Firefox:Development Integration

Using Mozilla's JVM Development Platform to integrate XUL script support

• For those who have not been reading the Mozilla developers news, they want their end-users to be able to learn how and to create their own themes/extensions themselves for Mozilla products. Of course you can't do this without knowing basic Java and Mozilla's own XUL language based for the T-Bird Inbox, Mozilla, and Firefox web browsers. If we created it either internally to the application itself or as an XPI plugin extension creating a text based WYSIWYG editor for those who want to be able to create there own extensions/themes (although I would suggest making this an extension seeing not everyone is going to use this). We need to develope in the package itself (for those developing extensions), a pre-made template that will already load a blank app so that the user doesn't have to develope from scratch, currently what I'm already doing (as suggested by Mozilla) is to download an existing extension and/or theme and just recreate the XUL & JS files, then just re-package the XPI/JAR.

• Obviously the integration of this development package would not be for everyone, those who would want to create their own theme would need a program such as Photoshop, some basic knowledge of CSS, and even a little XUL for the .rdf/.xul files with those extensions.

• For those just beginning in XUL or who want to further their knowledge and know how, this is the best site I have found covering all and I mean ALL documentation on the XUL language. XUL Planet

• So where does the JVM Development Platform (JavaScript Console Tool) come in?? Using a similar app like the one that we already have in the Mozilla and Firefox web browsers for editing JavaScript files is a great example what we could use for our XUL file creation tool. Sense we would be using Java and XUL we could even possibly integrate the two somehow.

• I will create diagrams and post them up here or something, as this may sound confusing being a text edit.

(This is just a brain storming idea, I don't have everything rock solid. I will start the architecture and development layout as for anyone who would like to help please feel free posting more replies. Again, this is just brain storming. Ideas of course are greatly accepted! I would be happy to work with anyone on this project!!)

--Mclark 16:35, 22 Aug 2005 (PDT)Mike Clark mailto:mr_snazypants2006@hotmail.com