Manually upgrade from Manifest V2 to V3 extensions for Chrome and Edge

We recommend that you upgrade to Automation 360 v.26 to switch from Manifest V2 extensions to Manifest V3 extensions for both Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge browsers. However, if you are using Automation 360 v.25 or earlier, you can perform this procedure on the Bot Agent devices to switch to Manifest V3 extension manually.

Considerations

  • These steps apply for Automation 360 v.25, v.24, v.23, and v.22 releases.

    If you are on a release earlier to Automation 360 v.22, you must first update to any of these versions before you perform these steps.

  • If you are on Automation 360 v.26, you do not have to perform these steps because the browser extensions are updated automatically in v.26.
  • If you are on Automation 360 v.25 or earlier, and when you upgrade to Manifest V3 extensions, you do not have to update the Bot Agent for your Control Room.

Prerequisites

Ensure that you download the following files:

Procedure

To upgrade manually, perform the following steps:
  1. Update the registry with Manifest V3 registry key
  2. Replace the browser agent executable (binary) file
  3. Replace Manifest V2 extension ID with Manifest V3 extension ID in JSON file

Update the registry with Manifest V3 registry key

You can add the Manifest V3 registry key by either running the .reg files or by manually adding the registry keys in the Registry Editor.

  • Option 1: Run the .reg files
    Download the following .reg files.
    1. For Google Chrome, download and run the Chrome - Install chrome extension.reg and Chrome - ExtensionInstallForcelist.reg from Binaries for Manifest V3.
    2. For Microsoft Edge, download and run the Edge - Install Edge extension .reg and Edge - ExtensionInstallForcelist.reg from Binaries for Manifest V3.
    Note: If a key by name 1 is already present, create a key name with the subsequent number, in this case, 2. See the following articles:

    Restart the browser for the changes to take effect.

  • Option 2: Update the Manifest V3 registry key in the Registry Editor
    • Google Chrome
      1. Open the Registry Editor.
      2. Create and update the registry entries to include the Manifest V3 URL:
        1. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Google\Chrome\Extensions\ and create the bboccnojhhoegfffpcllbeigipedjedf key.
        2. Update the key with the following attributes:
          • Value: 3.0.0.0
          • Update URL:"update_url"="http://clients2.google.com/service/update2/crx"
          • Path: "="C:\\Program Files\Automation Anywhere\Bot Agent\AABrowserAgent\bboccnojhhoegfffpcllbeigipedjedf.crx"
        3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Policies\Google\Chrome\ExtensionInstallForcelist and update the 1 key with bboccnojhhoegfffpcllbeigipedjedf value.
          Note: If a key by name 1 is already present, create a key name with the subsequent number, in this case, 2. See ExtensionInstallForcelist.
    • Microsoft Edge
      1. Open the Registry Editor.
      2. Create and update the registry entries to include the Manifest V3 URL:
        1. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\WOW6432Node\Microsoft\Edge\Extensions\ and create the fnmjcdajlonpigpcfnemeikipmolbfii key.
        2. Update the key with the following attributes:
          • Value: 3.0.0.0
          • Update URL:="https://edge.microsoft.com/extensionwebstorebase/v1/crx"
        3. Navigate to HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Edge\ExtensionInstallForcelist and update the 1 key with fnmjcdajlonpigpcfnemeikipmolbfii value.
          Note: If a key by name 1 is already present, create a key name with the subsequent number, in this case, 2. See ExtensionInstallForcelist.
      3. Restart the browser for the changes to take effect.

Replace the browser agent executable (binary) file

The browser agent is an interface that the Bot Agent uses to communicate with browser extensions. You must replace the browser agent file so that Google Chrome and Microsoft Edge use the latest Manifest V3 extension.

  1. Create a backup of the existing browser agent binary file located at \<Bot agent installation location>\Bot Agent\AABrowserAgent\.
    • For Google Chrome: Back up the Automation.Bot.BrowserAgent.exe file.
    • For Microsoft Edge: Back up the Automation.Edge.BrowserAgent.exe file.
  2. Copy the latest browser agent binary file for your browser from Binaries for Manifest V3.
  3. Paste the new set of browser agent binary file to \<Bot agent installation location>\Bot Agent\AABrowserAgent\.
Note: Offline support for Google Chrome: Copy and paste the bboccnojhhoegfffpcllbeigipedjedf.crx file from Binaries for Manifest V3 to \<Bot agent installation location>\Bot Agent\AABrowserAgent\ directory on the Bot Runner devices, if you do not have internet access and if you are using the Automation Anywhere offline Google Chrome extension.

Contact Automation Anywhere support for more information and assistance: Open a support case (A-People login required).

Replace Manifest V2 extension ID with Manifest V3 extension ID in JSON file

Download and run the JSON file for Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge to update the Manifest V3 extension ID. See the following article for the JSON file: Binaries for Manifest V3.

Alternatively, update the JSON file manually with the Manifest V3 extension ID:

  • Google Chrome:
    1. Navigate to C:\Program Files\Automation Anywhere\Bot Agent\AABrowserAgent folder and open the AAChromeAgentManifest.json file.
    2. Update the JSON file with the following entries:
      {
  "name": "automation.bot.browseragent",
  "description": "Automation anywhere agent for chrome browser.",
  "type": "stdio",
  "path": "Automation.Bot.BrowserAgent.exe",
  "allowed_origins": [
    "chrome-extension://bboccnojhhoegfffpcllbeigipedjedf/"
  ]
}
  • Microsoft Edge:
    1. Navigate to C:\Program Files\Automation Anywhere\Bot Agent\AABrowserAgent and open the AAEdgeAgentManifest.json file.
    2. Update the JSON file with the following entries:
      {
  "name": "automation.edge.browseragent",
  "description": "Automation anywhere agent for edge browser.",
  "type": "stdio",
  "path": "Automation.Edge.BrowserAgent.exe",
  "allowed_origins": [    
    "chrome-extension://fnmjcdajlonpigpcfnemeikipmolbfii/"
  ]
}

    After you perform the preceding steps, the Bot Runner devices start using the Manifest V3 extension. Updating the Bot Agent is not required.

Video: See the following video on how to upgrade manually from Manifest V2 to Manifest V3 extension:

Post-requisites

Navigate to chrome://extensions and you will find that the Automation Anywhere extension lists the Manifest V3 extension.