[Pkg-mozext-maintainers] Policy update

[Alexander Sack]

On Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 01:23:56PM +0200, Mike Hommey wrote:
> On Mon, Apr 19, 2010 at 01:06:14PM +0200, Benjamin Drung wrote:
> > Hi,
> > 
> > I request some policy updates:
> > 
> > Filesystem Placement and Linking
> > ================================
> > 
> > I think we should not specify a install location and drop this
> > paragraph:
> > 
> > Packages shipping extensions for XUL-based applications like iceweasel
> > or icedove should put unpack the contents of the extension in a folder
> > in /usr/share/mozilla/extensions/common. Packages that also contain
> > architecture-dependent material should place the architecture-dependent
> > material in a folder in /usr/lib/mozilla/extensions/common and symlink
> > to it from the folder under /usr/share/mozilla/extensions/common 
> 
> With the long term goal to have mozilla recognize this canonical location
> for extensions, I think it is still worth having in the policy. It will
> make migration easier. Note it is a should, not a must.
> 
> > The second paragraph
> > 
> > The unpacked extension directory should then be symlinked into the
> > applications directory of every XUL application that can use the
> > extension. For example, the package for an extension "fubar" which works
> > with iceape (app-id {92650c4d-4b8e-4d2a-b7eb-24ecf4f6b63a}) and
> > iceweasel (app-id {ec8030f7-c20a-464f-9b0e-13a3a9e97384}) should drop
> > links into
> > both /usr/share/mozilla/extensions/{ec8030f7-c20a-464f-9b0e-13a3a9e97384}/fubar and /usr/share/mozilla/extensions/{92650c4d-4b8e-4d2a-b7eb-24ecf4f6b63a}/fubar, each pointing to /usr/share/mozilla/extensions/common/fubar. 
> > 
> > should be changed to
> > 
> > The unpacked extension directory must be symbolic linked into the
> > applications directory of every XUL application that can use the
> > extension. For example, the package for an extension "fubar" which works
> > with iceape (app-id {92650c4d-4b8e-4d2a-b7eb-24ecf4f6b63a}) and
> > iceweasel (app-id {ec8030f7-c20a-464f-9b0e-13a3a9e97384}) must drop
> > links into
> > both /usr/share/mozilla/extensions/{ec8030f7-c20a-464f-9b0e-13a3a9e97384}/fubar and /usr/share/mozilla/extensions/{92650c4d-4b8e-4d2a-b7eb-24ecf4f6b63a}/fubar, each pointing to the unpacked extension directory. You can install the extension directly into the applications directory instead of symbolic linking, if the extension supports only one XUL application.
> 
> I see no specific reason why extensions that only work for one
> application should install somewhere and be forced to have the
> /usr/share/mozilla/extensions/{app-id}/fubar directory to be a link,
> which your use of "must" makes mandatory.

In general i agree that we dont need to require it. Practically, it might
make sense though as we never know up front if extensions will add other
app-ids later. and migrating links etc. is kinda ugly.

(wonder if my @debian.org sent mail got through to list)

 - Alexander