Firefox: why this extension button is not shown in private windows?

dedec0 · 08-05-2018, 06:13 PM

I have the extension "No-Javascript Addon" (by China-Cheats) version 1.0.9 installed in my Firefox ESR 52.2.0. It can be downloaded in addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/no-javascript-addon/ and the XPI directly in mozilla.org: no_javascript_addon-1.0.9-fx.xpi ¹.

This extension gives us a one click button to disable or enable javascript, which is nice. But the button does not show in any private windows! Why?

After not seeing it there in private windows, I have tried to manually add it to its toolbar, but it is not shown among the buttons I can choose to do so.

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¹ Subquestion: Why the MD5 sum of my installed extension is different from the one I downloaded to check this thread? What is wrong here?

I '7z x'ed both XPIs and checked the md5 of the resulting files. Look:

Code:

$  md5 *
804fa35ee2a93e44f152fe802f643ed3  bootstrap_1.js
804fa35ee2a93e44f152fe802f643ed3  bootstrap.js
md5sum: data: dir
md5sum: defaults: dir
6c7f23715a70b1d0dd47327ddbea4cd1  icon_1.png
6c7f23715a70b1d0dd47327ddbea4cd1  icon.png
42afc91be00aa063c683f33c61fdc16a  install_1.rdf
42afc91be00aa063c683f33c61fdc16a  install.rdf
a9ce7ca98b82e1d515d47ab6c9e98b21  main_1.js
2f3c1a53cb9ea6cd2fb2c43bdf5bf6cb  main.js
md5sum: META-INF: dir
8c8d2e19311f2ee2aa80dfe4806f8e57  no_javascript_addon-1.0.9-fx.xpi2
e5aadb7f163c81877b3ff1078aa8cc4c  nojavascript@china-cheats.xpi.zip
331ed606aa0d409e2e5c6ef13e33066f  options_1.xul
331ed606aa0d409e2e5c6ef13e33066f  options.xul
4b0aa81d671b3a949c0e818145dd887c  package_1.json
4b0aa81d671b3a949c0e818145dd887c  package.json

The diff output for that main file is strange for me. It shows just that a bunch of lines were commented. What do they make in what I have installed? Look:

Code:

84c84
<    if (sp.prefs.[...]
---
>    //if (sp.prefs.[...]
91c91
<     if (sp.prefs.[...]
---
>     //if (sp.prefs.[...]
123c123
<  if (sp.prefs.[...]
---
>  //if (sp.prefs.[...]
139c139
<   if (sp.prefs.[...]
---
>   //if (sp.prefs.[...]
152c152
<    if (sp.prefs.[...]
---
>    //if (sp.prefs.[...]
159c159
<     if (sp.prefs.[...]
---
>     //if (sp.prefs.[...]
185c185
< });
\ Nenhum caractere de nova linha no final do arquivo
---
> });

X-LFS-2010 · 08-08-2018, 12:57 AM

do other similar addons work in private windows?

private window prevents other windows from (ie, reading cookies, running java scripts that read data from other windows, etc, as if each window was running as the only window open). so a java script that tries to access another window would stop working under "private window". the java script that accesses the "only" window - still runs.

your talking about a very complex code base and a VERY fragile thing: old addons that were compiled on who knows what OS distribution for who knows which firefox version

be surprised if it works at all

X-LFS-2010 · 08-08-2018, 01:00 AM

here's better advice

your trying to add convenience to your time and life

this will only give you wasted time and headaches. only on the outside chance it's actively still developed and you can get a version made for your firefox version, talk to the developer and ask for a new feature and get it ... wow

drop it on the floor

ondoho · 08-11-2018, 01:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by X-LFS-2010

here's better advice

your trying to add convenience to your time and life

this will only give you wasted time and headaches. only on the outside chance it's actively still developed and you can get a version made for your firefox version, talk to the developer and ask for a new feature and get it ... wow

drop it on the floor

if you think about the situation for 1 minute, you will understand that it indeed doesn't make sense that this addon - a simple button to en/disable javascript - removes itself from private windows.

however, after another 1 minute web search the situation is pretty clear: only the addon developer can answer the question or fix the situation.

Habitual · 08-17-2018, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by X-LFS-2010

do other similar addons work in private windows?
...
be surprised if it works at all

As would I. I'd a thought none would be active, or enabled in Private. That would seem "logical" IMO.
Seems I'd be wrong.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/926986
Private Browsing - Use Firefox without saving history and
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/pr...manage-add-ons
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb...remove-add-ons

dedec0 · 08-18-2018, 08:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by X-LFS-2010

do other similar addons work in private windows?

Similar addons... what do you call similar? An addon that changes a specific setting with a button click (or maybe also with or just with another action)? Or an addon that can enable and disable javascript?

(this last possibility is not really atractive because if the addon makes me click a few times to reach that action, I will prefer to change it with: 1) open about:config 2) search "pt.en" 3) doubleclick the setting 'javascript.enabled'). If I will enable and disable JS frequently for that profile, I just let the filtered about:config tab open, so I fairly quick change it with a tab focus and a double click.

Quote:

Originally Posted by X-LFS-2010

private window prevents other windows from (ie, reading cookies, running java scripts that read data from other windows, etc, as if each window was running as the only window open). so a java script that tries to access another window would stop working under "private window". the java script that accesses the "only" window - still runs.

To me, the private windows seems to have a separate box of data. It is one "private box" that is shared among all possibly shared windows of each firefox profile. This data is only erased when we close all private windows of each running profile (closing the window != closing all tabs while keeping one window open, last private or not, with an empty tab). What I say here is something I surely know, because I use this idea in my normal FF use habits. Page running javascripts can access all data from the data box of the window type: private box, if in private windows; normal data box, otherwise.

Quote:

Originally Posted by X-LFS-2010

your talking about a very complex code base and a VERY fragile thing: old addons that were compiled on who knows what OS distribution for who knows which firefox version

be surprised if it works at all

Complex code? I am not sure that holds true. The other addons I have set in my address bar shows correctly in both kinds of window: GreaseMonkey; Block site; simple form fill (with a bad looking button icon because my window manager theme is dark gray for that bar) (and without a single data in it... I think I have installed it but forgot to use).

Still in the "complex code" idea, the code can be completely seen with many basic programs (id est, not with a dev thing only). Vim can open the addons files and let us check what JS code they have inside. Posting the coding here is a good idea for others analysing it (besides my mostly basic checks)? Maybe the programming forum is better for that discussion branch?

dedec0 · 08-18-2018, 09:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Habitual

As would I. I'd a thought none would be active, or enabled in Private. That would seem "logical" IMO.
Seems I'd be wrong.
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/926986

Private Browsing - Use Firefox without saving history and

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/pr...manage-add-ons

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb...remove-add-ons

The addons I use all work fine in private windows. The only exception I have (or noted, but I think that would be wrong to say) is the originally said one.

As mentioned in one of the links you said, I only guess the extension is not among the ones that choose to be different in private mode because 1) it is a very simple addon, and 2) it does not mention that in the description. Not a guarantee, I agree - I will just wait an answer for my #6 post, which asks about where a peeking code post (for that addon!) is better, here or programming forum, separating a branch of this question.

And because it is mentioned in the last link you gave (I edited your quote to separate the links, please edit your post too, other users will probably approve that change too), my firefox version is Firefox ESR 52 (which is supported until the end of this year, in case one want to suggest to use a newer version; and I will not even consider to change to a newer version until then, and surely not if I have to give up any of the addons I use today - a very bad choice that mozilla recently made, that will possibly make me change my default browser, at least in this computer).

Habitual · 08-20-2018, 07:59 AM

What I got from the first link I posted was "It's up to the dev of the addon" and FF saves no session data to disk.

Some extensions and plugins detect Private Browsing mode (Firefox notifies them) and may act differently, but that is up to the developer of the extension.

The only thing that Firefox (add-ons not included!) does in PB mode is not saving session data to disk.

Good luck
https://www.virustotal.com/#/file/56...72da/detection