claude-exporter/docs/INSTALL.md

Installation Guide

Complete installation instructions for Claude Exporter on Chrome and Firefox.

Install from Browser Store (Recommended)

The simplest way to install Claude Exporter and receive automatic updates:

• Chrome/Chromium-based browsers: Chrome Web Store
• Firefox: Firefox Add-ons

After installing, proceed to Configuration.

---

Install from Releases (.zip / .xpi)

For users who want to install manually without the browser stores.

Chrome (and Chromium-based browsers)

1. Download the claude-exporter-chrome-vX.X.X.zip from the Releases page
2. Extract the zip into a safe folder (this will be the permanent location - don't move or delete it!)
3. Open Chrome and navigate to chrome://extensions/
4. Enable Developer mode (toggle in top right)
5. Click Load unpacked and select the extracted claude-exporter-chrome folder
6. Done! Proceed to Configuration

Firefox

1. Download the latest .xpi file from the Releases page
2. Drag and drop the .xpi file into Firefox
3. Click Add when Firefox asks for permission
4. Done! Proceed to Configuration

---

Install from Source

For developers or those who want to build from source:

Prerequisites

• Chrome: Google Chrome browser (or Chromium-based browser like Edge, Brave, etc.)
• Firefox: Mozilla Firefox (version 58 or later)
• Git (optional, for cloning)
• A Claude.ai account

Chrome Installation from Source

1. Clone or Download the Repository

   git clone https://github.com/agoramachina/claude-exporter.git
   cd claude-exporter
   

2. Open Chrome Extensions Page

   • Navigate to chrome://extensions/
   • Or click the three dots menu → More Tools → Extensions

3. Enable Developer Mode

   • Toggle the "Developer mode" switch in the top right corner

4. Load the Extension

   • Click "Load unpacked"
   • Select the chrome folder (inside the repository)
   • The extension icon should appear in your toolbar

5. Proceed to Configuration

Firefox Installation from Source

Option 1: Temporary Installation (For Development)

1. Clone or Download the Repository (if not already done)

   git clone https://github.com/agoramachina/claude-exporter.git
   cd claude-exporter
   

2. Load in Firefox

   • Open Firefox and navigate to about:debugging
   • Click "This Firefox" in the left sidebar
   • Click "Load Temporary Add-on..."
   • Navigate to the firefox folder (inside the repository)
   • Select the manifest.json file
   • Extension loads until you restart Firefox

3. Proceed to Configuration

Option 2: Developer Installation (Unsigned, Permanent)

Not recommended - only for advanced development:

1. Clone the repository (see Option 1)
2. Open Firefox and navigate to about:config
3. Search for xpinstall.signatures.required
4. Set it to false (this allows unsigned extensions)
5. Package the extension:

   cd firefox
   zip -r ../claude-exporter-firefox.zip *
   

6. Go to about:addons
7. Click the gear icon → "Install Add-on From File..."
8. Select the claude-exporter-firefox.zip file

Warning: Setting xpinstall.signatures.required to false disables important security protections. Only use for development.

---

Configuration

After installing the extension in either browser:

1. Click the extension icon in your browser toolbar
2. You'll see a notice about configuring your Organization ID
3. Click "Click here to set it up" (or right-click the extension icon → Options)
4. In a new tab, go to https://claude.ai/settings/account
5. Copy your Organization ID from the URL
   • It looks like: organization_id=xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx
   • Copy only the UUID part (the xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx)
6. Return to the extension options and paste the Organization ID
7. Click Save
8. Click Test Connection to verify it works
9. You should see a success message if everything is configured correctly!

---

Troubleshooting

Common Issues (Both Browsers)

"Organization ID not configured"

• Follow the Configuration steps above
• Make sure you're copying the complete UUID from the URL
• The format should be: xxxxxxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxx-xxxxxxxxxxxx

"Not authenticated" error

• Make sure you're logged into Claude.ai
• Try refreshing the Claude.ai page
• Check that cookies are enabled for claude.ai

"downloadFile is not defined" error

If you see this error when trying to export the current conversation:

1. Refresh the Claude.ai page (F5 or Ctrl+R)
2. Try the export again
3. This happens when the content script hasn't fully loaded yet

Export fails for some conversations

• Some very old conversations might have different data structures
• Check the browser console for specific error messages
• The ZIP export includes a summary file listing any failed exports

Chrome-Specific Issues

Extension doesn't appear after loading

• Make sure you selected the chrome folder, not a subfolder
• Check that Developer mode is enabled
• Look in the Extensions page for any error messages

Content Security Policy errors

• Make sure you're using the latest version of the extension
• Try removing and re-adding the extension from chrome://extensions/

Firefox-Specific Issues

Extension doesn't appear after loading

• Make sure you selected the manifest.json file, not the folder
• Check the Browser Console (Ctrl+Shift+J) for errors

"Could not establish connection" errors

• Refresh the Claude.ai page after loading the extension
• Check that you're on https://claude.ai/*
• Try unloading and reloading the extension from about:debugging

Content script not injecting

• Firefox may require you to refresh Claude.ai tabs after installing the extension
• Check the extension's permissions in about:addons

Storage/Options not saving

• Make sure cookies are enabled for about:addons
• Try restarting Firefox

Extension showing old UI or features after update

Firefox aggressively caches extension files. To force a reload:

1. Go to about:debugging#/runtime/this-firefox
2. Find "Claude Exporter" and click Remove
3. Close ALL Firefox windows completely
4. Restart Firefox and reload the extension
5. Alternatively, hard-refresh (Ctrl+Shift+R) on Claude.ai after reloading

If you still see old cached content:

• Clear Firefox cache: Ctrl+Shift+Delete → Check "Cache" → Clear Now
• Reload the extension from about:debugging
• Refresh Claude.ai page

"can't access property Symbol.iterator" error (Firefox)

If you see this error when exporting from a conversation page:

1. Make sure you're on the actual conversation page (not the home page)
2. Refresh the page and try again
3. If the problem persists, use "Browse All Conversations" to export instead

"This add-on could not be installed because it has not been verified"

• Use the signed .xpi from the Releases page, not a self-built zip
• Or use temporary installation via about:debugging for development

---

Browser Differences

Technical Differences

The Firefox and Chrome versions are functionally identical but use different APIs:

Firefox version:

• Manifest V2 (more stable in Firefox)
• browser_action instead of action
• tabs.executeScript() instead of scripting.executeScript()
• options_ui for better Firefox integration

Chrome version:

• Manifest V3 (required for Chrome)
• action API
• scripting.executeScript() API
• options_page

All core functionality remains the same across both browsers!

Installation Methods Comparison

Firefox Installation Methods

Feature	Signed .xpi (Recommended)	Temporary	Unsigned (Dev Mode)
Persists after restart	✅	❌	✅
Requires dev mode	❌	❌	✅
Easy to install	✅	✅	⚠️
Mozilla-signed	✅	N/A	❌
Recommended for	General use	Development/testing	Advanced development

Chrome Installation Methods

Feature	From Releases	From Source
Persists after restart	✅	✅
Requires dev mode	✅	✅
Easy to install	✅	✅
Recommended for	General use	Development

---

Using Both Browsers

The repository includes separate folders for Chrome and Firefox, so you can easily use both:

• Use the chrome/ folder for Chrome installation
• Use the firefox/ folder for Firefox installation

Both folders are complete, standalone extensions with no need to switch files!

---

Additional Resources

Chrome

• Chrome Extension Developer Guide
• Manifest V3 Documentation

Firefox

• Firefox Extension Workshop
• WebExtensions API Reference
• Temporary Installation in Firefox

---

Getting Help

If you encounter issues:

1. Check the browser console for errors:
   • Chrome: Right-click on page → Inspect → Console tab
   • Firefox: Ctrl+Shift+J (Cmd+Option+J on Mac)
2. Verify you're using the correct folder (chrome/ or firefox/)
3. Make sure your browser version is up to date
4. Check the Troubleshooting section above
5. Open an issue on GitHub with:
   • Browser name and version
   • Error messages from console
   • Steps to reproduce the problem

---

Note: This extension is not officially affiliated with Anthropic or Claude.ai. It's a community tool that uses the web interface's API endpoints.