Use dom-if to hide settings pages and show explicitly.

chrome/browser/resources/settings/basic_page/basic_page.js

Index: chrome/browser/resources/settings/basic_page/basic_page.js
diff --git a/chrome/browser/resources/settings/basic_page/basic_page.js b/chrome/browser/resources/settings/basic_page/basic_page.js
index c23e61b0816709f546f8ea488cbd9c5421de0173..5efad87ac163d801a4040cf5a99d6865ed26fa9b 100644
--- a/chrome/browser/resources/settings/basic_page/basic_page.js
+++ b/chrome/browser/resources/settings/basic_page/basic_page.js
@@ -36,4 +36,20 @@ Polymer({
       notify: true,
     },
   },
+
+  behaviors: [SettingsPageVisibility],
+
+  ready: function() {
+    if (this.pageVisible == undefined) {
+      this.setVisiblePages([

[Dan Beam, 2015/11/30 19:22:43]

why do we need this?  why can't the behavior calculate this from
currentRoute/the URL?

[stevenjb, 2015/11/30 20:32:47]

Sorry, I don't understand your comment.

The intention is:
* When chrome://md-settings is initially loaded, no subpages (i.e.
sections/cards) are created (dom-if condition is false).
* When ready() gets called, we create each subpage, unless a test has already
explicitly set which pages are visible.

The 'route' at this point is just chrome://md-settings.

+        'people',
+        'internet',
+        'appearance',
+        'onStartup',
+        'search',
+        'users',
+        'defaultBrowser'
+      ]);
+    }
+  }
 });