Firefox to drop support for TiddlyFox?

[John-Kim Murphy]

If I understand this article correctly, does it mean TiddlyFox will no longer work in future versions of Firefox? Firefox is dropping support for XUL add-ons, and TiddlyFox uses XUL, right?

I have a feeling TiddlyFox cannot be fully ported to the new, limited programming model...

[BJ]

Hi John,
at the present time firefox is supporting a file api with the new extension api. This means that it is possible to implement the current tiddlyfox functionality. I wrote the tiddlyclip firefox plugin which I plan to re-write with the new api. - however mozilla has had enormous problems with the electrolysis project - and it has been delayed many times - I have given up trying to get anything to work until they release electrolysis into the beta channel - otherwise I feel I am wasting my time. When I port tiddlyclip I will help port tiddlyfox - if some else has not already done it.

Cheers

BJ

[John-Kim Murphy]

Oh, that's great! Is this file api documented anywhere? Will it be a Firefox-only API? I couldn't find anything here.

I just assumed Firefox was becoming more like Chrome, where a Tiddlyfox-like extension is not possible, or is much more limited.

[BJ]

I don't think ff is going to change its low level api - just invent more api layers on top of it:

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons/Code_snippets/File_I_O

Cheers

BJ

[PMario]

On Monday, August 24, 2015 at 6:02:14 AM UTC+2, John-Kim Murphy wrote:

If I understand this article correctly, does it mean TiddlyFox will no longer work in future versions of Firefox? Firefox is dropping support for XUL add-ons, and TiddlyFox uses XUL, right?

I have a feeling TiddlyFox cannot be fully ported to the new, limited programming model...

I did some tests ... don't panic ;)

The actual version of FF is 40.0.2. I did the tests with FF 42a2 developer version.

1)
 - The standard save mechanism (no TiddlyFox installed) works as expected, since nothing changed there.

2)
 - With FF 42a2. TiddlyFox save mechanism works
 - the "save feedback" mechanism seems to be broken. But this should be possible to fix.

have fun!
mario

[John-Kim Murphy]

API's will be removed because they are hindering Firefox development. Straight from the Firefox developers:

Consequently, we have decided to deprecate add-ons that depend on XUL, XPCOM, and XBL.

The API BJ linked to uses XPCOM:

This article describes local file input/output in chrome JavaScript.
You access the file system using Mozilla XPCOM components.

So, unfortunately, my opinion is still TiddlyFox cannot be ported to the future Firefox extension model.

I guess Firefox is taking suggestions for their new extension model at user voice. Does TiddlyFox have enough users to be considered "popular?"

Anyways I suggest all TiddlyWiki/TiddlyFox users vote for this suggestion: Support OS.File, or at least chrome.fileSystem!

[BJ]

Hi Mario, that's good!

mozilla have not said when electrolysis will be enable by default, and I would wait until they do before make changes to extensions.

cheers

BJ

[BJ]

you can have my vote for OS.File.  :-)

[James]

Does it means that we will cross our fingers that it will works in next FF release and it is to take a move to search for alternative for now?