Chrome Extension Setup

The Lazer Chrome extension enables you to capture AI-generated images and videos directly from platforms like Sora, Veo, and Freepik. This guide walks you through installation, authentication, and your first capture.

Why Use the Chrome Extension?

Lazer's architecture separates generation from orchestration. You generate assets on external platforms (where the best models live), and the extension captures results back to Lazer for version control, comparison, and rights tracking.

Key Benefits:

• Platform Agnostic: Capture from any AI generation platform
• One-Click Save: Ruthless defaults reduce manual input
• Automatic Metadata: Extracts prompts, parameters, and model info
• Offline Queue: Captures sync when connection returns
• Side Panel Workflow: Persistent interface alongside generation platforms

Prerequisites

Before installing the extension, ensure:

• You have completed Installation and the Lazer web app is running
• Google Chrome or Chromium-based browser (Edge, Brave, Arc) version 116+
• A Lazer user account with API access

Step 1: Locate the Extension Files

The Chrome extension source code is located in the chrome-extension/ directory of the Lazer repository:

lazer_v2/
  chrome-extension/
    manifest.json
    sidepanel.html
    sidepanel.css
    build.mjs
    src/
      init.js
      capture.js
      detect.js
      state.js
      config.js
      background.js
      ...
    detectors/
      sora.js
      veo.js
      freepik.js
    dist/           (built output)
      sidepanel.js
      background.js
      content-script.js

Note: The extension is not yet published to the Chrome Web Store. You'll install it as an unpacked extension in developer mode.

Step 2: Enable Developer Mode in Chrome

Open Chrome and navigate to the Extensions page:

chrome://extensions

In the top-right corner, toggle Developer mode to ON. This reveals additional options for loading unpacked extensions.

Step 3: Load the Unpacked Extension

1. Click Load unpacked button (top-left of the Extensions page)
2. Navigate to the chrome-extension/ directory in your Lazer repository
3. Select the folder and click Open

The Lazer extension should now appear in your extensions list:

Lazer Capture
Version 1.0.0
ID: [auto-generated-extension-id]

Pin the extension to your toolbar by clicking the puzzle piece icon and pinning Lazer.

Step 4: Generate an API Token

The extension requires an API token to authenticate with your Lazer instance.

Navigate to the Integrations page in the Lazer web app:

http://localhost:3000/integrations

Or access it from the dashboard:

1. Click your profile icon (top-right)
2. Select Settings
3. Navigate to Integrations tab

Create a New API Token

1. Click Generate New Token
2. Enter a descriptive name: Chrome Extension - Local Dev
3. Set expiration (optional): Choose 30 days, 90 days, or No Expiration
4. Click Create Token

The token will be displayed once:

lzr_abc123xyz789def456ghi012jkl345mno678pqr901stu234vwx567yza890bcd

Important: Copy this token immediately. It will not be shown again. If you lose it, you must generate a new token.

Token Permissions

API tokens grant the following permissions:

• Create and update asset versions
• Associate assets with shots
• Read project and scene metadata
• Write to the offline queue

Tokens cannot:

• Delete projects or scenes
• Modify user accounts
• Access other users' projects

Step 5: Configure the Extension

Click the Lazer extension icon in your Chrome toolbar (or open the side panel if auto-opened).

You'll see the Connection Setup screen with two fields:

Lazer URL

Enter the URL of your Lazer instance. The field starts empty — you must configure this explicitly:

For local development:

http://localhost:3000

For production deployments:

https://lazer.yourdomain.com

Important: The URL must include the protocol (http:// or https://) and should not have a trailing slash. The extension will not sync captures until a valid URL is configured.

API Token

Paste the API token you generated in Step 4:

lzr_abc123xyz789def456ghi012jkl345mno678pqr901stu234vwx567yza890bcd

Click Connect.

Step 6: Test the Connection

After entering your credentials, the extension will attempt to connect to Lazer. You should see:

✓ Connected to Lazer
  User: your-email@example.com
  Projects: 1 available

If the connection fails, verify:

• Lazer web app is running at the specified URL
• API token is correct and not expired
• No firewall blocking localhost connections

Connection Diagnostics

Click Test Connection to run diagnostics:

• Network: Checks if Lazer is reachable
• Authentication: Validates the API token
• Permissions: Verifies token has required scopes

Understanding the Side Panel

Lazer uses Chrome's Side Panel API (not a popup) for a persistent workflow alongside generation platforms. The side panel remains open while you browse, providing continuous access to capture controls.

Four Extension Modes

The extension operates in four distinct modes, accessible via tabs in the side panel:

1. Context Mode

Displays the current capture context:

• Active Project: The project receiving captures
• Active Scene: The scene within that project
• Last Shot: The most recently used shot ID

Purpose: Quickly confirm where your next capture will be saved without manual selection.

Note: The extension remembers your last-active context across browser sessions. Change context by clicking Switch Project or Switch Scene.

2. Capture Mode

The primary capture interface:

• Platform Detection: Automatically detects Sora, Veo, Freepik, or custom platforms
• Asset Preview: Shows thumbnail of detected asset
• One-Click Save: Captures asset with default metadata from current context
• Manual Override: Edit shot ID, prompt, or model parameters before saving

Workflow:

1. Generate an asset on an external platform
2. Platform detector identifies the asset automatically
3. Review the detected metadata
4. Click Capture to save to Lazer

3. Reuse Mode

Access previously captured assets for prompt reuse:

• Recent Captures: Last 20 assets captured from any platform
• Prompt Copy: One-click copy of any previous prompt
• Parameter Export: Export generation settings as JSON

Purpose: Quickly reuse successful prompts or iterate on previous generations without manually retyping parameters.

4. Queue Mode

Offline capture queue management:

• Pending Uploads: Assets captured while offline
• Retry Failed: Manually retry failed uploads
• Clear Queue: Remove completed or unwanted items

Purpose: Manage captures that couldn't sync immediately due to network issues or API errors.

Step 7: Perform Your First Capture

Let's test the extension by capturing a sample asset.

1. Open a new tab and navigate to an AI image generation platform (e.g., Freepik AI)
2. Generate an image using a simple prompt: coffee shop interior, morning light
3. Wait for the image to finish generating
4. Open the Lazer side panel (click the extension icon or press Ctrl+Shift+Y)

Automatic Detection

The extension should automatically detect the generated asset. The Capture Mode tab will display:

Platform Detected: Freepik
Asset Type: Image
Format: PNG (1024x1024)
Model: Freepik AI v2.0

Detected Prompt:
"coffee shop interior, morning light"

Suggested Shot: S001-001

Review Metadata

Before capturing, verify:

• Shot ID: Matches your intended shot (default is the last-active shot from Context Mode)
• Prompt: Correctly extracted from the platform
• Model Parameters: Includes aspect ratio, steps, guidance scale

Capture the Asset

Click Save Capture. The extension will:

1. Add the capture to the local sync queue
2. Send the payload to the Lazer API (POST /api/extension/ingest)
3. Create a SceneAssetVersion record in the database (with optional prompt package)
4. Associate the version with the selected scene and shot
5. Display sync status in the status bar

You should see:

✓ Asset Captured
  Shot: S001-001
  Version: 1
  File: [R2 URL]

Verify in Lazer

Navigate to your project's scene detail page in the web app:

http://localhost:3000/projects/{projectId}/scenes/{sceneId}

You should see the captured asset listed under the corresponding shot, with:

• Thumbnail preview
• Platform badge (Freepik)
• Prompt snippet
• Capture timestamp

Extension Settings

Access extension settings by clicking the gear icon in the side panel.

Default Behavior

• Auto-Detect Assets: Enable/disable automatic platform detection
• Auto-Assign Shot: Automatically use last-active shot for captures
• Show Notifications: Display success/error notifications
• Offline Queue: Enable offline capture queuing

Platform Detectors

Enable or disable specific platform detectors:

• Sora (OpenAI)
• Veo (Google)
• Freepik
• Midjourney
• Stable Diffusion
• Custom (for unsupported platforms)

Note: Disabling a detector improves performance but prevents automatic capture from that platform. You can still capture manually using the Custom detector.

Keyboard Shortcuts

Configure keyboard shortcuts for quick actions:

• Open Side Panel: Default Ctrl+Shift+Y (Windows) or Cmd+Shift+Y (Mac)
• Quick Capture: Default Ctrl+Shift+C (saves with defaults, no confirmation)
• Copy Last Prompt: Default Ctrl+Shift+P

Platform-Specific Notes

Sora (OpenAI)

• Detects video assets only
• Extracts full prompt and model parameters
• Supports multi-shot detection (if platform generates multiple variations)

Veo (Google)

• Detects video assets only
• Extracts prompt from Gemini interface
• May require manual model selection if not auto-detected

Freepik

• Detects image assets only
• Extracts prompt and style parameters
• Supports batch capture (multiple images from one generation)

Troubleshooting

Extension Not Detecting Assets

If the extension doesn't detect generated assets:

1. Ensure the platform detector is enabled in settings
2. Refresh the platform page after the asset finishes generating
3. Try manually selecting the asset image and right-clicking Capture to Lazer
4. Check the browser console for detector errors

Upload Failures

If captures fail to upload:

1. Verify Lazer web app is running
2. Check API token is valid and not expired
3. Ensure R2 credentials in .env are correct
4. Review network requests in Chrome DevTools (Network tab)

Side Panel Not Opening

If the side panel doesn't open when clicking the extension icon:

1. Check Chrome version is 116+ (Side Panel API requirement)
2. Disable conflicting extensions that override side panel behavior
3. Reinstall the extension as unpacked

Context Not Persisting

If the extension forgets your project/scene context:

1. Check Chrome's local storage permissions
2. Ensure the extension has storage permission in manifest.json
3. Try reconnecting with the API token

Security Considerations

API Token Storage

The extension stores your API token in Chrome's local storage, which is encrypted at rest. However:

• Never share your API token with others
• Rotate tokens periodically (every 90 days recommended)
• Revoke tokens immediately if compromised

Asset Privacy

Assets are temporarily stored in Chrome's local storage before upload. If working with sensitive content:

• Enable Chrome's "Clear on exit" for browsing data
• Revoke API tokens when not actively capturing
• Use Incognito mode for extra-sensitive generation workflows (note: requires enabling extension in Incognito)

Next Steps

Now that the extension is installed and connected, you're ready to:

1. Generate assets on external platforms (Sora, Veo, Freepik, etc.)
2. Capture versions using the side panel
3. Compare versions in the Lazer web app
4. Select finals for each shot
5. Track rights and licensing status
6. Export production-ready deliverables

For advanced capture workflows, see the Extension Advanced Usage guide.

Updating the Extension

When new versions of Lazer are released, update the extension:

1. Pull the latest code from the repository: git pull origin main
2. Navigate to chrome://extensions
3. Click the Reload icon on the Lazer extension card

No need to uninstall and reinstall—Chrome will reload the updated files automatically.

Feedback and Support

If you encounter issues with the extension:

• Check the Troubleshooting Guide
• Review browser console logs (F12 → Console)
• Report bugs on GitHub Issues

For feature requests or workflow suggestions, join the discussion on GitHub Discussions.