Writing Extension Preferences UI for Firefox 1.1

miek · Post by **miek** » June 3rd, 2005, 11:12 am

this is great.
makes my life easier.

what i want to know it when is this going to be available for thunderbird?

asqueella · Post by **asqueella** » June 3rd, 2005, 11:46 pm

It is available in trunk TB builds already.

miek · Post by **miek** » June 4th, 2005, 1:37 am

sweeeeeeet

mboullet · Post by **mboullet** » June 6th, 2005, 2:07 am

In AiO, I have a file with the following code:

Code: Select all

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<overlay xmlns="http://www.mozilla.org/keymaster/gatekeeper/there.is.only.xul">

<script type="application/x-javascript"><![CDATA[
  document.getElementById("useAutoScrolling").setAttribute("disabled", "true");
]]></script>

</overlay>

It overlays chrome://browser/content/pref/pref-advanced.xul. The purpose is to grey out the autoscrolling pref in Firefox options since autoscrolling preferences must be set in AiO options.
Whether or not this is a good idea is not relevant here.

This doesn't work anymore in Deer Park due to the preferences UI rewrite. I tried 2 things:
1. Overlay chrome://browser/content/preferences/preferences.xul with the same code. I receive the JS error: document.getElementById("useAutoScrolling") has no properties, which may be normal because "useAutoScrolling" is defined in the "advanced prefpane".
2. I tried to overlay the "advanced prefpane" chrome://browser/content/preferences/advanced.xul, still with the same file: Boum!! Firefox crashes as soon I select Tools->Options...

Asqueella, Cusser, Ben ... you are much smarter than me on this topic. Any idea ??

Mossop · Post by **Mossop** » June 6th, 2005, 2:30 am

mboullet wrote:I tried to overlay the "advanced prefpane" chrome://browser/content/preferences/advanced.xul, still with the same file: Boum!! Firefox crashes as soon I select Tools->Options...

Asqueella, Cusser, Ben ... you are much smarter than me on this topic. Any idea ??

Bug 283949

asqueella · Post by **asqueella** » June 6th, 2005, 7:33 am

I think you can lock that pref through prefs service, and it'll appear disabled in options UI.

Post by **BenBasson** » June 9th, 2005, 6:35 am

These bugs are fixed:
Bug 293755 - "image" attribute on prefpane element doesn't work (typo)
Bug 295237 - PrefWindowVs opened from Extension Manager lack pane switcher (toolbar)

doron · Post by **doron** » June 27th, 2005, 8:46 pm

Note that you should never try to overlay the existing, individual pref panels to add some new UI to the panel - it will crash.

TheOneKEA · Post by **TheOneKEA** » June 28th, 2005, 2:45 am

But you can overlay the main <prefwindow/> and replace the src attributes of existing <prefpane/>s - TBP does it to the Tabs pane of the current Options dialog.

Post by **alanjstr** » July 4th, 2005, 1:31 pm

has all of this stuff been posted on http://kb.mozillazine.org/Dev_:_Extensions ? If so, I'll add it to the FAQ

asqueella · Post by **asqueella** » July 6th, 2005, 1:08 pm

Although there is a doc with reference information on kb.mozillazine.org (linked from the first post), the plan was to post it to developer.mozilla.org eventually. I don't think this will need a link of its own in the FAQ thread. I also think this thread can be unstickied (if Cusser agrees).

Post by **BenBasson** » July 6th, 2005, 1:11 pm

If it's in the KB and may eventually go into DevMo, then this thread is basically obsolete. I'll ask for it to be unstickied.

HeroreV · Post by **HeroreV** » July 16th, 2005, 4:21 pm

The onpreferenceread and onpreferencewrite attributes have been renamed to onsyncfrompreference and onsynctopreference. (you can read about it at Preferences System:New attributes)

I was quite confused for a while as to why my script was suddenly being completely ignored. Is there a comprehensive list of changes somewhere between Deer Park Alpha 1 and 2?

asqueella · Post by **asqueella** » July 16th, 2005, 5:09 pm

Use bonsai if you need a comprehensive list. You can also search 'fixed' bugzilla bugs in the component you're interested in.

Post by **BenBasson** » July 16th, 2005, 5:29 pm

Unofficial Deer Park Alpha 2 changelog