Chrome Extension: Hide and show the browser action icon

Question

Is it possible to show and hide the browser action icon from the options page?

I know how to do it with the page actions using the show and hide methods, but I don't see any similarities in browser actions.

Dentition

Answer 1

From https://developer.chrome.com/extensions/browserAction:

If you want to create an icon that isn't always visible, use a page action instead of a browser action.

In other words: no, this isn't possible. Browser actions are permanent by design.

Partition

Wladimir, I've read this page a lot of times, and I hadn't seen this sentence, and it's in the first paragraphs! Thanks! – Dentition

@Oscardr: Feel free to accept the answer - stackoverflow.com/faq#howtoask ;) – Partition

That's why i hate links, broken! – Chacma

@We'reAllMadHere: Wrong redirect on Google's servers, nothing that a quick Google search cannot fix. Fixed the answer. – Partition

@WladimirPalant, Page icons are always shown too... just grayed out when disabled. – Perlman

@Pacerier: They are now, this answer is from 2012. – Partition

Answer 2

Google defined Browser Action as static buttons, and Page Action as dynamic ones. Google is very careful with Chrome's interface, and don't want people use buttons in a different way they are "supposed" to do.

They do so because they think users have tu put an effort to learn to use Chrome, and Google want to present a consistent, coherent and minimalist user interface.

You don't have much freedom with regard to Chrome user interface.

Chandra