6

The website https://extensions.gnome.org is supposed to be the main tool for installing and managing GNOME shell extensions. How do I enable it on NixOS 18.03?

When I accessed that website with Firefox on GNOME 3, I got the following information:

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.

Screenshot of error message: "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."

So I've added pkgs.chrome-gnome-shell and pkgs.gnome3.gnome-shell-extensions to environment.systemPackages in /etc/nixos/configuration.nix, rebuilt, rebooted and installed the "GNOME Shell integration" Firefox extension offered by https://extensions.gnome.org. With that, https://extensions.gnome.org displays the error message

Although GNOME Shell integration extension is running, native host connector is not detected. Refer documentation for instructions about installing connector.

Screenshot of error message "Although GNOME Shell integration extension is running, native host connector is not detected. Refer documentation for instructions about installing connector."

What am I missing?

Improve this question

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
5

As the longDescription for chrome-gnome-shell says, you'll have to set a specific gnome3 and a specific firefox option. To do so, include the following in /etc/nixos/configuration.nix and rebuild:

  nixpkgs.config.firefox.enableGnomeExtensions = true;
  services.gnome3.chrome-gnome-shell.enable = true;

(Unfortunately, these options aren't listed on https://nixos.org/nixos/options.html)

You don't have to explicitly list chrome-gnome-shell and gnome3.gnome-shell-extensions as system packages, as they will be pulled in as dependencies. The "GNOME Shell integration" Firefox extension will still have to be installed by the user through Firefox, though, as you did.

Improve this answer
3
  • Thanks to acowley on IRC for making me aware of these options.
    – das-g
    Commented Apr 12, 2018 at 9:58
  • 1
    I tried this myself and it isn't working for me. Still getting the host connector missing error. 'tis perplexing. I've rebooted since the rebuild, I've double checked that the Firefox extension is installed.
    – Josh Pinto
    Commented Apr 17, 2018 at 12:25
  • 1
    There is currently an issue with where nixpkgs places the native-messaging-host json manifest: Firefox does not look in the current directory nixpkgs installs the manifest. A workaround: 1. determine the location of the the manifest org.gnome.chrome_gnome_shell.json 2. place under ~/.mozilla/native-messaging-hosts/
    – CoreyOConnor
    Commented Oct 29, 2018 at 19:41

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .