Preferences bindings

Work in progress See also [1].

This is about new bindings introduced in Toolkit used in Firefox/Thunderbird 1.1. The new binding allow you write preferences UI faster, using less JavaScript code.

Todo:

• list attributes too
• more detailed descriptions
• mark readonly properties as such
• sort alphabetically
• check correctness

• platform specific issues:
  • instant apply
  • animation
• possible use of dynamic overlays for panes

<prefwindow>

extends chrome://global/content/bindings/dialog.xml#dialog

Properties

preferencePanes

A NodeList of <prefpane> elements.

type

Gets and sets the value of the type attribute.

lastSelected

Used to get the value of the lastSelected attribute.

instantApply

Indicates whether the window is in "instant apply" mode.

currentPane

Currently selected <prefpane> element. Use showPane() method to select another pane.

Methods

showPane(aPaneElement)

Selects given pane.

animate(aOldPane, aNewPane)

? is this a public method ?

addPane(aPaneElement)

Adds a specified prefpane to the window.

openSubDialog(aURL, aFeatures, aParams)

Opens a modal sub-dialog.

openWindow(aWindowType, aURL, aFeatures, aParams)

<prefpane>

Properties

src

Gets and sets the value of the src attribute.

selected

Gets and sets the value of the selected attribute.

image

Gets and sets the value of the image attribute.

label

Gets and sets the value of the label attribute.

preferenceElements

A NodeList of child elements with preference attribute.

preferences

A NodeList of all child <preference> elements.

loaded

Indicates whether the pane is fully loaded.

contentHeight

Methods

writePreferences(aFlushToDisk)

preferenceForElement(aElement)

getPreferenceElement(aStartElement)

userChangedValue(aElement)

<preferences>

Methods

fireChangedEvent(aPreference)

Fields

service

The preferences service (nsIPrefService).

rootBranch

The root prefs branch (nsIPrefBranch).

defaultBranch

The root branch with default values (nsIPrefBranch).

rootBranchInternal

The root prefs branch (nsIPrefBranch2).

<preference>

Properties

instantApply

preferences

name

type

inverted

readonly

value

locked

disabled

tabIndex

hasUserValue

defaultValue

valueFromPreferences

Methods

reset()

setElementValue(aElement)

getElementValue(aElement)

isElementEditable(aElement)

updateElements()