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I have written some software that makes use of the -app command line option in Firefox to launch XUL applications in Firefox's embedded copy of XULRunner. This all worked fine in Firefox 3.x, however when I try with Firefox 4, Firefox either crashes or does nothing (depending on if it is on Mac or Windows).

I have tried a number of other command line options and many of them seem to be variously broken. (such as -v to print the version information, which crashes on OSX)

Does anyone know if there are already registered bugs about this? Was the removal of -app intentional or was it an oversight? Is there any way to work around this problem?

Eric Strom
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3 Answers3

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The -app is maintained in firefox 4 and should work.
I do not know if there is a bug for windows and mac os, but I'm using it on linux for several apps, and it works well (my firefox version is Mozilla Firefox 4.0.1)

CircleCode
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Just wanted to bump this - as on Firefox 7, -app does not seem to be there: 

$ uname -s -r
Linux 2.6.38-11-generic
$ firefox --version
Mozilla Firefox 7.0.1
$ firefox --help
Usage: firefox [ options ... ] [URL]
       where options include:

X11 options
  --display=DISPLAY  X display to use
  --sync             Make X calls synchronous
  --g-fatal-warnings Make all warnings fatal

Firefox options
  -h or -help        Print this message.
  -v or -version     Print Firefox version.
  -P <profile>       Start with <profile>.
  -migration         Start with migration wizard.
  -ProfileManager    Start with ProfileManager.
  -no-remote         Open new instance, not a new window in running instance.
  -UILocale <locale> Start with <locale> resources as UI Locale.
  -safe-mode         Disables extensions and themes for this session.
  -jsconsole         Open the Error console.
  -browser           Open a browser window.
  -new-window  <url> Open <url> in a new window.
  -new-tab     <url> Open <url> in a new tab.
  -preferences       Open Preferences dialog.
  -search     <term> Search <term> with your default search engine.
  -private           Enable private browsing mode.
  -private-toggle    Toggle private browsing mode.
  -setDefaultBrowser Set this app as the default browser.

      -g or --debug          Start within debugger
      -d or --debugger       Specify debugger to start with (eg, gdb or valgrind)
      -a or --debugger-args  Specify arguments for debugger

I too would love to know when and why it was removed, but I simply cannot find any info online (see also Single-file app with xulrunner - possible?) ...

 

PS: Just filed a bug here: Bug #880596 in firefox (Ubuntu): “Option '-app' missing from Firefox above version 3” - I thought it would be automatically copied to mozilla's bugzilla (seeing bugs like Bug #207454), but unfortunately, it wasn't so... - bugzilla bug needs to be copied and added manually, it's there now...

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sdaau
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I also experienced problems using the -app switch. I'm using Firefox 10, but I have an idea this problem goes right back to FF 4.

The firefox binary, when run with the -help option, does not show list the -app option, which caused me much confusion, but I believe its still there.

The problem for me, instead, was to do with this change in Firefox 4, requiring a chrome manifest file in the application root. Since FF 4, only a single (root) chrome manifest is read, so you must create one with the following line, (or lines, if you want to have multiple manifests).

manifest chrome/chrome.manifest

Then launch the application the usual way

firefox -app path/to/application.ini -jsconsole

(For debugging use the -jsconsole option).

Another note, (you didn't mention having tried this, but I did and it was wrong) -- don't use the -no-remote option. I tried this with the intent of starting a new process for my XUL application separate from already running firefox instances. However, the -app option will create a new process for your application even if firefox instances are already running, so there is no need.

See also this question for more info about the chrome manifest issue.

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