As per bsmedberg's request in https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=283352 , here's a thread explaining the creation of the new chrome manifest files and the removal of several properties from the install.rdf file.
Packaging Firefox Extensions wrote:Beginning with Firefox 1.1, extensions should specify all of their chrome packages in a single plaintext manifest file, chrome.manifest in the root of the extension. Get more information about this file format. If chrome.manifest is missing, the extension manager will generate one from the old em:file property and contents.rdf files.
No. The 20050228 build that daihard made refuses to start, so I can't test any of my new XUL/JS. At best, it will probably be the end of the week before I get a working 1.2.9 build out the door.
Ihoss wrote:so you don't need the install.rdf file anymore?
You still need install.rdf; the <em:file> predicate has been obsoleted however, replaced with the new manifest files.
Proud user of teh Fox of Fire Registered Linux User #289618
It doesn't matter much if it's been posted twice, we're just spreading the word. TheOneKEA I have now PM'd a couple of moderators to make one of our posts a sticky.
jedbro wrote:TheOneKEA, have you tested this on a new nightly? (Just asking before I do the same for my extensions). Cheers -Jed
You'll find that with the latest build that it creates the chrome.manifest file automatically from the old <em:file> tags in install.rdf and from the chrome.rdf file anyway. Specifying your own just gives you more control.
Ihoss wrote:hmm, now they have changed the installation procedure 3 times! (js, rdf and now manifest)
It's because of Bug #278534. I think the number of bugs the new scheme fixes was worth it. Especially Bug #246209 chrome.rdf should use relative jar locations.
jedbro wrote:have you tested this on a new nightly?
Tested the latest version of EMbuttons on today's build (with all contents.rdf files removed) and it worked like a dream first time.
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.0; en-US; rv:1.7.6) Gecko/20050223 Firefox/1.0.1
Thunderbird 1.0 (20041206)
EMbuttons: Buttons & options for the Extension Manager. Easy Get Mail Button is here too.
Just to clarify, I put in a decent amount of backwards-compatibility code so that if you want to keep using <em:file> and contents.rdf, you can; the old 1.0 format will still work for the forseeable future. The new format is a lot simpler, and I hope easier for extension authors to understand and harder to screw up ;)
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