How to add a Pale Moon application GUID to a Firefox extension

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How to add a Pale Moon application GUID to a Firefox extension

Unread post by coffeebreak » 2020-07-18, 01:39

Critical note about this howto:
Adding Pale Moon's GUID to a Firefox extension is no replacement for making a fork or properly adapting the extension to the Pale Moon browser.
This is a temporary emergency workaround for personal use only! Making extensions "continue to work" this way will also have the consequence that it limits your options for getting support since we cannot support setups with extensions that have been hacked this way - there are too many unknown factors and the only solution is for a proper forked extension to be made that has been tested with and is targeting Pale Moon directly.


This will explain how to open up an extension's xpi and use a text editor to add Pale Moon's application block to a file, install.rdf, that lives inside the extension.
The instructions are admittedly Windows-centric, because I don't have experience with Linux, or Mac.

WHAT YOU NEED IN ORDER TO DO THE EDIT:
  • A copy of your extension's xpi (cross platform installer);
    If you don't have one saved, you'll find a copy in the extensions folder in your browser profile. (To find your profile, go to Help -> Troubleshooting (about:support in the address bar) and click "Open Folder".) The files are named by their IDs, and some are hard to identify, but there is a list of Extension Names + IDs on your about:support page to help with that.
  • Archiver (zip/unzip) software, such as 7-Zip, WinRAR, PeaZip...etc. On Windows, there is also built-in functionality to extract from/send to a zipped archive. (I personally use 7-Zip.);
  • The Pale Moon application block, found in this tutorial, How to create a Pale Moon targeted extension
    (please read the entire tutorial for a better general understanding);
    For convenience, I've copied the application block here:

    Code: Select all

    		<em:targetApplication><!-- Pale Moon -->
    			<Description>
    				<em:id>{8de7fcbb-c55c-4fbe-bfc5-fc555c87dbc4}</em:id>
    				<em:minVersion>28.0</em:minVersion>
    				<em:maxVersion>28.*</em:maxVersion>
    			</Description>
    		</em:targetApplication>
  • A plain text editor;
    (I use Notepad++, but there are tons of others, including Windows' come-with Notepad. DO NOT use a word processor or rich text editor.)
**Make sure to do your edit to a copy of the xpi, so you'll have a backup in case of whatever.**

HOW TO EDIT:
  • Change the file extension of your xpi from ".xpi" to ".zip" (an xpi is just a zipped archive with a different file extension).
    Using DownThemAll as an example, downthemall-3.0.8-fx+sm.xpi becomes downthemall-3.0.8-fx+sm.zip.
  • Extract the contents of the zipped folder to a new folder/directory and give it the same name as your extension. (Your archiver software will probably just name it that way for you.)
    Below is DownThemAll, extracted:
  • The folder includes the file install.rdf. You need to add the Pale Moon application block to install.rdf with your plain text editor.
    dta-extracted.png
  • Open install.rdf with your text editor.
    Slowly scroll down until you see application blocks for other browsers.
    The block for Pale Moon will be added to the same section.
    You can add Pale Moon to the others, or replace them with Pale Moon - your choice.

    DownThemAll -> install.rdf --
    Application blocks start where marked:
    dta-install.rdf.png

    PM application block has been added:
    dta-install.rdf2.png
  • Save install.rdf and close the file.
  • If your extension includes a folder called META-INF, delete that folder.
  • Select all of the files inside your "extracted" folder, including the edited install.rdf, and zip them up.
    Be careful NOT to include the containing folder in the new zipped archive.
    dta-zip-the-contents.png
  • Change the archive's file extension from ".zip" to ".xpi" - and you're done.
    Just drag your newly minted xpi onto the browser to install.


A FINAL WORD:
When eventually the dual GUID system is removed from Pale Moon, the above procedure will make it possible to install formerly Firefox-only extensions. However it does not guarantee true underlying compatibility, nor that the extension will actually work properly. This will vary by extension, and/or over time as external factors change.
Last edited by coffeebreak on 2020-07-18, 06:25, edited 2 times in total.

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Re: How to add a Pale Moon application GUID to a Firefox extension

Unread post by athenian200 » 2020-07-18, 02:24

Thank you for writing this up, coffeebreak! I was thinking about doing something like that after I figure out the CSS parser, but you got it done already. Hopefully this helps some people out who are trying to figure out where to get started with keeping their extensions working. Honestly, it kinda clarifies a few questions I had about the process... I had the general idea, but this lays it all down pretty solidly.
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Re: How to add a Pale Moon application GUID to a Firefox extension

Unread post by moonbat » 2020-07-18, 05:41

coffeebreak wrote:
2020-07-18, 01:39
If you don't have one saved, you'll find a copy in the extensions folder in your browser profile.
You might want to also mention the location of the profile folder on different platforms since apparently even that piece of arcane rocket science knowledge is privy only to 'developers' :roll:
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Re: How to add a Pale Moon application GUID to a Firefox extension

Unread post by loxodont » 2020-07-18, 06:52

Thanks very much, coffeebreak! I think I'll give it another try (after many ... many fails:)
To the FINAL WORD, - I only read before that "some extensions can't be forked" like this, or just don't work - and perhaps I caught just these, which were mostly refused to be installed -, is there a way to find out if they're Firefox-only?

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Re: How to add a Pale Moon application GUID to a Firefox extension

Unread post by moonbat » 2020-07-18, 07:05

loxodont wrote:
2020-07-18, 06:52
I only read before that "some extensions can't be forked" like this, or just don't work - and perhaps I caught just these, which were mostly refused to be installed -, is there a way to find out if they're Firefox-only?
The target application block determines what applications can use the extension, so technically all of these are Firefox only and they work here because PM recognizes Firefox's ID and allows it. If they were working for you with PM 28.10, they aren't going to magically break in 28.11, but it is inevitable as time passes that their code will need to keep up. But the first step for a start is in changing application ID to target Pale Moon and everyone can get started with at least doing that.
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Re: How to add a Pale Moon application GUID to a Firefox extension

Unread post by coffeebreak » 2020-07-18, 09:06

loxodont wrote:
2020-07-18, 06:52
I only read before that "some extensions can't be forked" like this, or just don't work - and perhaps I caught just these, which were mostly refused to be installed -, is there a way to find out if they're Firefox-only?
That doesn't ring a bell.

All that "Firefox-only" would mean is that (at the moment) a Firefox application block is the only one currently inside some extension. Probably, you unknowingly made some misstep while editing the extension.

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Re: How to add a Pale Moon application GUID to a Firefox extension

Unread post by loxodont » 2020-07-18, 17:20

coffeebreak wrote:
2020-07-18, 09:06
Probably, you unknowingly made some misstep while editing the extension.
Thanks for replies, guys...
Well, that's the magic key sentence here, which is nailed on my wall already. :lol: :lol:

@ moonbat: It's not about actual changes and magical breaks with 28.11. It's about the last years, or since it's clear that legacy add-ons have to be forked. I made several attempts in forking, tried to keep it exactly to the instructions here and elsewhere, but magically (to me) I got those messages in Pale Moon ( Basilisk, too) that the add-on "cannot be installed", mostly because "it seems to be damaged", sometimes "not compatible" or it could be installed, but didn't work without glitches.

But I'll try again! :D

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Re: How to add a Pale Moon application GUID to a Firefox extension

Unread post by coffeebreak » 2020-07-18, 23:38

loxodont wrote:
2020-07-18, 17:20
I made several attempts in forking, tried to keep it exactly to the instructions here and elsewhere, but magically (to me) I got those messages in Pale Moon ( Basilisk, too) that the add-on "cannot be installed", mostly because "it seems to be damaged", sometimes "not compatible"
That's often caused by messing up the directory structure, by adding the surrounding (top level) directory of the unzipped extension to your new archive. It's extremely important to only zip up the contents, so that install.rdf and the like are in the root, the first thing you see if you open the archive.


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Re: How to add a Pale Moon application GUID to a Firefox extension

Unread post by loxodont » 2020-07-19, 19:02

Interim report: Installation of the *. xpi works now! :D
Like coffeebreak says, maybe zipping the whole extension folder from the outside caused the problem - not sure if I did that all the time.
But still that special extension lost some function, I'll have to look for.
Anyway, thx so far :thumbup:

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Re: How to add a Pale Moon application GUID to a Firefox extension

Unread post by unknownone » 2020-09-27, 14:32

Thanks for the guide coffeebreak, I've managed to make the flashgot plugin work in the current Palemoon unstable version.

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Re: How to add a Pale Moon application GUID to a Firefox extension

Unread post by New Tobin Paradigm » 2020-09-27, 14:37

Selfish, petty, and entitled people such as your selves will be given SUCH a rude awakening very soon. Count on it!

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Re: How to add a Pale Moon application GUID to a Firefox extension

Unread post by unknownone » 2020-09-27, 14:50

I'm sorry New Tobin Paradigm that you take this thread and maybe my post in a negative way. I do not feel entitled to anything, I've just thanked coffeebreak for his help in showing how to make some unsupported plugins temporarily work. I'm well aware that there may be issues and incompatibilities arising now or in the future with addons that don't target Palemoon natively and I'm consciously taking the risk of using them, without complaining nor protesting that Palemoon marks them as unsupported (I agree with this policy). If I were technically able to support & mantain Flashgot for Palemoon, I would gladly do so, but unfortunately it is out of my programming expertise.

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Re: How to add a Pale Moon application GUID to a Firefox extension

Unread post by Nightbird » 2020-09-27, 17:28

unknownone wrote:
2020-09-27, 14:50
I'm sorry New Tobin Paradigm that you take this thread and maybe my post in a negative way. I do not feel entitled to anything, I've just thanked coffeebreak for his help in showing how to make some unsupported plugins temporarily work. I'm well aware that there may be issues and incompatibilities arising now or in the future with addons that don't target Palemoon natively and I'm consciously taking the risk of using them, without complaining nor protesting that Palemoon marks them as unsupported (I agree with this policy). If I were technically able to support & mantain Flashgot for Palemoon, I would gladly do so, but unfortunately it is out of my programming expertise.
Obviously, you have no idea about what's coming.
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Re: How to add a Pale Moon application GUID to a Firefox extension

Unread post by unknownone » 2020-09-27, 17:43

Nightbird wrote:
2020-09-27, 17:28
Obviously, you have no idea about what's coming.
What changes are coming? I've probably missed some posts or threads.


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Re: How to add a Pale Moon application GUID to a Firefox extension

Unread post by Tharthan » 2020-09-27, 23:14

New Tobin Paradigm wrote:
2020-09-27, 14:37
a rude awakening very soon. Count on it!
Nightbird wrote:
2020-09-27, 17:28
Obviously, you have no idea about what's coming.
Off-topic:
I wonder if these forums are going to be like Clock Town on the evening of the Final Day in Majora's Mask once Version 29.0 is released.
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Re: How to add a Pale Moon application GUID to a Firefox extension

Unread post by unknownone » 2020-09-28, 00:24

Thanks, I've read through those threads and got up to date (I've read 1 & 2 before, but missed 3). On a side note, since I'm using the current Palemoon unstable version, I'm already facing what is to come in the short term and I've already replaced the dictionaries and several extensions with versions or alternatives that support Palemoon directly. I'll try to contact Flashgot's author to see if there is some way to fork it for Palemoon.
Off-topic:
I'm running the unstable Palemoon version to try to help in the little way I can, namely facing bugs early, reporting them & trying to find solutions. I'm going also to donate now as further small contribution.

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Re: How to add a Pale Moon application GUID to a Firefox extension

Unread post by RealityRipple » 2020-09-28, 01:45

unknownone wrote:
2020-09-28, 00:24
I'll try to contact Flashgot's author to see if there is some way to fork it for Palemoon.
Off-topic:
I'm making a fork of FlashGot right now, to be released if the author doesn't end up supporting Pale Moon himself.

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