Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Linux & Chromium: Multiple User Profiles

Creating a Different User profile in Chromium Browser on Linux

I have recently started to use a Linux Operating System (Peppermint Ice).
It came with Chromium pre-installed.

Now, on Windows, I use the Multiple User Profile trick to create more than one instance of Chrome.
This is very useful if you have other people using your computer.
Simply create a Profile for each user.

On Linux, using Chromium, it is not that simple.
I have searched, but I found no instructions on how to do it.

So, I messed around until I managed to do it.
(Disclaimer:  It seems to work, but use this at your own risk.)

Steps:
01.  )   Click "Menu".
02.  )   Go to "Internet".
03.  )   Right Click on "Chromium Web Browser".
04.  )   Click on "Add to Desktop".  (This will create a Browser Item on the Desktop.)
05.  )   Open your File Browser.
06.  )   Navigate to your Desktop.  (For me, it is "/home/lantere/Desktop")
07.  )   Make a Copy of that Browser Item.  (This is just for Safety.  You can skip it.)
08.  )   Open the Browser Item in Leafpad.  (Under "Accessories" in the "Menu".)
09.  )   Make the following Changes:
09.1)   Name=My Chromium Web Browser   (Give it whatever Name you want.)
09.2)   GenericName=My Web Browser   (Give it whatever Name you want.)
09.3)   Comment=Access My Internet   (Give it whatever Comment you want.)
09.4)   Exec=/usr/bin/chromium-browser %U --user-data-dir=/home/lantere/Documents/Test
09.5)   Save the Item and close Leafpad.

That's it.
Double Click your Modified Browser Item.
It *should* start with your New Profile.
(I have used the folder "Test" in my "Documents" as my new Profile.)








*NOTE:
Read this for Chrome installation in a Multi-User Environment.
Do this before you use the Multiple User Profile trick on Windows with Chrome.
http://www.google.com/support/chrome/bin/answer.py?hl=en&answer=118663

2 comments:

  1. Originally posted at http://lantere.blogspot.com/2011/02/linux-chromium-multiple-user-profiles.html

    ReplyDelete
  2. wow, not as easy as doing it on a Windows PC (if you don't have a linux background).

    glad you shared this one, as I would not have guessed how to do this one.

    ReplyDelete