Labs/Extensions2/Notes

Code cross-reference of AMO

A huge thank to Anders Conbere for doing all the work for putting this together.

1-clickweather

general

• toolbar extension
• uses a JS import function to namespace javascript included from files
• uses some complicated object heirarchies to manage prefs / config

prefs

• uses it's own system to manage prefs
  • uses observer pattern to get updates (as opposed to listenting to the prefs observers)

overlays

• basic statusbar overlay
  • popupset

• uses windows for config/about/etc.

state

• capture in saved xml files

ajax

• wrote their own AJAX library to handle simple async requests

adblock plus

general

• content filter
• localized

prefs

• uses the built in prefs tools and defaults

overlays

• dialog for about
• window for subscribing
• sidebar

state

• stores filters as a line deliminted file in the profile

ajax

• handles it's own async calls with XMLHttpRequest() primitive
  • used for synchronizing subscriptions for filters

autopager

general

• content enhancement
• has an interesting auto-xpath generator for grabbing the links it needs

installation

• handles install with file, lots of poking profile dir, registering content
• option to install to profile :)

prefs

• uses firefox supplied prefs framework
• has a system to dynamically add the prefs file to prevent some of the weirdness in initializing new defaults

overlays

• extensive use of sidebar, mostly as a container for what appears to be "page" elements
• statusbar
• does not use settings overlay, builds it's own UI for that

state

• installation is handled seperately from everything else, involve file manipulation etc.

ajax

boost

general

• content enhancement

prefs

• uses firefox supplied prefs framework
• does not use settings overlay, builds it's own UI for that
• builds a library for dealing with prefs
  • wraps setting / getting
  • easily add / remove listeners

overlays

• basic status bar overlay
• prefs ui

state ajax

• has it's own library, doing something weird involving chrome security contexts.
  • /I/ think this is about adding in page elements that can be called into the chrome context, there's some work to sanitize content etc.

colorfultabs

general

• ui enhancement

installation

• handles install with file, lots of poking profile dir, registering content

prefs

• uses firefox supplied prefs framework
• uses settings overlay

overlays

• basic status bar overlay
• uses settings overlay

state ajax

• has it's own library, doing something weird involving chrome security contexts.
  • /I/ think this is about adding in page elements that can be called into the chrome context, there's some work to sanitize content etc.

ctrl-tab

general

• ui enhancement

prefs

• uses firefox supplied prefs framework

overlays

• only the main overlay used to create a popupset that holds "tab images"

download statusbar

general

• statusbar
• includes localization

prefs

• uses firefox supplied prefs framework

overlays

• status bar overlay
• builds it's own window for managing prefs

downthemall

general

• functionality enhancement
• includes localization

installation

• handles install with file, lots of poking profile dir, registering content

prefs

• uses firefox supplied prefs framework

overlays

• status bar overlay
• builds it's own window for managing prefs

state ajax

fast_video_download

general

• toolbar extension
• is localized

installation prefs

• uses the firefox supplied prefs framework
• and makes use of the options ui

overlays

• uses the options overlay

state ajax

• uses raw XMLHTttpRequest object

febe

general

• functionality enhancement (provides backups of firefox profile)
• is localized

installation

• checks for first install and initializes
• double checks default prefs
• checks intialization of prefs to prevent exception calls

prefs

• uses the firefox supplied prefs framework

overlays

• lots of use of dialog boxes to present data to users
  • including it's own error and alert and confirm boxes (odd)

state ajax

fire_fm

general

• toolbar extension
• uses flash for playing files

installation prefs

• uses the firefox pref framework
• uses a comma delimited pref for complex data type

overlays

• overlays many of the dialogs for it's own alerts/errors
• toolbar overlay for main app
• overlays options

state

• extensive use of pref framework for storing state

ajax

• uses straight XMLHTTPrequest

logging

• uses log4moz

firebug

general

• functionality enhancement (provides introspection)
• localized

installation prefs

• uses firefox prefs

overlays state ajax logging

flashgot

general installation prefs overlays state ajax logging

greasemonkey

general

• uses components
• preloads common scripts into namespace using component
• has a whole animation library that SHOULD just be jquery
• custom check for updates to greasemonkey
• uses rdf, loads all prefs up at start to get settings
• even uses rdf on it's side to check versions
• domcontent loaded observer used, seems common everywhere, maybe do this for each extension by default
• functions litter global namespace
• custom pref manager
• custom scripts for reading/writing local files
• from comments looks like code here is pre ff v 1.0.1
• custom remote data requested (ajax shitz, xml in their case)
• 3 custom .xpt typelib files files
• eventlistener abstraction layer

IE Tab

general

• custom pref manager IN component
• other helper functions also in component
• registers itself to namespace
• uses "windows*registry*key" service, didn't know that existed
• has own plugin DLL to link in ie
• also uses domloaded
• calls pref service again in other areas (doesn't use abstraction)
• 2nd pref abstraction!! WTF
• so it looks like NEITHER is a full abstraction layer, though some functions appear in both, many don't. so one has a setboolpref while the other has a getboolpref
• eventlistener abstraction layer

ImageTweak

general

• obvious custom logger
• domloaded
• custom get pref (not full manager)

Interclue

general

• uses RDF format internally
• uses annoying register stylesheet methods (I had issues with this in Puff)
• domloaded
• custom logging
• custom pref manager
• writes to local file
• should you be allowing tracking of all mouse movement?
• custom ajax class
• has js linked to html files that are outside the namespace
• INTERESTING USE of window.opener (unfortunately utilizing iframes) to keep scope by copying interclue to window.interclue and using hte refence to hte window that opened current window
• lots of minified code (bastards), namely klib.js and loadclues.js
• seems they minified most of cluecore

NoScript

general

• uses rdf for ui info
• various domloaded

prefs

• crazy amount of preferences (~100 on install)
• abstracts prefs interfaces

overlays

• giant overlay file that uses the component with small other files that use it

components

• okay so tons of classes in here, essentially everything is in the component
• uses component (8200 line file!!)

state

• uses file read/write

StumbleUpon

general

• most in one long file of many functions, tons of namespace polution
• sets a TON of "global" variables using su_xxx
• listens to almost every event, including domloaded of course

components

• uses component for helper functions, including logging and custom ajax

prefs

• uses prefs and the sqlite db

state

• has giant database abstraction layer
• csv file to populate db and sql file to build db

overlays

• 20k stumbleuponoverlay file that is largely one dimensional with just functions

Tab Mix

general

• sets about 200 preferences
• doesn't seem to have a pref abstraction layer
• whole design seems to be very modular, lots of instances of code appearing to be ripe for abstraction but isnt because of scoping issues
• has a "session manager" for storing current data that uses RDF, man is this painful

Video Download Helper

general

• uses built in xml parser loaded
• really impressive layout
  • seems the brunt is in several components which are called by individual pages, so no namespace issues

Ajax

• custom ajax

State

• uses rdf to store data

Pref

• custom pref layer

Web Developer

general

• has js and css files in content folder
• has an entire common folder with helpers to do almost everthing
  • including pref and history managers, stylesheet managers, cookies, files, ajax

prefs

• preference abstraction functions

WOT

general

• interesting use of load/unload listeners in almost all js files. they call core to start, including all the code, so i assume they just set these listeners to run checks when a new page loads.

Ajax

• custom ajax
• built in api to easily deal with requests (i assume to it's server about a pages reliability)

Prefs

• uses a config.js to store a ton of constants used throughout the app
• uses a prefs abstraction

Debuging

• inline error handling just catching and dump()

State

• looks like they are using prefs beyond how they should
  • ie storing delimited data (there stuff is a little confusing and im tired so im not 100% sure)