Firefox Release Repackager

Overview

The release repackager is a tool which can take a Firefox release, deconstruct the release package, insert an extension to be installed with the release, and reconstruct the release package. The repackager is typically used in conjunction with the CCK to create customized builds for Mozilla partners and corporate IT administrators.

Warning: It is a violation of the Mozilla license and trademark to distribute customized builds created with this tool outside of your organization without a written agreement with the Mozilla corporation. Contact licensing@mozilla.org if you have any questions.

Requirements

• A Mac.
• Firefox 1.5.0.x or 2.0.0.x release binaries. These should be placed in an empty folder:
  • Windows Installer
  • Mac DMG
  • Linux Tarball
• An extension .xpi to package.
• If repackaging Firefox 1.5 on Windows, the extension must have an install.js in addition to the standard install.rdf. The CCK automatically adds a correct install.js. This is not necessary for the Firefox 2 series.

Download

CCK-repack-1.4.dmg

Note: this package includes the repackaging application and an embedded copy of XULRunner 1.8.0.4.

Development sources are available via SVN.

Usage

Usage from the GUI is hopefully pretty self-explanatory; specify the path of the extension .XPI, the path of the original Firefox release bits, and an empty directory into which to save the repackaged bits. The repackaged bits will have the same filename as the originals.

There is also a command-line interface: /Applications/ClientKitRepackage.app/Contents/MacOS/xulrunner [options]

Options:

--xpi=/path/to/extension.xpi

--xpi2=/path/to/extension.xpi

--dest=/path/to/repackaged-directory

--platforms=platform[,platform]

Available platforms are win, mac, unix, zip (Windows ZIP archive... mainly useful for generating update MARs)

--disable-migration

Disable profile migration in this build using override.ini.

--silent

Perform repackaging immediately without requiring any GUI actions.

Known Issues

• Since MacOS is the only OS that can unpack and repack DMG archives, the repackager only works on MacOS. If you only have a Windows machine and you only care about repackaging Windows installers, I'm happy to accept patches.
• The tool only works with single extensions; it does not work with multiple-item packages. If you're using the CCK wizard, this means that you cannot add any items to the "Extensions/Themes" panel. This wouldn't be especially hard to fix: patches accepted.

Release Notes

Version 1.4 - Source

• Released 23-Feb-2006
• Added the ability to suppress profile migration.

Version 1.3 - Source

• Released 16-Nov-2006
• Added the ability to repack a second XPI (this doesn't work for the xpinstall-based installer)

Version 1.2 - Source

• Released 9-Oct-2006
• Added the ability to repack NSIS installers for Firefox 2.

Version 1.1 - Source

• Released 4-Oct-2006
• Added the ability to repack Windows ZIP files.

Version 1.0 - Source

• Released 26-Aug-2006
• Fixed several bugs from prerelease versions, including a major bug where the Windows installer wasn't repackaged correctly due a mismatched name for the "Component CCK" section in config.ini.
• Added a command-line interface for scripted repackaging.