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More About Firefox 2 Extensions
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I don’t publish hacks in this column because I generally write it for beginners. I know, however, that some of you who read it aren’t exactly in that category, so I’m going to make an exception.
This is one that can’t really do any harm. In the cases where it works (most of them that I’ve tried), it could help you to get your favorite extension installed in Firefox 2, even though they haven’t been upgraded. The fact is, most of the old extensions work just fine — all you have to do is tell them it’s OK. Here’s how you do it.
- Download the .xpi file by right-clicking the link and selecting “Save link as…”
- Change the file name by adding the extension “.zip” (without the quotes, of course). It should read “—.xpi.zip”
- Right-click the .zip file and find “install.rdf”
- Drag it to the desktop.
- Open “install.rdf” in Notepad by right-clicking it and selecting “Open.” You may have to tell it which application to use.
- Change the “maxversion” to read 2.0 instead of 1.x.
- Save the file.
- Drag “install.rdf” to the .zip file and release it.
- Click “Yes.”
- Delete the unzipped .xpi file, otherwise you won’t be able to…
- Rename the .zip file by removing the .zip extension. It will change back to .xpi.
- Drag the resulting .xpi file to your Firefox icon and drop it.
The file should install normally as an extension/add-on. If it doesn’t… oh, well.
[tags]Firefox, Bill Webb, Bill’s Web, Hacks, Extensions[/tags]
4 Comments
Richard Martin
November 2nd, 2006
at 4:05pm
Why do it the hard way?
Starting with Firefox 2, you can prevent your extensions being disabled by creating a new boolean pref in about:config named “Extensions.checkCompatibility” and setting it to false.
–>Extensions.checkCompatibility - http://kb.mozillazine.org/Extensions.checkCompatibility
or use a extension
# MR Tech Local Install - https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/421
The primary goal of this extension is to provide the tools needed to install and manage extensions and themes locally.
Author’s homepage for this extension - http://www.mrtech.com/extensions/local_install/index.html
# Nightly Tester Tools - https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/958
Useful tools for the nightly tester. This extension makes it easy to see which build of Firefox, Thunderbird or Seamonkey you are using as well as providing a convenient way to launch talkback for finding your reports. Check the homepage for a more detailed list of features.
The latest version allows you to install extensions that firefox believes are incompatible.
Author’s homepage for this extension - http://users.blueprintit.co.uk/~dave/web/firefox/buildid/nightly.html
either one will do it also for you
later, Richard
Bill Webb
November 2nd, 2006
at 5:04pm
Barry left a comment on the previous thread:
Barry Stinson - November 2, 2006 @ 4:30 am
Bill: I have been using Firefox for well over a year now, and upgraded to Version 2.0 the day before it was officially released. A few extensions (add ons) were flagged as incompatible. After a couple of days Googling for updates I discovered “Nightly Tester Tools†- After downloading and installing, I found a new button on the Tools/Add-ons menu labeled “Make All Compatibleâ€.
It works! I’m far from a computer guru, so am unable to explain what it does, but am happy to report that ALL of my previous extensions are working.
As did Dennis:
Dennis Mack - November 2, 2006 @ 5:04 am
“Add Onsâ€: A way to make your “Extensions†compatible with Firefox 2, is to install the “Nightly Tester Tools†Add On - then click on the “Make all Compatible†button. All my “Extensions†now work as “Add Ons†in Firefox 2.
Thanks, Guys!
Bill Webb
November 2nd, 2006
at 6:06pm
“Why do it the hard way?”
Because not everyone is as eminently geeky and knowledgeable as you obviously are, Richard.
Thanks for writing, though.
BW
Steve
November 3rd, 2006
at 4:32am
Thanks to Bill Webb for the clear step-by-step instructions
The Nightly Tester Tools Firefox extension adds a few extras useful to those that regularly test nightly builds of Firefox. I use it to force Firefox to believe that an extension is compatible with the current version and enable it.
Firefox Add-ons: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/1391/