XPInstall

From MDC

Parts of this page show the use of the XPInstall API. The majority of this API is now deprecated and as of Gecko 1.9 no longer available. Extension, theme, and plug-in developers must switch away from install.js based packages to the new packaging scheme with an install.rdf manifest. In particular plugin developers should see how to package a plugin as an extension.
这一部分说明了XPInstall API的使用. 这些API现在已经过时并且到Gecko 1.9时将不再可用. Extension, theme和plug-in的开发者必须要将基于install.js脚本文件的安装包转换成使用新的基于install.rdf清单文件的安装包. 详细的情况plugin开发者可以参考how to package a plugin as an extension.

Cross-Platform Install (XPInstall) is a technology used by Mozilla Application Suite, Mozilla Firefox, Mozilla Thunderbird and other XUL-based applications for installing extensions. An XPI (pronounced "zippy" and derived from XPInstall) installer module is a ZIP file that contains an install script or manifest (entitled install.js or install.rdf) at the root of the file.
跨平台安装(XPInstall)是被Mozilla应用程序套件(Firefox, Thunderbird, 其它一些基于XUL的应用程序)所使用的一项安装扩展的技术. XPI安装模块是一个ZIP文件, 它包括一个位于根路径的安装脚本文件或者清单(符合规定格式的install.js或者install.ref)文件

Documentation

XPInstall API 参考

通过实例学习XPI安装脚本: This article uses the installer script from browser.xpi install package as the basis for discussing XPI installations in general.; 这篇文章使用了取至于browser.xpi安装包中的安装脚本来讨论XPI安装的基本原理.

创建XPI安装模块: This article describes the packaging scheme of the Mozilla and offers a tutorial for creating a new package that can then be redistributed, installed, and made available to users.; 这篇文件描述了Mozilla安装模块的打包方案, 并提供了一个关于创建一个新的可用来分发, 安装和用户可用的安装包的教程.