Volumio Chrome Web App

Ok, so I’m no developer, but I’ve created a chrome web app in 5 minutes by following this tutorial: omgchrome.com/how-to-create- … e-web-app/

As I usually have 100 tabs open in my browser, the Volumio web interface often got lost among them. This web app enables Volumio to have its own start menu icon and compact window.

(BTW, you don’t need to have Chrome open to use the web apps, you just need it installed, so you can still use your favourite browser. Apps can be launched from the Chrome App Launcher https://support.google.com/chrome_webstore/answer/3060053)

Here’s my code:

{ "name": "Volumio", "description": "Audiophile Music Player", "version": "1.0.0", "manifest_version": 2, "icons": { "128": "volumio128.png" }, "app": { "urls": [ "http://volumio/" ], "launch": { "web_url": "http://volumio/" } } }

The web_url and urls field above will not work on Android or Linux so you’ll have to put in your Pi’s local IP address instead.

And here’s the icon I used:

You need to go to settings/extensions in Chrome and tick developer mode. Then you can import the web app. The app looks especially good if you go to your apps in Chrome: chrome://apps/ , right-click on the Volumio web app and select “open as window”.

Alternatively, does someone who has a Google/Chrome developer account and knows how to code (preferably Michelangelo) want to publish this so it’s much easier to install and searchable in the Chrome Store? It would be good advertising too. Otherwise, with Michelangelo’s permission, I’ll publish it.

Info here: https://developer.chrome.com/webstore/publish

I guess the app would work with Chromebooks and maybe Android devices with the Chrome browser.

Here’s a screenshot:

Really good idea.

Same here!

I will try it tomorrow and will speak to michelangelo about a offical chrome web app.

Some enterprising guys have now managed to enable the conversion of Android apps to Chrome extensions. So now you can use some Android apps on Chromebooks and laptops/desktops with the Chrome browser installed.

For those that are interested in doing this (there are other methods too), what you’ll need are:

When you achieved all the above, go into the Chrome browser settings and to the Extensions menu. Here you need to enable Developer Mode and then choose “load unpacked extension” and choose the folder of the runtime from above. That should show up with a few errors, but it doesn’t seem to matter.

Then you need to use the APK packager to process the app you want. Do that and send it to your laptop via the share option. Unpack that zip file and install in the same manner as the runtime into the Chrome extensions menu. Again, there might be errors, but should now be installed

I have done this with mpdroid and it works okay, but it’s a little sluggish compared to the Volumio app in the original post. The biggest advantage is the ability to play cue files.

EDIT: The runtime does seem to use a full CPU core whilst running mpdroid on Windows 7. Not sure if that’s a bug, or that it needs a fair bit of processing power running the app on-the-fly.

Thank you Twerp! I’ve included it in the Chrome web store!
chrome.google.com/webstore/deta … ccjachclef

Had to make some adjustment to it prior to publishing… Like poining it to ui.volumio.org , which redirects to volumio

Enjoy!

That’s great!

Do you think it’s possible to do a similar app for Android itself based on the same principle? That would be really cool.

Yes, I’m thinking on something… Probably a remote js which will find out the Volumio’s IP… I’ll keep you posted!

Strangely, my web app has stopped working. The Volumio UI still works fine from a normal browser window though.

How hard would it be to include a settings page where you could input the IP address of your Volumio device? Using the raw IP address might work better, especially for those on a Linux-based OS.

I changed the redirection from volumio.local

Probably this has broke your linux system, guess you don’t have bonjour installed…

I’m on Windows 7! Typing “http://volumio/” into the URL bar works, “http://volumio.local/” doesn’t.

Weird, because it worked at the start. Did the app update since I downloaded the first version?

Yes, I implemented this change to make it work with Mac OS X…
volumio-chrome-web-app-published-t1798.html

Now I know it breaks Win discovery…
I’m thinking on implementing a nodejs app on ui.volumio.org to discover the device on local network and redirect to the IP. This will be the perfect solution, since it will be cross platform…
I’m looking on how to implement this. Does somebody want to help on that?

I wish I could but I know nothing about coding.

Could you not implement options in the app in the meantime? Give them radio button options between volumio.local/ or even enable them to type in the IP address of Volumio on their network? See here:

https://developer.chrome.com/extensions/options

Could be an idea, anyway I have to point em to 2 different addressess… Which I don’t know if it can be achieved with webapps

can the webapp ping ip adresses (or website names)?

then you can try a ping for the first website name, if this doesn´t work you can try the other name.

Hey, I wrote a Little App for Android, which Shows only the Volumio Web Interface. Ist not completely finished, but I will attach screenshots :smiley:
Screenshot_2015-01-28-22-23-17.png
Screenshot_2015-01-28-22-23-07.png

Hey, I wrote an Android App which does basically the same…
Its not yet finished, but with Michelangelos permission i will publish it in the play store when its finished :smiley:
Screenshot_2015-01-28-22-23-17.png
Screenshot_2015-01-28-22-23-07.png

Looks great! Can’t wait for you to finish it.

Hey, finished the app today.
I had to add a few Buttons, but the layout is still very clean :smiley:
Screenshot_2015-01-30-11-34-03.png
Screenshot_2015-01-30-11-33-51.png

Great! Where can we download it?

(BTW, might be worth starting another thread for it)

Created an own thread :smiley:

Would it be possible to have two apps on the Chrome Web Store for the time being? The current one for Linux, Chromebooks and MacOS and a separate one for Windows? I miss not being able to use it.