October 17, 2008

Google Chrome to Add Greasemonkey Support

A recent build of Chromium, the open source project behind Google Chrome, added support for user scripts. For now, the support is limited: Chromium reads the scripts from the hard-coded directory c:\scripts and it ignores the @include metadata which restricts scripts to one or more web addresses. To enable Greasemonkey support, you need to use the flag: --enable-greasemonkey, for example by appending it to the target of a shortcut.

I tested the Greasemonkey support with the old script Linkifier, which turns text URLs and email addresses into links.


The new feature has been contributed by Aaron Boodman, the creator of the Greasemonkey extension for Firefox, who happens to work at Google.

In September, Google's Sundar Pichai said that Chrome will have an API for extensions. "We don't have that in the beta today, but we definitely plan an extension API. It is one of the things we will get to next." It seems that Google Chrome will provide native support for Greasemonkey scripts before releasing the API.

Tips:
* to get early access to developer-oriented Google Chrome builds, subscribe to the Dev Channel and read the release notes.
* the latest Chromium snapshots are available at the BuildBot site, but they don't support Google's auto-updater and they're less stable than the official releases. You only need to download the file chrome-win32.zip from the most recent folder.
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28 comments:

  1. AnonymousOctober 17, 2008 at 5:42 PM

    Sounds like something to look forward into...

    ReplyDelete
  2. AnonymousOctober 17, 2008 at 6:15 PM

    I have heard lot's of good things about it, so I'm going to try it out right now and let you know what I really think about it!

    ReplyDelete
  3. dudtnOctober 17, 2008 at 6:36 PM

    how can I use this?

    I don't know what it means

    "you need to use the flag: --enable-greasemonkey, for example by appending it to the target of a shortcut."

    ReplyDelete
  4. UnknownOctober 17, 2008 at 7:37 PM

    Will someone please explain how exactly to use Chromium? I'm not really using Chrome for the stability, so if it crashes, I won't be too disappointed anyway. I just want to test the new features and be of even more help to Google while getting the new features first!

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  5. UnknownOctober 17, 2008 at 7:41 PM

    Oh sorry, I thought this was different from the general developer build (which I am already using). I'll try this now!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Alex ChituOctober 18, 2008 at 12:36 AM

    @dudtn:
    To install Chromium, you can go to this page, click on the most recent folder (it should be at the top) and download either mini_installer.exe (setup) or chrome-win32.zip (portable archive).

    After running the setup or extracting the archive to a folder, make sure you have a shortcut to chrome.exe on the desktop. Right-click on the shortcut, select "Properties" and append to the "Target" field:
    --enable-greasemonkey

    It should look like this:
    C:\Users\Dan\AppData\Local\Chromium\Application\chrome.exe --enable-greasemonkey
    (standard path in Windows Vista)

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  7. AnonymousOctober 18, 2008 at 3:41 AM

    It sounds interesting!

    ReplyDelete
  8. HunnterOctober 18, 2008 at 5:08 AM

    While i would love to try this, i might wait till it ages a little bit so we have full support for it.
    While admittedly the URL choosing (#include) not being present doesn't really matter with my user scripts, still...

    Although, with user scripts up and running even now, it can be used to add your own styles. (global, but you could create a little checkbox that will dynamically add and remove it)

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  9. AnonymousOctober 18, 2008 at 8:31 AM

    You guys can't even get a simple Gmail gadget right, how the hell do you expect us to believe you can get an entire browser or (shudder to think) an entire OPERATING SYSTEM right? Should we expect the same lame responsiveness to user complaints that we, or at least I personally, have seen, with your other stuff? Keep a bloggin bro! Great job Google! Sheesh.

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  10. AnonymousOctober 18, 2008 at 9:00 AM

    I don't use so many user scripts. But, my daily browsing and productivity heavily depend on the myriad of extensions available in Firefox.

    Until comparable extensions are available, Chrome will be my secondary to my Firefox (IE has been moved to third alternative).

    Looking forward to the extensions on Chrome...

    ReplyDelete
  11. KenBW2October 18, 2008 at 4:02 PM

    Oh, so I can inally get my google web history woring with Google's browser? Been doing this in Opera for ages anyway.

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  12. AnonymousOctober 18, 2008 at 5:16 PM

    all the greasy adblocking js dont work with it. which means to me it means nothing

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  13. Guy DeridetOctober 18, 2008 at 8:17 PM

    Please don't forget Chrome accept all bookmarklets ! That's not as convenient as extensions but works great and there are bookmarklets for all ! For example : Adblock bookmarklet...

    I always use last Chromium releases (with a lot of bookmarklets) I work the whole day on the Web (I'm a blogger) and never got a crash until today ! Not bad for a beta.

    If I can add now Greasemonkey scripts I think my Chrome will shine a lot.

    Even if Firefox 3.1 is very good (with all my extensions enabled with fantastic "Nightly tester tools" Chrome compared to Firefox is like driving a Ferrari compared to driving a big BMW.

    BMW are nice but if I can choose I prefer Ferrari !

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  14. Guy DeridetOctober 18, 2008 at 10:09 PM

    Just discovered a simpler way to install Greasemonkey scripts in Chrome, or Chromium.

    It's called Greasemetal ans can be found here :
    http://greasemetal.31tools.com/dist/GreasemetalInstaller.exe

    Just install this tiny program, then copy all your js scripts to : \program files\greasemetal\userjs and bingo !

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  15. SBBGOctober 19, 2008 at 5:08 AM

    So... When is Linux version??

    ReplyDelete
  16. Mike ChelenOctober 19, 2008 at 7:01 AM

    the cool thing about greasemonkey is that scripts can be cross-browser compatible

    they are also easier for anyone to update and modify

    @sbbg
    check out http://www.codeweavers.com/services/ports/chromium/

    ReplyDelete
  17. hute37October 20, 2008 at 5:48 AM

    so you can add Rockmaster's iGoogle Sidebar Collapse

    http://userscripts.org/scripts/show/30414#about-comments

    to remove "ugly" iGoogle left sidebar ;)

    ReplyDelete
  18. AnonymousOctober 21, 2008 at 3:19 AM

    Chrome is still crashing my touchpad... when final version comes out.. will test it again.. till then, firefox rulez

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  19. AnonymousOctober 22, 2008 at 11:50 PM

    This is a powerful tool

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  20. TopioOctober 26, 2008 at 10:56 PM

    This was a critical feature that gor dropped in the rush to ship chrome.
    this, and the lack of support for the google toolbar made chrome unusable for many users

    ReplyDelete
  21. AnonymousOctober 28, 2008 at 12:17 PM

    I have Chromium and appended the shortcut, but when I install a GreaseMonkey script it just downloads the javascript and nothing happens. Where do I put the script?

    ReplyDelete
  22. Alex ChituOctober 28, 2008 at 12:20 PM

    Where do I put the script?

    In the folder c:\scripts.

    ReplyDelete
  23. AnonymousNovember 15, 2008 at 3:19 PM

    awesome... we already have adblocking in Iron Chromium

    http://srware.net/en/software_srware_iron_news.php


    now we'll have more control.. hopefully soon something like JS CAPS!

    http://controledescripts.mozdev.org/help/CAPS.xhtml

    ReplyDelete
  24. AnonymousNovember 21, 2008 at 1:54 AM

    I wonder why, after i enable greasemonkey in chrome, i am now able to load feed in google reader.

    anybody has the same situation?

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  25. UnknownJanuary 28, 2009 at 4:34 AM

    I Am Trying To Open Net in google chrome but it is not opning so plz help

    ReplyDelete
  26. resveratrolMay 22, 2009 at 9:15 PM

    It sounds very interesting This is a powerful tool I don't use so many user scripts. But, my daily browsing and productivity heavily depend on the myriad of extensions available in Firefox.

    ReplyDelete
  27. Neto CurySeptember 6, 2009 at 7:44 AM

    Where do I put the script in the Ubuntu? My installation path is:
    /usr/lib/chromium-browser/

    Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  28. AnonymousJune 7, 2010 at 8:23 AM

    This extension for Google Chrome supports the Greasemonkey functions so you can use most of the scripts on userscripts.org

    http://blankcanvasweb.com/pages/id_143/n_chrome_script_handler/

    ReplyDelete

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