These instructions are for IT professionals to assist with pushing Vernier Progressive Web Apps (PWAs) to managed ChromeOS devices.

Currently Graphical Analysis and Vernier Video Analysis are available as PWAs, and Spectral Analysis and Instrumental Analysis will be available in this form in later 2024 and 2025. 

Google has instructions on how a user can install a PWA on their own Chromebook. 

In contrast, the steps here are for IT professionals configuring the Google Administrative Console to deliver Graphical Analysis, Vernier Video Analysis, Spectral Analysis, and Instrumental Analysis to users. The steps also include steps to deliver Graphical Analysis Pro and Vernier Video Analysis in fully activated form, without requiring users to know or enter a separate license key. 

What you need

  • Sufficient credentials to manage an OU (Organizational Unit) in the Google Administrative Console
  • For paid apps, a working license key for Vernier Video Analysis (or soon, Graphical Analysis Pro). The key may be delivered to you in the form of a nine-character string such as E3w5Iu28U, or it may be the last nine characters of a URL in the form of https://videoanalysis.app?key=E3w5Iu28U You may want to test your key (not this sample one) by using the full URL in a Chrome browser. 

Steps

The steps here are written for Vernier Video Analysis. The steps are the same for other PWAs, but the app URL will be different. 

  • Access the Google Administrative Console at https://admin.google.com
  • In the Admin sidebar, navigate to the Devices -> Chrome -> Apps & Extensions section, highlight the organizational unit you want to force install to and go to the Users & browsers tab. 
  • Click the ‘+’ in lower right corner and Add by URL
  • Select the “Open as a Progressive Web App (PWA) only” radio button and enter the address for the Vernier Video Analysis, videoanalysis.app, in the URL field. The URL will autofill in the PWA Manifest ID section. Click Save.
  • This step currently applies to subscription app Vernier Video Analysis only. Add your key in the Managed configuration section in json format. For example, if your license key is RpKYYs2im, enter {“key”: “RpKYYs2im”} 
  • Click the SAVE button in the upper right.

Above is the admin panel with the URL for Vernier Video Analysis entered and the key text entered in the Managed Configuration field, just before saving. 

  • Allow some time for changes to propagate. 

Test your configuration

  • Log into a Chromebook as a member of the OU you have configured.  
  • Locate the icon for Vernier Video Analysis in the App Drawer. 
  • Open the app. 
  • You should get directly to the app’s welcome screen, with no request for a license key. 

Additional notes

  • Users must be a member of the Organizational Unit (OU) selected to receive the PWA configuration. 
  • The steps above are for Vernier Video Analysis with a URL of videoanalysis.app. The configuration steps are the same for Graphical Analysis Pro, but with a URL of graphicalanalysis.app. 
  • The Pro activation feature for Graphical Analysis requires version 6.1, due for release in late 2024, not available at the time of writing in July 2024. In the meantime, use these steps without the json code in the Managed configuration field, and provide users with the license key for them to enter directly in the Graphical Analysis app welcome screen.
  • For Spectral Analysis and Instrumental Analysis, use their respective URLs of spectralanalysis.app and instrumentalanalysis.app once they are released. The Managed configuration license key step is not needed for these apps since no key is required. These applications will be released in late 2024 and 2025, and are not available at the time of writing.

What is the difference between the Progressive Web App and Chrome Packaged App versions of Graphical Analysis and other Vernier apps?
Google will stop supporting Chrome Packaged Apps for ChromeOS.

Published: June 27, 2024. Updated: July 1, 2024.