2 This is part of the VimFx documentation.
3 Copyright Simon Lydell 2015, 2016.
4 See the file README.md for copying conditions.
9 This section describes how to install and use the tools needed to:
11 - Build VimFx from source
21 2. Run `npm install` to download dependencies and development dependencies.
23 3. Optional: Run `npm install --global gulp` to be able to run [`gulp`][gulp]
26 If you prefer not to install `gulp` globally, you can use `npm run gulp`
27 instead. For example, to create an .xpi file: `npm run gulp -- xpi`.
29 [Node.js]: http://nodejs.org/
30 [gulp]: https://github.com/gulpjs/gulp
35 ### How to build and install the latest version from source
37 1. Follow the installation instructions above.
39 2. Run `npm run gulp -- xpi`.
41 3. [Open `build/VimFx.xpi` in Firefox][open-xpi].
43 Note that the built .xpi file is [unsigned].
45 [open-xpi]: installation.md#how-to-install-an-xpi-file-in-firefox
46 [unsigned]: installation.md#what-is-a-signed-add-on
50 1. Create a new [Firefox profile] for development.
52 2. Install the [Extension Auto-Installer] add-on in your development profile.
54 An easy workflow is code, `gulp`, test, repeat. (Use `gulp -t` to also run the
57 [Firefox Profile]: https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/profile-manager-create-and-remove-firefox-profiles
58 [Extension Auto-Installer]: https://addons.mozilla.org/firefox/addon/autoinstaller
63 [gulp] is a task runner, which is used to automate most VimFx tasks.
65 The tasks are defined in [gulpfile.coffee]. They are summarized in the following
68 (There are a few more tasks defined in [gulpfile.coffee], but they are only used
69 internally by other tasks.)
71 [gulpfile.coffee]: ../gulpfile.coffee
75 - `gulp build` creates the `build/` directory. It is basically a copy of the
76 `extension/` directory, except some of the files have been compiled. For
77 example, the .coffee files are compiled to .js.
79 - `gulp xpi` runs `gulp build` and then zips the `build/` directory into
80 `build/VimFx.xpi` (an .xpi file is a renamed .zip file).
82 - `gulp push` (or just `gulp`) runs `gulp xpi` and then pushes `build/VimFx.xpi`
83 to `http://localhost:8888`, which causes the [Extension Auto-Installer] to
84 automatically install it. (No need to restart Firefox.)
86 - Use the `--test` or `-t` option to include the unit test files into the build.
87 The output of the tests are `console.log`ed. Use the [browser console], or
88 start Firefox from the terminal to see it.
90 - Use the `--unlisted` or `-u` option to append `-unlisted` to the extension ID.
91 This is used when adding .xpi files to github releases.
93 - `gulp clean` removes the `build/` directory.
95 [browser console]: https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Tools/Browser_Console
99 - `gulp lint` lints all .coffee files. There’s also `npm run addons-linter` to
100 run [`addons-linter`] on a freshly built VimFx .xpi.
102 - `gulp sloc` prints comment and source code line counts.
104 - `gulp sync-locales` syncs locales. See the [“Syncing locales”][sync-locales]
105 section below for more information.
107 [`addons-linter`]: https://github.com/mozilla/addons-linter/
108 [sync-locales]: #syncing-locales
112 - `gulp faster` compiles `gulpfile.coffee` to `gulpfile.js`. If you run `gulp` a
113 lot and wish it ran faster, just tell it and it will! You’ll have to remember
114 to re-run `gulp faster` whenever `gulpfile.coffee` is updated, though.
116 - `gulp help.html` dumps VimFx’s Keyboard Shortcuts help dialog into
117 `help.html`. You can then open up `help.html` in Firefox and style it live
118 using the Style Editor! You can even press the “Save” button when done to save
121 - `gulp hints.html` is like `gulp help.html` but for styling hint markers.
125 See the [“Making a release”][release] section below for more information.
127 - `gulp release` tags things with a new version number.
129 - `gulp changelog` prints changelog entries from `CHANGELOG.md` as HTML to
132 - `gulp readme` prints `README.md` as HTML to stdout.
134 Tip: Add `--silent` at the end of the gulp command to suppress gulp’s standard
135 progress output. This allows to pipe stdout to the clipboard, without getting
136 unwanted cruft around the output.
138 [release]: #making-a-release
143 This is usually not done by translators, but by developers who change, add or
144 remove features that involves localized text.
146 If you add, remove or reorder translations in a file, do so in _one_ of the
147 locales (one that is easy for you to test—but always write new translations in
148 English!). If you modified the en-US locale, run `gulp sync-locales --en-US` (or
149 just `gulp sync-locales`). Substitute “en-US” with a locale of choice if needed.
150 That rewrites all other locales so that:
152 - Old translations are removed.
153 - New translations are added (in English).
154 - All translations appear in the same order.
156 If you modify an existing translation in a file and want to update all other
157 locales to use the new wording, add `UPDATE_ALL` at the end of it. `gulp
158 sync-locales` will then use that translation in _all_ locales, replacing what
159 was there before. It also removes `UPDATE_ALL` for you. However, if possible,
160 edit all other locales by hand to save as much translated text as possible.
162 Note that `gulp sync-locales` requires every translation to be in a single line.
163 In other words, do not line-wrap translations. Also don’t bother adding comments
164 when translating locale files, since they will be removed by `gulp
167 If you run `gulp sync-locales` with “en-US” as the base locale, a report is
168 printed telling how complete all other locales are. Add `--sv-SE?` (note the
169 question mark) to restrict the report to the “sv-SE” locale (you can of course
170 substitute with any other locale). In that case, every line (including line
171 number) that don’t differ compared to “en-US” is also be printed.
176 Before making a release, it might be wise to:
178 - Run `npm update` and/or `npm outdated` to see if there are any updates to
179 dependencies. Investigate what’s new and test!
180 - Run `gulp sync-locales` to make sure that no translation has been left behind.
181 - Run `gulp lint` and `npm run addons-linter` to catch potential problems.
182 - Run `gulp --test` to make sure the tests pass.
183 - Inspect the `build/` directory to see that nothing strange has been included
184 or generated by `gulp build`.
188 1. Add a list of changes since the last version at the top of `CHANGELOG.md`.
190 2. Update the version in `package.json` ([versioning guidelines]), the minimum
191 Firefox version (if needed) and the maximum Firefox version (ideally to the
192 latest nightly). See [valid Firefox versions].
194 3. Run `gulp release`, which does the following for you:
196 - Adds a heading with the new version number and today’s date at the top of
198 - Commits `CHANGELOG.md` and `package.json`.
201 4. Run `gulp xpi` to rebuild with the new version number.
203 5. Try the just build version, just to be sure.
205 6. Publish on addons.mozilla.org. Add the release notes list as HTML. `gulp
206 changelog` prints the latest changelog entry as HTML. `gulp changelog -2`
207 prints the latest two (etc). The latter is useful if publishing a new version
208 before the last published version had been reviewed; then the new version
209 should contain both changelog entries.
211 7. Push to github. Don’t forget to push the tag! (It’s better to do this after
212 the publish on addons.mozilla.org, because sometimes its validator complains.
213 This saves some commits.)
215 8. Make a “release” out of the new tag on github, and attach an .xpi to it:
217 1. Create the .xpi by running `gulp xpi --unlisted`.
219 3. Attach to the release.
221 The idea is to use the contents of `README.md` as the add-on description on
222 addons.mozilla.org. You can print it as HTML by running `gulp readme`.
224 [versioning guidelines]: CONTRIBUTING-CODE.md#versioning-and-branches
225 [valid Firefox versions]: https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/pages/appversions/