266750 - Add --disable-plugins build option

Status: RESOLVED FIXED

(SeaMonkey :: Build Config, defect)

Description

[cls]

Some of our applications like Thunderbird or Nvu have no need for plugin
support.  Besides reducing the footprint of the apps, disabling plugin support
avoids the issue of unexpected plugin usage as in bug 223600.

Comment 1

[cls]

Attachment: v1.0

Comment 2

[Benjamin Smedberg]

I don't mind this patch for embedders, but I *don't* want it to be used by
toolkit apps. Plugin support is an integral part of the toolkit. If necessary,
we should turn plugins off with a pref.

Comment 3

[cls]

It can't be that integral if it's this easy to disable. :-P  I know this
disrupts the 'single GRE for all toolkit apps' idea but it seems like we were
well on our way to that anyway given the disparity between the ff & tb
mozconfigs.  And this isn't a completely invasive patch like the --disable-oji
one.  This patch just disables the building of the runtime components
(shared/static lib & xpts).  Applications still have knowledge of plugins; they
just can't instantiate any of the classes.  (I should remove that unused
MOZ_PLUGINS define too.)

Comment 4

[Darin Fisher]

please file a follow-up bug to provide an alternative runtime solution (using
prefs or otherwise).  the rough goal is to move toward basing ffox & tbird on a
common xulrunner base around the 1.5 time frame, and this then becomes yet
another thing to unfork :)

Comment 5

[cls]

Will bug 189378 do or do we need to file one on each toolkit app since
apparently SeaMonkey's mailnews already has something similar? See also bug 218877 .

Comment 6

[Darin Fisher]

> Will bug 189378 do ...

seems fine to me.

Comment 7

[timeless]

fwiw we'll probably use this patch in our gecko derivative whether it makes
itself into mozilla proper or not. cls: thanks for the patch :).

it also was more integral not too long ago.

Comment 8

[Scott MacGregor]

I just checked this into the aviary 1.0 branch. Let me know if you want me to be
the one to check it into the trunk too Chris. Thanks again!

Comment 9

[cls]

I just checked in the patch on the trunk sans AC_DEFINE(MOZ_PLUGINS).  I removed
that chunk from the aviary-1.0 branch as well.

Comment 10

[Joe Sabash [:JoeS1]]

Does this mean that plugin support will be disabled in Thunderbird nightly
standard builds?
If so, it is a real 'show stopper' for newsgroups now using the crescendo sound
plugin. Many have considered our ability to use this plugin the only real
'progress' for the multimedia user in quite some time.
news://secnews.netscape.com:563/netscape.test.multimedia
What is the objection to disabling plugins by default pref in all-thunderbird.js
as it is currently.

Comment 11

[Scott MacGregor]

we've never supported plugins