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How to package Firefox extensions for Global installs

Guillaume — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 00:44:48 +0000

Firefox extensions are distributed in XPI packages (pronounced zippy).

XPI packages are in reality just a ZIP file with a standard file and folder structure in it.

Two types of add-on installations can be performed : Per-user, and per-workstation (Global). Typically, extensions are installed per-user, especially if the user is not a local administrator on his workstation.

However, there may be cases where a global installation is preferred: a standard extension would need to be installed multiple times for every user of a shared workstation. It would also be harder to push extensions out to users instead of machines.

Here is how to create install a firefox extension globally in a way that can easily be packaged with anything that allows running batch files. The same information can easily be used to create clean MSI packages as well, using WiX or anything else, just put the files in the right location and set the proper registry keys. It would probably be more reliable to do it with an MSI than batch files.

1) Obtain the XPI package

2) Unzip the XPI package

3) Open the install.rdf file in the package.

We need to identify the “ID” of the package. Look for something similar to this:

Blah blah

The ID contained in the EM:ID anchors may be a name or a GUID. Note it down.

4) Create a registry import file

Create a .reg file.

This will be used to tell Firefox where to look for the new globally installed extension. This can be anywhere you want as long as the user that will open firefox has read access to it.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions]

“em-id-of-extension”=”C:\\Program Files\\Mozilla Firefox\\PathToExtension”

5) Create a registry import file for uninstallation

This file needs to be identicaly to the above, but with a minus instead of the path to the extension. This simply deletes the string we created before.

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Mozilla\Firefox\Extensions]

“em-id-of-extension”=-

6) Create a batch file for installation

This batch file simply needs to copy the files to the location you specified in your .reg file, and then run regedit /s regfile.reg to import the registry changes.

7) Create a batch file for uninstallation

This batch file simply deletes the directory containing your extension and runs regedit /s on the uninstallation regfile.

OS X 10.5.8 Problems with Firefox

Guillaume — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 21:53:35 +0000

I have just upgraded my Macbook pro to 10.5.8.

I didn’t use the combo update for two reasons:

1) My ADSL is totally messed up, waiting for Bell to fix it, so 700+megs is insane for an update
2) I figured that since my OS X install was about a WEEK OLD that it could handle updates easily.

The install went fine, I rebooted.. and now I can’t even launch Firefox 3.5 !

Update: I rebooted a second time, and now Firefox seems to work fine. My spotlight index appears to be wiped, which I assume is normal.

Weird.

Firefox Awesomebar

Guillaume — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 15:00:09 +0000

At first, it was annoying.

Then, I didn’t notice it.

Now, I love it!

I have always hated bookmarks. They’re a pain in the butt to manage, keep up to date, etc. I have 4-5 bookmarks on my Bookmarks toolbar usually, and I never use bookmarks in the actual bookmarks folder.

Now, I just vaguely remember a page’s URL or title, I start typing away, and it’s gotten pretty good at finding it fast.

Another nice thing is it finds things in your bookmarks, so I don’t have to keep them classified or anything. I can just add bookmarks and dump them in the bookmarks root, and bam! I find my stuff easily!

Just give it a week or two after you upgrade before deciding that you hate it. I know hating the Awesomebar is the cool thing right now, but believe me it’s not so bad!