Building with XUL
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XUL is a powerful language that allows developers to quickly build client applications like Firefox and Thunderbird. It uses XML syntax and has features like a flexible box model, built-in controls, and support for scripting. XUL powers extensions and applications, and is focused on improving accessibility, localization, and standardization going forward. The document provides examples of simple XUL code and discusses how to add interactivity, styling, and networking to create fully-featured XUL applications and extensions.
Building with XUL
- 1. Building with XUL Ben Goodger Software Engineer, Google Inc.
- 2. What is XUL? XUL is a powerful language that lets you quickly develop client software XUL is used by Mozilla Firefox, Thunderbird and other software projects.
- 3. What can XUL do? Extensions (to Firefox, Thunderbird, other applications) - BugMeNot, AdBlock, MiniT, Sage, Enigmail, etc. Applications (like Firefox, Thunderbird, etc)
- 4. XUL Features XML Syntax Flexible Box Model Wide array of application controls Data binding Rich set of platform services Development supported across numerous platforms Scripting and flexibility with implementation language Tools for section 508 accessibility compliance Localizability Tested and deployed to millions of people
- 5. Where is XUL going? XUL2.0 (API polish) XULRunner Standardization (via: WHATWG: datagrid, etc, W3C: XUL Box Model in CSS)
- 6. A Simple XUL Demo
- 7. What does XUL look like? <?xml version="1.0"?> <?xml-stylesheet href="chrome://global/skin/"?> <window id="test" xmlns="http://www.mozilla.org/keymaster/gatekeeper/there.is.only.xul" title="Hello, World!"> <script type="application/x-javascript" src="test.js"/> <vbox flex="1"> <listbox id="itemlist" flex="1"> <listitem label="Item 1"/> <listitem label="Item 2"/> </listbox> <hbox> <textbox id="labelfield" flex="1" oninput="validateInput();"/> <button id="addButton" label="Add Item" disabled="true" oncommand="addItem();"/> </hbox> </vbox> </window>
- 8. Making XUL Live function addItem() { var listbox = document.getElementById("itemlist"); var listitem = document.createElement("listitem"); var labelfield = document.getElementById("labelfield"); listbox.appendChild(listitem); listitem.label = labelfield.value; labelfield.value = ""; validateInput(); labelfield.focus(); } function validateInput() { var field = document.getElementById("labelfield"); var button = document.getElementById("addButton"); button.disabled = field.value == ""; }
- 9. Adding Visual Panache Visual style is added using CSS Icons, colors, backgrounds Themes
- 10. Making your XUL Application Live Networking File I/O Preferences Web Services Extensions
- 11. Extending XUL XBL is Mozilla’s Extensible Binding Language Create new elements by using others Develop element node apis <binding id=“mytag”> <content> <xul:hbox> <xul:button label=“Button 1”/> <xul:button label=“Button 2”/> </xul:hbox> </content> <implementation> <constructor> alert(“foo”); </constructor> </implementation> </binding>
- 12. Building XUL Extensions Changing the UI - overlaying the DOM - executing script
- 13. A XUL Extension to Firefox Adds Session History Strip above browser Thumb strip added using XUL overlays Uses <canvas> to render page thumbnails
- 14. Packaging XUL Extensions Extension Bundle UI Components Defaults Housekeeping
- 15. Packaging XUL Applications Application Bundle UI Components Defaults Housekeeping
- 16. Resources http://www.xulplanet.com news://news.mozilla.org irc://irc.mozilla.org #developers Rapid Application Development with Mozilla Firefox Hacks
- 17. Why Use XUL Rapid development Easy to learn Rich platform services especially for internet applications Localizable, accessibility compliant Small application size when targeting deployed XULRunner Platform deployed to millions of users
- 18. Questions?
Editor's Notes
- #2: Good afternoon ladies and gentleman, my name is Ben Goodger and I’m the lead engineer of the Mozilla Firefox browser. I currently work for Google in Mountain View California. I’m here to talk to you today about XUL, the XML User Interface Language that we built Firefox with. I’m going to give you a brief run through of what XUL is, the benefits it has, show you a little of what developing with XUL and the Mozilla platform looks like, and give you some demos. I’ll also tell you what we’re doing with XUL this year and in the future. At the end there’ll be some time for Q&A.