117839 - XBL files cannot have a "xbl" file extension

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(Core :: XBL, enhancement, P1)

Description

[Miles Elam]

Having the binding files clearly marked by file extension would be useful
especially as more sites move to dynamically generated sites powered by
xml/xslt.   *.xbl does not conflict with anything useful at the moment with
regards to mime types.  And for that matter, why would any XML parser *care*
about the extension?  All a parser cares about is that the source is well-formed
and optionally valid.  Why is there any constraint about filename?

Comment 1

[Boris Zbarsky [:bzbarsky]]

To XBL.  This would not be hard to hack up, in fact... we would just need to 
detect .xbl files as text/xml in the uriloader (fairly simple change).

The icky part is renaming all the files and changing all the links to them....

Comment 2

[David Hyatt]

Your Web server can serve up XBL as text/xml.  Are you concerned about local files?

Comment 3

[Boris Zbarsky [:bzbarsky]]

I think the concern is over local files and in particular over files in the 
Mozilla source tree.

Comment 4

[Miles Elam]

I was under the impression that the parser was hard-coding to *.xml for binding
files.

If it is indeed solely a MIME type issue, then I would consider the matter
closed.  It just means that the browser needs a quick tweak to the
extension-to-mimetype list and any web server would be updated (but most access
to XBL or XUL is currently local anyway).

What the Mozilla team uses for a file convention is their own affair.  I have no
preference (and even less say) in the matter.  My concern was only for outside,
unconnected development.  Since I commonly use a great deal of XML and
transformations in my sites, the *.xml extension is growing overused.  It's
becoming like all images are *.image and you can only tell the data types after
pulling the file.  *.xbl would be a valuable visual cue for me (and I assume
others as well) to use in their own projects.  But as before, in response to Mr.
Zbarsky's reply, I feel no great itch to change the way the Mozilla project
handles bindings internally.

Comment 5

[Boris Zbarsky [:bzbarsky]]

Ah.  Ok.  In that case, this is a trivial change.  Just add "xbl" to the list of 
extensions detected as text/xml in 

http://lxr.mozilla.org/seamonkey/source/uriloader/exthandler/nsExternalHelperApp
Service.cpp#97

hyatt, would that make sense?  As a warning, that list of extension-to-type 
mappings is _not_ overridable by helper app preferences.  Are we _really_ sure 
that nothing uses the xbl extension.

Comment 6

[David Hyatt]

Let's do it.  Supply a patch, and I'll sr it.

Comment 7

[Boris Zbarsky [:bzbarsky]]

Will do on Monday when I get back from vacation and have a tree once more.  
taking bug.

Comment 8

[Boris Zbarsky [:bzbarsky]]

really taking.

Comment 9

[Boris Zbarsky [:bzbarsky]]

Attachment: Patch to detect .xbl as text/xml

Comment 10

[Bill Law]

Comment on attachment 64000 [details] [diff] [review]
Patch to detect .xbl as text/xml

r=law

Comment 11

[David Hyatt]

Comment on attachment 64000 [details] [diff] [review]
Patch to detect .xbl as text/xml

sr=hyatt

Comment 12

[Boris Zbarsky [:bzbarsky]]

checked in.