Previous to the last few Dev updates, when you installed an Extension the CRX file was saved to your default download folder ...

It doesn't happen now, so where does it go ?

The reason I'm asking is because I used to keep copies of the Extensions (CRX) I'd installed and use them when I reinstalled Chrome, saved me having to download them again ...

crx files are not saved after installation in recent versions of Dev Chrome

That really is a pain, whose stupid idea was that ?

definitely not mine lol

there are workarounds though

use a 3rd party to download the extension or use another browser for download and make sure Chrome is not open

Yeh, suppose so ...

Defeats the object of using Chrome though and what's the point of asking you to save it (seeing as it doesn't) !!

They only downloaded and saved the crx file as a hax, to avoid a bug they had identifying the extensions .. So if it has been removed, they have probatly fixed this, and I don't think you'r going to see it return

Could do with someone re-engineering the installed extension back to a Crx ...

I did something similar once to 'fudge' Blackcoil's YouTube downloader but can't remember how I managed it (more by luck than judgement), think I used Waha's extension manager somehow ...

This bugged the hell outa me aswell. I like to down the extensions sometimes just to look at their code and dont want them installed and loading Firefox just to do that was dam annoying. Well I figured a way to down them with Chrome. Rightclick on the link, pick Save As, change the files extension (.zip is a good one) and then select "All file types" (if you dont it will try to install it even with the new extension) in the "Save as Type".

And i dont know about extensions (although its prolly the same), but for Themes I just remove the Key from the manifest and then I can repack them. I use to just tweak them when they where installed using the Reload button in the extensions section and then repack them. Theres no reload for themes anymore (as their not on the extensions page anymore) but you can just tell it to reinstall the theme (using the crx) and it doesnt if it allready finds it, it just reloads it.