key is used as the identifier for the extension.
The private key is kept private
and used to sign each version of the extension.
</p>
<a name="H2-0"></a><h2>Creating a package</h2>
<p>To package an extension:</p>
<ol>
<li>
Bring up the Extensions management page
by going to this URL:
<blockquote>
<b>chrome://extensions</b>
</blockquote>
</li>
<li>
If <b>Developer mode</b> has a + by it,
click the +.
</li>
<li>
Click the <b>Pack extension</b> button.
A dialog appears.
</li>
<li>
In the <b>Extension root directory</b> field,
specify the path to the extension's folder —
for example, <code>c:\myext</code>.
(Ignore the other field;
you don't specify a private key file
the first time you package a particular extension.)
</li>
<li>
Click <b>OK</b>.
The packager creates two files:
a <code>.crx</code> file,
which is the actual extension that can be installed,
and a <code>.pem</code> file,
which contains the private key.
</li>
</ol>
<p>
<b>Do not lose the private key!</b>
Keep the <code>.pem</code> file secret and in a safe place.
You'll need it later if you want to do any of the following:
</p>
<ul>
<li><a href="#update">Update</a> the extension</li>
<li>Upload the extension using the
<a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/developer/dashboard">Chrome Developer Dashboard</a></li>
</ul>
<p>
If the extension is successfully packaged, you'll see a dialog like this
that tells you where to find
the <code>.crx</code> and <code>.pem</code> files:</p>
<p></p>
<img src="images/package-success.gif" width="554" height="208">
<h2 id="update">Updating a package</h2>
<p>To create an updated version of your extension:</p>
<ol>
<li>
Increase the version number in <code>manifest.json</code>.
</li>
<li>
Bring up the Extensions management page
by going to this URL: <b>chrome://extensions</b>
</li>
<li>
Click the <b>Pack extension</b> button.
A dialog appears.
</li>
<li>
In the <b>Extension root directory</b> field,
specify the path to the extension's folder —
for example, <code>c:\myext</code>.
</li>
<li>
In the <b>Private key file</b> field,
specify the location of the
already generated <code>.pem</code> file for this extension —
for example, <code>c:\myext.pem</code>.
</li>
<li>
Click <b>OK</b>.
</li>
</ol>
<p>If the updated extension is successfully packaged, you'll see a dialog like this:</p>
<img src="images/update-success.gif" width="298" height="160">
<a name="H2-2"></a><h2>Packaging at the command line</h2>
<p>
Another way to package extensions
is by invoking <code>chrome.exe</code> at the command line.
Use the <code>--pack-extension</code> flag
to specify the location of the extension's folder.
Use <code>--pack-extension-key</code>
to specify the location of the extension's private key file.
For example:
</p>
<pre>chrome.exe --pack-extension=c:\myext --pack-extension-key=c:\myext.pem
</pre>
<p>
To suppress the dialog,
add <code>--no-message-box</code> to the command.
</p>
<a name="H2-3"></a><h2>Package format and scripts</h2>
<p>
For more information on the format, as well as pointers to scripts you can use
to create <code>.crx</code> files, see <a href="crx.html">CRX package format</a>.
</p>
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<!-- API PAGE -->
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<h2>API reference: chrome.apiname </h2>
<!-- PROPERTIES -->
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<h3 id="properties">Properties</h3>
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<!-- Note: intentionally longer 80 columns -->
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<!-- Note: intentionally longer 80 columns -->
<span>chrome.module.methodName</span>(<span><span>, </span><span></span>
<var><span></span></var></span>)</div>
<div class="description">
<p class="todo">Undocumented.</p>
<p>
A description from the json schema def of the function goes here.
</p>
<!-- PARAMETERS -->
<h4>Parameters</h4>
<dl>
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<div>
</div>
</div>
</dl>
<!-- RETURNS -->
<h4>Returns</h4>
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</div>
</div>
</dl>
<!-- CALLBACK -->
<div>
<div>
<h4>Callback function</h4>
<p>
The callback <em>parameter</em> should specify a function
that looks like this:
</p>
<p>
If you specify the <em>callback</em> parameter, it should
specify a function that looks like this:
</p>
<!-- Note: intentionally longer 80 columns -->
<pre>function(<span>Type param1, Type param2</span>) <span class="subdued">{...}</span>;</pre>
<dl>
<div>
<div>
</div>
</div>
</dl>
</div>
</div>
<!-- MIN_VERSION -->
<p>
This function was added in version <b><span></span></b>.
If you require this function, the manifest key
<a href="manifest.html#minimum_chrome_version">minimum_chrome_version</a>
can ensure that your extension won't be run in an earlier browser version.
</p>
</div> <!-- /description -->
</div> <!-- /apiItem -->
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<!-- EVENTS -->
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<a></a>
<h3>Events</h3>
<!-- iterates over all events -->
<div class="apiItem">
<a></a>
<h4>event name</h4>
<div class="summary">
<!-- Note: intentionally longer 80 columns -->
<span class="subdued">chrome.bookmarks</span><span>onEvent</span><span class="subdued">.addListener</span>(function(<span>Type param1, Type param2</span>) <span class="subdued">{...}</span>);
</div>
<div class="description">
<p class="todo">Undocumented.</p>
<p>
A description from the json schema def of the event goes here.
</p>
<!-- PARAMETERS -->
<div>
<h4>Parameters</h4>
<dl>
<div>
<div>
</div>
</div>
</dl>
</div>
</div> <!-- /decription -->
</div> <!-- /apiItem -->
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<!-- iterates over all types -->
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<h4>type name</h4>
<div>
</div>
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