David Ascher writes:
There are two levels of integration of other scripting languages, one easier than the other. We'll be tackling the ability to make XPCOM components in Python and Perl first.
Would you please expand on the "make XPCOM components" task. By this are you adding new components, written in Python, that will be accessible through the XPCOM interface? Would these components be constructed in Python from components interfaces that are accessible through the XPCOM interface? If this isn't the case then is does this simply mean that Python can be used to assemble chrome using existing XPCOM components. Are you doing this by wrapping the the interface to the XPCOM Type Library or will you be parsing the XPIDL files directly. (Another interesting approach is the way the ORBit-Python project reads CORBA IDL files at run time and links directly to an ORBit ORB.)
This doesn't allow the use of those languages in a XUL file, however, as that requires architectural changes to the Mozilla core. We will be working with Netscape to solve that problem as well, but not in the short term. Nevertheless, I think you'll be pleased to see what can be accomplished with Python and Perl components...
By this do you mean that in the following XUL the value of "oncommand" cannot be python code? <menuitem value="Mozilla Help" oncommand="window.openDialog('chrome://help/content/help.xul', '_blank', 'chrome,all,dialog=no')" /> or are you talking about not being able to embed Python instead of javascript as in the following: <script language="javascript"> function doCMD(el) { v = el.getAttribute("value") if (v == "New") alert('New clicked') elsif (v == "Open") alert('Open clicked') else alert('Close clicked') } </script> ... <menu class="menu" value="File" oncommand="doCMD(event.target)"> <menupopup> <menuitem oncommand="alert('New item alert')" value="New" /> <menuitem value="Open" /> <menuitem oncommand="alert('Close handler')" value="Close" /> </menupopup> </menu> Instead of using XUL to write the <menuitem...> definition from the first example or the <menu...> definition in the second example will it be possible to write the equivolent of the XUL completely in Python? That is, will the planned interface make it possible to build an XPCOM component based application, such as the Mozilla browser, entirely in Python. An interface between the Glade IDE and Mozilla has recently been checked into Sourceforge. The documentation on MozGlade is weak. The freshmeat announcment http://freshmeat.net/appindex/2000/05/16/958529719.html hints at the goal. The project looks like it might intersect with the goals of the Komono IDE project. Will there be a mailing list for the project? What is your best guess on when the "make XPCOM components" capability will be available for testing from the Mozilla CVS?