I've written a Chrome extension that overrides the New Tab page:
manifest.json:
"chrome_url_overrides": {
"newtab": "new-tab.html"
},
Is there a way to make this override optional? That is, I'd like to enable the user to uncheck a checkbox in the options page and disable the New Tab override. This must be possible because when I open a new tab for the first time, there's a popup informing of an extension changing the New Tab settings and asking whether to keep changes or restore settings:
I couldn't find any API for controlling overrides. The New Tab Redirect project doesn't have an option to display the native New Tab.
Google made a Star Wars new tab replacement which allows you to view the default new tab page. The url it uses is chrome-search://local-ntp/local-ntp.html. Example:
options.html:
<input type="checkbox"> Use default new tab page
options.js:
var checkbox = document.querySelector("input[type=checkbox]")
checkbox.addEventListener("click", function() {
chrome.storage.sync.set({ defaultnewtab: checkbox.checked })
})
newtab.js:
chrome.storage.sync.get("defaultnewtab", function(storage) {
if(storage.defaultnewtab) {
chrome.tabs.update({ url: "chrome-search://local-ntp/local-ntp.html" })
}
})
Instead of using the chrome_url_override
you could write a listener that listens for when tabs update using the chrome.tabs.onUpdated.addListener()
, then check if the url is chrome://newtab/ and if it is and the check box is ticked, then using chrome.tabs.update()
relocate them to another page.
Using the Star Wars method as described @Daniel Herr, I did this, which is working well. Although feels a little hack-y.
I have an option being set in the popup.html
whether the Extension is "on" or not.
First off, set the default new tab page using the Chrome defined method:
manifest.json
"chrome_url_overrides": {
"newtab": "newtab.html"
},
Then in your Extension's newtab.html
call a new JavaScript file, newtab.js
(or whatever).
I am also using jQuery, so my code uses that, but you can do this natively using DOMContentLoaded.
newtab.js
$(document).ready(function(){
// It takes a moment for the Chrome query/update so sometimes there is a flash of content
// Hiding the Body makes it look blank/white until either redirected or shown
$('body').hide();
var background = chrome.extension.getBackgroundPage();
var _app = background._app;
// App is OFF, show Default New Tab
if(!_app._on){
// Get the current Tab
chrome.tabs.query({ active: true, currentWindow: true }, function(tabs) {
var active = tabs[0].id;
// Set the URL to the Local-NTP (New Tab Page)
chrome.tabs.update(active, { url: "chrome-search://local-ntp/local-ntp.html" }, function() { });
});
// App is ON, show custom content
} else {
$('body').show();
}
});
Basically, the methodology is to update the Tab so that it is redirected to chrome-search://local-ntp/local-ntp.html
which is the hard URL to the default Chrome NTP.
Since this is a Chrome internal URL -- the URL field still appears blank.