Native host connector is not detected
Intro
I was send here by @fmuellner a maintainer with gnome-shell-extensions
. Related comment at GNOME/gnome-shell-extensions#122 (comment 368000)
Challenge
When using https://extensions.gnome.org this error message is return
Although GNOME Shell integration extension is running, native host connector is not detected. Refer documentation for instructions about installing connector.
Steps to Reproduce
- Using Debian Jessie 8 at 64 bit. Using Firefox 60.3.0esr, go to https://extensions.gnome.org
- This message is display at the top of the page
To control GNOME Shell extensions using this site you must install GNOME Shell integration that consists of two parts: browser extension and native host messaging application. Click here to install browser extension. See wiki page for native host connector installation instructions.
- Choose ONE of the following two options:
- Option 1 of 2: Within the message above, click on "Click here to install browser extension" link. Follow the instructions on screen.
- Option 2 of 2: Alternatively install this Firefox add-on at https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/gnome-shell-integration/
- Using option 1 of 2 above, after the installation, the https://extensions.gnome.org page will automatically reload.
- This error message is display
Although GNOME Shell integration extension is running, native host connector is not detected. Refer documentation for instructions about installing connector.
- Still using Firefox, inside the error message above, click on "documentation" link follow the instructions on this page. Notice that all the instructions are for Chrome. Not Firefox. This is confusing.
- The expected result is within the message above, in step 5, when the user click on "Click here to install browser extension" link, no error message are return.
Suggested Resolution
- This Debian package http://ftp.debian.org/debian/pool/main/c/chrome-gnome-shell/chrome-gnome-shell_8-4_all.deb meets all the required dependencies with Debian Jessie 8. But somehow this package is not available in the Debian 8 Jessie repository. Any volunteers to contribute adding it to the repository, or contribute a patch, or a backport, or what else do you recommend? I'm not a developer but would be happy to contribute testing and documentation.
The challenge does seems to be related to "extensions-web" but it does not seem to be the primary and only source of the challenge.
I'm not a developer. I'm a end-user. What is your recommendation about this challenge? If I understand correctly, within the context of this ticket gnome-shell-extensions
requires chrome-gnome-shell
. In other words, it's a dependency. But chrome-gnome-shell
is not within GNOME. chrome-gnome-shell
is within Debian. It's a package. So I'm guessing the correct place to create a ticket for this challenge would be with Debian? Or a mix of both? Or else?
Temporary Workaround
- Using Debian 8 Jessie, using Firefox, go to http://ftp.debian.org/debian/pool/main/c/chrome-gnome-shell/chrome-gnome-shell_8-4_all.deb to download the package
- Using Gnome, using Nautilus
- Right click on “chrome-gnome-shell_8-4_all.deb”
- Navigate to “Open With...” > “Gdebi Package Installer”
- Click on “Install Package” button
- When prompt "Install unauthenticated software?", click on “Yes” button. This package is presently safe, because it comes from debian.org repository.
- Using Firefox
- Go to https://extensions.gnome.org
- Reload this page. Now it works.
- Done. You have successfully temporarily resolved the challenge. The downside of this temporary workaround is that you will not get automated updates. You need to manually update this package.
Notes
- This error can be reproduce with both Firefox 60.3.0esr and Chrome 70.0.3538.102 (Official Build) (64-bit)
- For Chrome browser
- The plug-in is at https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/gnome-shell-integration/gphhapmejobijbbhgpjhcjognlahblep/
- The package "chrome-gnome-shell" is not available for Debian 8 Jessie. Source at https://tracker.debian.org/pkg/chrome-gnome-shell
- Related question at https://unix.stackexchange.com/questions/353962/debian-jessie-unable-to-install-gnome-extension-the-native-host-connector-is-no