Neil wrote:
Yes, but once you agree to the install it then goes and unpacks it
into your extensions folder so that it can actually use it.
Please forgive me if I'm missing something, but I don't see the point you
are making. What I had in mind was that Firefox could do this very same
thing when it sees a new .xpi to load in the registry.
Perhaps the Mozilla people see there is some security worry with this
approach, but I don't see it. They could add the same warning that is there
in the File->Open interface. (Though I'm not certain this is absolutely
necessary since the Windows Registry can't get modified without user
approval anyway.) Besides, this is how Java handles .jar files. In fact,
since my last response to this thread, I realized that the reason I ran into
confusion in the first place probably has to do with expectations set from
using Java. (This is no excuse for misreading instructions of course, just
an observation.)
Maybe the root problem here is that I don't fully understand the Mozilla
vision of the install process. So if don't mind, I'd like to take a step
back and ask an even more basic question.
<???>
What is the "best" way to distribute and install Firefox extension from a
third-party server? I looked around for this, and the best instructions I
found were on that "Install from Registry" page I cited. Can you point me
to a better source?
</???>
I know that it is possible to distribute a third-party extension through the
Mozilla site (Tools -> Add Ons...) Maybe some day I'll want to do this. But
for now, (a) I don't know how one goes about putting one's extension up on
the Mozilla download site, and (b) even if I did, I probably would still
want to be able to distribute the extension from a
third-party server.
I also have read that one can distribute an installer that copies files to
Firefox extensions directory. In principle, this is
clean and straightforward, but one has to worry about getting registry
strings right for cases where Firefox was not installed to the default path.
It seems more desirable to use an install mechanism that is managed entirely
by Firefox itself.
I actually have a guess about this now that I know about the File->Open...
install method. (I am going to give it a try unless someone on this list
tells me it won't work.) Maybe all I have to do is get the mime type right
on the server and then the extension will be installed if the user selects
"Open" during the download.
Please remember I am new to all this. I get the feeling that there is some
overview document that I have failed to find. If anyone knows of such a
thing, please feel free to point me to it.
Thanks,
can
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