Google Docs canvas

[Denis Khrykin]

Hello!

Our Chrome extension is used on all websites, we provide additional functionality for text forms, the whole thing is reliant on HTML. Recently Google Docs migrated to canvas rendering so now there's no way to access the text of a document. The question is - how can we access the API of that canvas (if it exists)? Our company still wants to provide services across all websites, including Google Docs, without migrating to Workspace Addons, we don't want to go extra mile just for that because the functionality is basically ready - we just need to access the text (we need to read and replace it).

We heard about Annotated Canvas but there's no public info available, and we already submitted this form but got no response whatsoever.

[Stefan Van Damme]

Hi there,

Use the Google Workspace Add-ons framework as the blog said (announced on May 2021). 

Source: https://workspaceupdates.googleblog.com/2021/05/Google-Docs-Canvas-Based-Rendering-Update.html
If you need help with add-on development, see that support page:

https://developers.google.com/apps-script/add-ons/support/workspace-support

Thanks,
Stefan vd

[Alexander Radyushin]

It seems that Google Workspace Add-ons framework can't be used for Chrome extensions. A separate add-on specifically for Google Docs has to be created, and it will be not available in Chrome store. Hence, no functionality available for Chrome extensions to read and modify pages in Google Docs. 

However, some Chrome extension like Grammarly, LanguageTool, and Wordtune are able to access and modify Google Docs document using Annotated Canvas.

Is there any established solution on how this can be achieved by other Chrome extension?

Thank you,

Alex

[Erek Speed]

I have only thought about it a bit, but there may be a way to create a google workspace add-on that communicates with your chrome extension to give it the information you need. This would mainly depend on what features you needed specifically.

Otherwise, the blog post linked above has a form you can fill out if you're not able to migrate your extension to google workspace add-on and that should start you on the path to getting whitelisted for annotated canvas and documentation.

2023年2月6日(月) 18:41 Alexander Radyushin <kom...@gmail.com>:

--
You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Chromium Extensions" group.
To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to chromium-extens...@chromium.org.
To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/a/chromium.org/d/msgid/chromium-extensions/09f64541-87a4-42bb-8c65-8fadbd68d812n%40chromium.org.

[Alexander Radyushin]

Thank you for your suggestion regarding the use of Google workspace add-on as a gateway for Chrome extension. We will try this idea.

As for the form mentioned in the blog post - We have submitted the form, unfortunately, there is zero response. May be it’s because we are not a paying Google Workspace customer, just a guess, even though the extension it pretty popular with hundreds of thousands of active users. Many of them request the ability to work in Google Docs, and we are not able to do so due to recent changes. 

If anybody knows anything about other way to be whitelisted for annotated canvas to be able to access Google Docs from Chrome extension, please share it here. 

[Stefan Van Damme]

Hi everyone,

Have you tried to contact the community at the Developer Workspace?

https://www.googlecloudcommunity.com/gc/Workspace-Developer/bd-p/workspace-dev

Thanks,

Stefan vd

[Alexander Radyushin]

I have just added the post there https://www.googlecloudcommunity.com/gc/Workspace-Developer/Annotated-Canvas-in-Google-Docs-for-Chrome-Extension/m-p/518624#M1124

Hopefully this will allow getting some constructive assistance as it looks like we are hitting the wall here.