Firefox 'simple-prefs' onchange issue

Add-ons Development
#1

I am working on an add-on as a project for Firefox and cannot get the hang of the onChange aspect of the ‘simple-prefs’ mod.

At the moment my add-on has to be disabled and then enabled again in order to activate any changes.

My code:

function onPrefChange(prefName) {
  console.log("The preference " + 
              prefName + 
              " value has changed!");
}
require("sdk/simple-prefs").on("dismixed", onPrefChange);
require("sdk/simple-prefs").on("dissecure", onPrefChange);
require("sdk/simple-prefs").on("disapp", onPrefChange);

// listens to all changes
require("sdk/simple-prefs").on("", onPrefChange);

// Check prefs
var preferences = require("sdk/simple-prefs").prefs;

// check prefs

if (preferences.dismixed == true && preferences.disapp !== true)
  {
     dismixedtrue();

  } else if (preferences.dissecure == true && preferences.disapp !== true) {
        dissecure();

        } else if (preferences.disapp == true) {
        disapp();

    } else { 
    disnormal();
    }

The conditional statements in my code call different functions depending on the simple-pref settings.

How can my addon activate these changes without having to be disabled and then enabled?

#2

You should try moving the code that checks the preferences (the if statements in this code snippet) into the onPrefChange function.

#3

These three lines are redundant, as after all, you add a listener for all preferences changes:

require("sdk/simple-prefs").on("dismixed", onPrefChange);
require("sdk/simple-prefs").on("dissecure", onPrefChange);
require("sdk/simple-prefs").on("disapp", onPrefChange);

You shouldn’t call require this much. Just call it once, and keep a reference to the module that you may use later:

const simplePrefs = require("sdk/simple-prefs");
simplePrefs.on("", onPrefChange);

And as @aaronraimist said, move your checks to onPrefChange

#4

Thanks for your help guys.

I have changed the code to:

function onPrefChange(prefName) {
    const simplePrefs = require("sdk/simple-prefs");
       simplePrefs.on("", onPrefChange);
   
 if (simplePrefs.dismixed == true && simplePrefs.disapp !== true)
  {
     dismixedtrue();
  
  } else if (simplePrefs.dissecure == true && simplePrefs.disapp !== true) {
        dissecure();
        
        
        } else if (simplePrefs.disapp == true) {
        disapp();
        

    } else { 
    disnormal();
   
    }
  console.log("The preference " + 
              prefName + 
              " value has changed!");
}

Now I can disable part of the app without having to disable and then enabling (which is what the sime-pref is for) but have to disable and then enable the add-on to enable part of the app if that makes sense? Am I missing something in the code maybe to check for a false value in the conditions?

Also the value simplePrefs is coming back as undefined? Sorry guys still learning

#5

Still it needs a couple of changes.
These two lines:

const simplePrefs = require("sdk/simple-prefs");
simplePrefs.on("", onPrefChange);

Have to be moved outside of onPrefChange.

Also, inside onPrefChange, you have to use simplePrefs.prefs to access a preference (for example simplePrefs.prefs.dismixed)

simplePrefs holds a reference to the module. Inside the module, there’re a couple of members that you may read about here:

And yes, every time a user changes one of your addon preferences, your onPrefChange function will be called and you may make your addon react to the preferences modification.

#6

My GPL’d toolbar’s index.js uses simple-prefs for a chunk, and can be found at http://npgpltoolbar.sourceforge.net/ Take a peek and see if it helps.

#7

Thanks again guys for your help. Still having the same issue as my last post though with this new code:

const simplePrefs = require("sdk/simple-prefs");
simplePrefs.on("", onPrefChange);     
     

onPrefChange();     
     
function onPrefChange(prefName) {
    
     //console.log("The preference " + prefName + " value has changed!");
     
    tabs.on("ready", function(tab) {
      var host = tabs.activeTab.url;
        var worker = tabs.activeTab.attach({
         contentScriptFile: self.data.url("docs.js")
    });
         
    
    worker.port.on("data", function(response) {
    var mixedcont = response;
    
    console.log(simplePrefs.prefs.dismixed + ' mixed content value for onchange in func')
    
     if (mixedcont == "true" && host.indexOf("https:") == 0 && simplePrefs.prefs.dismixed !== true && simplePrefs.prefs.disapp !== true)
  {
    notificationmixed(host);
    console.log(mixedcont + '  found show notify ')
    
  } else if (host.indexOf("https:") == 0 && mixedcont !== "true" && simplePrefs.prefs.dissecure !== true && simplePrefs.prefs.disapp !== true) {

        notification(host);
        console.log(host + ' green light "')

    } else { 
    console.log(host + ' could not determine ')
    }
                              });
    }); 
}

It must be something simple that I am doing wrong here?

It will disable part of the add-on without having to disable and then enabling the add-on, however will not enable part of the add-on without having to disable and then re-enabling the add-on?