API Extension for FireFox
How to install, update, uninstall FireFox extensions on Windows?
The article ( https://developer.mozilla.org/en/Adding_Extensions_using_the_Windows_Registry ) seems outdated information ...
I have installed FireFox 3.6.3. However, in my registry, I don't see "HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Mozilla \ Firefox \ Extensions":
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Mozilla]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Mozilla \ Mozilla Firefox]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Mozilla \ Mozilla Firefox \ 3.6.3 (ru-RU)]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Mozilla \ Mozilla Firefox \ 3.6.3 (ru-RU) \ Main]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Mozilla \ Mozilla Firefox \ 3.6.3 (en-GB) \ Uninstall]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Mozilla \ Mozilla Firefox 3.6.3]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Mozilla \ Mozilla Firefox 3.6.3 \ bin]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ SOFTWARE \ Mozilla \ Mozilla Firefox 3.6.3 \ extensions]
For example, I want to install my_ext.xpi (ID: my_ext @ my _site.com, Path: c: \ myapp \ ff_addons \ my_ext.xpi).
Could you please tell me how can I install the extension?
Which versions of firefox support this method?
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The extension registry key (HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \ Software \ Mozilla \ Firefox \ Extensions) does not exist by default - just create it and register the extension as described in the Mozilla instructions (which you linked to).
This method has been working great for me for over a year now.
You also have another option (which also works on non-Windows machines): Installing Extensions
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the windows registry method is not a legacy method, and it maintains a way to install the add-on for all users on the machine (and all Firefox profiles).
I'm curious why you thought it was an inherited method.
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Are you talking about an extension or a plug-in?
Extensions are usually installed by opening a Firefox .xpi file. .Xpi files are just .zip files with a manifest (.rdf) and various scripts and libraries. You can install it manually by creating the correct directory structure. On my machine extensions live here: C:\Users\[username]\AppData\Roaming\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\[random-number].default\extensions
. You create a subdirectory named yourextension@yourcompany.com
and then unpack the contents of your XPI inside the subdirectory. The next time the user restarts Firefox, your extension will be installed. However, there are a few bugs:
- Users need to manually restart Firefox.
- You don't know which profile to use if there are several. The profile is identified by [random number] above. Many users have more than one profile.
- On Mac and Linux, this is a different directory, although the same basic idea applies.
Plugins are things like Flash that run inside a web page. You can install them by setting a registry key, but I think in general there is a well-known folder where Firefox looks and loads everything that starts with NP
(e.g. NPSWF32.dll). Seriously, he's looking NP
. And each plugin has to export certain NPAPI functions that Firefox uses to negotiate ... stuff.
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