1271481 - Add interface to lightweight themes

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(WebExtensions :: Frontend, defect, P5)

Description

[Andy McKay]

Maybe we should add an interface lightweight themes so they could be controlled by an add-on:

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/Add-ons/Themes/Lightweight_themes

Since you can also do a lot of this from a HTML page as documented in bug 511771, and see example here https://bug511771.bmoattachments.org/attachment.cgi?id=457621. 

I'm guessing the main advantage is the install would proceed without forcing a user prompt.

Also this might allow personas-plus and related add-ons to be moved to webextensions.

Comment 1

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

I think we'd almost need a "themes" permission so that an add-on could access a theme specific API.

Comment 2

[Andy McKay]

Spoke about this in London and was generally approved by the team. 

The themes permission sounds good, do you think that should prompt a user about requiring that permission? Changing a theme is annoying, but doesn't impart any possible security or privacy concerns imho.

Comment 3

[Mike Kaply [:mkaply]]

> The themes permission sounds good, do you think that should prompt a user about requiring that permission? Changing a theme is annoying, but doesn't impart any possible security or privacy concerns imho.

I think the only thing that ever came up was if someone unwittingly changed to an inappropriate theme.

But I don't think that's enough to make this be a promptable permission.

Comment 4

[Andy McKay]

Does this still make sense with your themes work Jared?

Comment 5

[Mike de Boer [:mikedeboer]]

It's too early to tell yet. We're indeed experimenting with a WebExtension-based frontend for browser themes, but the 'real' work will be planned for Q1 2017. This plan will be highly influenced by feedback we receive on the result of our experiments and more generally from other parts of the community.
In other words: it's too early to tell.

Comment 6

[:shell escalante]

removed P5 and triaged for re-consideration before 57.  Spoke with Andy about what is blocking Personas Plus. sounds like needing an API that allows installing a new theme from AMO is what's missing (based on Andreas' initial prototype).

Andreas, does this describe what you mentioned in ACE meeting today about needing in WE to migrate Personas Plus?

Comment 7

[Andrew Swan [:aswan]]

There's also a question here about whether we add a new webextension API or expose one of our existing APIs (eg InstallTrigger or mozAddonManager).  As unpleasant as adding yet another API sounds, the existing ones are pretty highly tailored to the specific ways they are used right now and expanding them to be usable from webextensions would be messy.

Comment 8

[Andy McKay]

I propose we add a management.install(...) command that only allows you to do a theme. As matching what mixedpuppy has already done for setEnabled.

Comment 9

[Andreas Wagner [:TheOne] [use NI]]

Yes, if we want to keep the functionality of Personas Plus, we'd need a way for it to install themes from AMO, preferably without the doorhanger, like we do on disco pane.

Comment 10

[Andy McKay]

I believe we've got enough functionality now to allow Personas Plus to migrate, so closing this. Please let me know Andreas if that' not the case.