Troubleshooting Chrome apps in ChromeOS Kiosk mode

[Ben Roberts]

Is there any way to access developer tools or console when an app is running in ChromeOS kiosk mode? The problem is that I see some different behavoirs/styling when I run an app in kiosk mode than when I run it from chrome or just from the ChromeOS desktop (where I have access to developer tools).  Similarly to how I can debug android webviews from a Chrome browser on my desktop when its attached to my android device, is there any way to debug a ChromeOS app in kiosk mode? 

The other problem I have is that the only way I can "test" updates in kiosk mode is by publishing an updated to the (unlisted) app and waiting for it to process (10-60 minutes), restart the ChromeBox and look.  Not a great scenario.

[Ben Wells]

+some people who know about kiosk mode.

On Sat, Jun 14, 2014 at 3:16 AM, Ben Roberts <b...@nutrislice.com> wrote:

Is there any way to access developer tools or console when an app is running in ChromeOS kiosk mode? The problem is that I see some different behavoirs/styling when I run an app in kiosk mode than when I run it from chrome or just from the ChromeOS desktop (where I have access to developer tools).  Similarly to how I can debug android webviews from a Chrome browser on my desktop when its attached to my android device, is there any way to debug a ChromeOS app in kiosk mode? 

The other problem I have is that the only way I can "test" updates in kiosk mode is by publishing an updated to the (unlisted) app and waiting for it to process (10-60 minutes), restart the ChromeBox and look.  Not a great scenario.

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[Rohit Goyal]

Anyone? 

[Xiyuan Xia]

For easier debugging and testing, it is best to put the device in dev mode.

To run developer tools remotely:

1. Remove rootfs verification if it has not done yet. See in "Making changes to the filesystem" section in  https://www.chromium.org/chromium-os/poking-around-your-chrome-os-device

2. Add the "--remote-debugging-port=<dev-tools-listening-port>" to /etc/chrome_dev.conf,

  e.g. "--remote-debugging-port=9000

3. ssh into your device with your local port forwarded to the dev tools listening port,

  e.g. ssh root@device_ip -L 9000:localhost:9000

4. Run the kiosk app

5. Connect to the remote dev tools from your development machine using a browser. For our examples, you should visit http://localhost:9000/ in a tab and see the list of renders, then pick the one your want to debug;

To test developing app before publishing it (Note this only covers html/css/js change, manifest change is probably better to go through CWS):

1. Run the kiosk app;

2. The app's cryptohome should be mounted under /home/chronos/user on the device and the app should be installed under /home/chronos/user/Extensions/<app_id>;

3. scp the changed html/css/js files from the development machine;

4. Restart the kiosk app

Good luck and have fun.

On Wed, Jan 13, 2016 at 11:47 AM, Jenny Zhang(章瑛) <jen...@chromium.org> wrote:

Debugging ChromeOS

I run into the same update scenario as you. There is a way to set up testing CWS and seems many steps and non-trivial. I am kind of deferring it only I have to. The other way is to write some browser test with mocking cws store. If this is the way you want to go, I can point you to some examples.

Best,

Jenny

[aemsc...@gmail.com]

We have also had issues with troubleshooting customer implementations that are running in Kiosk mode. We believe that the Chrome Management console should be setup with a flag that enables/disables the debug mode in the Chrome Kiosk device. This should automatically start the debugging port and allow a remote Chrome inspector to connect to that device on the debug port. Once the debug is complete, we should be able to uncheck the debug mode in the Chrome Management console. The steps listed below are far from trivial to carry out in any location other than a lab. Request Chrome product management to consider using Chrome Management console to enable/disable debug mode remotely.