Metadata Block: Difference between revisions

From GreaseSpot Wiki
Jump to navigationJump to search
m (Undo revision 3548 by Supran mahawi (Talk) Revert vandalism)
m (Begin marking core sample code vs other sample code)
Line 7: Line 7:
The metadata block appears in JavaScript comments and may appear anywhere in the top level Greasemonkey code scope of the script, but is usually near the top of the file. It begins with the line
The metadata block appears in JavaScript comments and may appear anywhere in the top level Greasemonkey code scope of the script, but is usually near the top of the file. It begins with the line


<code><pre>// ==UserScript==</pre></code>
{{Core example |1=<pre style="border: none; margin: inherit;">// ==UserScript==</pre>}}


and ends with
and ends with


<code><pre>// ==/UserScript==</pre></code>
{{Core example |1=<pre style="border: none; margin: inherit;">// ==/UserScript==</pre>}}


Everything between those lines is in the format
Everything between those lines is in the format


<code><pre>// @key    value</pre></code>
{{Core example |1=<pre style="border: none; margin: inherit;">// @key    value</pre>}}


If the metadata block includes a key that Greasemonkey does not understand, it will simply be ignored. Key names are typically constructed from alphanumeric characters. User script hosting sites may utilize a XML styled name prefix to identify the origin of the key. An example of this is ''prefix:key''.  
If the metadata block includes a key that Greasemonkey does not understand, it will simply be ignored. Key names are typically constructed from alphanumeric characters. User script hosting sites may utilize a XML styled name prefix to identify the origin of the key. An example of this is ''prefix:key''.  
Line 235: Line 235:


== Examples ==
== Examples ==
[[#Standard|Standard]] | [[#Knowing Your Own Metadata|Knowing Your Own Metadata]] | [[#jQuery require|jQuery require]]
[[#Core |Core]] | [[#Knowing Your Own Metadata |Knowing Your Own Metadata]] | [[#jQuery require |jQuery require]]


=== Standard ===
=== Core ===
<code><pre>
{{Core example |1=<pre style="border: none; margin: inherit;">
// ==UserScript==
// ==UserScript==
// @name          My Script
// @name          My Script
Line 250: Line 250:
// @resource      resourceName2 <nowiki>http://www.example.com/resource2.png</nowiki>
// @resource      resourceName2 <nowiki>http://www.example.com/resource2.png</nowiki>
// ==/UserScript==
// ==/UserScript==
</pre></code>
</pre>}}


[[#top|top]] | [[#Examples|back]]
[[#top|top]] | [[#Examples|back]]
Line 259: Line 259:
:* If a user changes the include/exclude rules via Manage User Scripts, they will not be reflected in this copy.
:* If a user changes the include/exclude rules via Manage User Scripts, they will not be reflected in this copy.
:* Remember to change the [[#.40uso:script|@uso:script]] key to match the ''scriptid'' hosted on userscripts.org
:* Remember to change the [[#.40uso:script|@uso:script]] key to match the ''scriptid'' hosted on userscripts.org
<code><pre>
{{Good example |1=<pre style="border: none; margin: inherit;">
function parseHeaders(metadataBlock) {
function parseHeaders(metadataBlock) {
   var headers = {};
   var headers = {};
Line 345: Line 345:
   }
   }
});
});
</pre></code>
</pre>}}


[[#top|top]] | [[#Examples|back]]
[[#top|top]] | [[#Examples|back]]


=== jQuery require ===
=== jQuery require ===
<code><pre>
{{Good example |1=<pre style="border: none; margin: inherit;">
// ==UserScript==
// ==UserScript==
// @name          Hello jQuery
// @name          Hello jQuery
Line 364: Line 364:
   });
   });
});
});
</pre></code>
</pre>}}


[[#top|top]] | [[#Examples|back]]
[[#top|top]] | [[#Examples|back]]

Revision as of 23:14, 6 May 2009


Greasemonkey Manual
Using Greasemonkey
Installing Scripts
Monkey Menu
Getting Help
User Script Authoring
Editing
Environment
API

Description

The metadata block is a section of a user script that does not execute any code, but describes the script. It contains the script name, namespace, description, and include and exclude rules.

The metadata block appears in JavaScript comments and may appear anywhere in the top level Greasemonkey code scope of the script, but is usually near the top of the file. It begins with the line

Template:Core example

and ends with

Template:Core example

Everything between those lines is in the format

Template:Core example

If the metadata block includes a key that Greasemonkey does not understand, it will simply be ignored. Key names are typically constructed from alphanumeric characters. User script hosting sites may utilize a XML styled name prefix to identify the origin of the key. An example of this is prefix:key.

Other Keys | Examples | Caveats | See Also | Notes

Syntax

// ==UserScript==

// == @key value

// ==/UserScript==

Value: Object
Compatibility: Greasemonkey 0.2.5+
Keys
Properties
@name @include @resource @unwrap
@namespace @exclude @require
@description
  • All properties are optional

top

Properties


@name

Value: String
Usage: // @name My Script
  • The name of the script. This appears in the script manager and monkey menu, and is also used to determine whether to overwrite an old version of a script or to install it separately. If no name is provided, it will be inferred from the file name.
  • If the file name or the @name key exceeds 24 characters the file name will be truncated during installation not including spaces and other special characters. As of Greasemonkey 0.8.0, new scripts will be stored under their own folder name in the gm_scripts folder and also include spaces to underscores conversion and other special characters. The scripts directory is also backed up into a folder called gm_scripts_08bak when migrating to version 0.8.0.

top | back

@namespace

Value: URI
Usage: // @namespace http://www.example.com/gmscripts/
  • The namespace, along with the name, is used to determine whether to overwrite an old version of a script or to install it separately. A script author will usually put all of their scripts under one common namespace, and then assign each script a unique name. If two scripts have the same name, but a different namespace, they can co-exist. However, two scripts of the same name in the same namespace are assumed to be replacements for one another.
  • While the namespace is non-semantic, it should be your prefered internet homepage URI according to the W3C standards specification. If no namespace is provided, it is assumed to be the domain from which the script is installed. Since a script can live on various servers or on a local file system, authors may choose to omit this key when publishing on userscripts.org and let Greasemonkey supply one automatically. If you are creating one locally, authors may choose the URI specification standard of http://localhost for the URI value as being an anonymous local script, but runs the risk of another script with the same name and namespace overwriting it.
  • The NoScript add-on currently utilizes namespace filtering, and will properly sanitize user scripts that are not listed in the XSS white-list section of the options dialog.

top | back

@description

Value: String
Usage: // @description This script even does the laundry!
  • Just a brief summary of what the script does, to present to the user who is installing it.

top | back

@include

Value: String
Usage: // @include http://www.example.com/*
  • Refer to Include and exclude rules. There can be any number of @include rules in a script.
  • You cannot edit a live scripts @include and have it take effect.

top | back

@exclude

Value: String
Usage: // @exclude http://www.example.com/foo/*
  • Refer to Include and exclude rules. There can be any number of @exclude rules in a script.
  • You cannot edit a live scripts @exclude and have it take effect.

top | back

@resource

Value: String
Compatibility: Greasemonkey 0.8.0+
Usage: // @resource resourceName http://www.example.com/resource.png
  • While the resourceName is non-semantic, it is suggested that it should be compatible with JavaScript variable naming conventions and XML/CSS naming conventions to help keep things consistent.
  • Each resourceName must have a unique name.
  • This metadata block key property may be used to include local and remote resources into the current script at first install but not successive installs. A user is required to uninstall the current user script before installing a newer version if new resource keys or require keys are present.
  • Resources may include the scheme of file, http, https or ftp. If no scheme is provided, it is assumed to be the domain from which the script is installed including the full path. They may be accessed through GM_getResourceText and GM_getResourceURL respectively.

top | back

@require

Value: String
Compatibility: Greasemonkey 0.8.0+
Usage: // @require foo.js
  • This metadata block key property may be used to include local or remote scripts into the current script at first install, but not successive installs.
  • Once a script is installed, changing the @require or @resource values will have no effect. The script must be uninstalled and reinstalled.
  • Similarly, if a user is updating their script and it contains new values, they must uninstall the current user script before installing a newer version.
  • Script sources may include the scheme of file, http, https or ftp. If no scheme is provided, it is assumed to be the domain from which the script is installed including the full path.

top | back

@unwrap

Value: undefined
Compatibility: Greasemonkey 0.8.1+
Usage: // @unwrap
  • Also referenced as a metadata imperative. This metadata block key property must not include any value after it or it may be ignored altogether.
  • Removes the anonymous function wrapper around scripts.
  • This key is strongly recommended to only be used for debugging purposes.
  • By default most versions of Greasemonkey automatically encapsulate each script in an anonymous function wrapper. In other words:
  • (function(){ /* script source */ })();
  • Encapsulation of the script prevents name collisions of variables and objects used by XPCNativeWrapper and other objects typically inserted by the browser. If an unwrapped user script uses a reserved object name incorrectly, it will throw an error and script execution will most likely fail. One of the simplest ways to confirm this is to include @unwrap and have a script with a simple variable declaration of var sidebar = "foo";. This will return a script error of Illegal value, and script execution will cease. See also #108.

top | back

Other Keys

Some user scripts contain other special keys in the metadata block.

These unsupported metadata keys serve no technical purpose and are ignored by the Greasemonkey extension, but can be read by human beings or utilized by other code.

Keys
Properties
userscripts.org user contributed
@copyright @uso:script @attribution @author
@license @uso:version @contributor @homepage
@version
  • This is by no means an exhaustive list, nor is it meant to be.

top

@copyright
Value: String
Usage: // @copyright Year, Author (Author Homepage)
  • Example:
// @copyright 2009+, John Doe (http://www.example.com/projecthomepage)

top | back

@license
@licence
Value: String
Usage: // @license License Type; License Homepage
  • There can be any number of @license keys in a script for multiple licensing however userscripts.org will only display the first occurrence as the primary.
  • Example:
// @license GPL version 3 or any later version; http://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html
// @license (CC) Attribution Non-Commercial Share Alike; http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/3.0/

top | back

@version
Value: String or Number
Usage: // @version 0.0.1
  • Typically this is in the industry standard form of major dot minor dot build
  • This key can also be used in some scripts that are self-updating. Usually, this will include a time stamp indicating the number of milliseconds that have expired since 1 January 1970 00:00:00 UCT, which can be generated by calling new Date().getTime().

top | back

@uso:script
Value: String or Number
Usage: // @uso:script scriptid
  • userscripts.org will dynamically create an ascending numerical value based on the next available script id in the repository.
NOTE: It is not necessary to define this key in your script as their meta.js routine will automatically return this key/value for you via a http/https request to http://userscripts.org/scripts/source/scriptid.meta.js

top | back

@uso:version
Value: String or Number
Usage: // @uso:version versionid
  • userscripts.org will dynamically create an ascending numerical value based on the next available version id in the repository.
NOTE: It is not necessary to define this key in your script as their meta.js routine will automatically return this key/value for you via a http/https request to http://userscripts.org/scripts/source/scriptid.meta.js

top | back

@attribution
Value: String
Usage: // @attribution Attribution Name (Attribution Script Homepage)
  • There can be any number of @attribution keys in a script for multiple attribution support.
  • Attribution may only be used if source @license type is compatible.
  • Example:
// @attribution Jane Doe (http://www.example.com/janedoe/scriptid)
// @attribution Jack Doe (http://www.example.com/jackdoe/scriptid)
// @attribution Jill Doe (http://www.example.com/jilldoe/scriptid)

top | back

@author
Value: String
Usage: // @author John Doe
  • (Suggest not using this key in favor of @copyright)

top | back

@contributor
Value: String
Usage: // @contributor Contributor Name (Contributor Homepage)
  • There can be any number of @contributor keys in a script for multiple contributor support.
  • Example:
// @contributor Jane Doe (http://www.example.com/janedoe)
// @contributor Jack Doe (http://www.example.com/jackdoe)
// @contributor Jill Doe (http://www.example.com/jilldoe)

top | back

@homepage
Value: URI
Usage: // @homepage http://www.example.com/myhomepage
  • (Suggest not using this key in favor of @copyright)

top | back

Examples

Core | Knowing Your Own Metadata | jQuery require

Core

Template:Core example

top | back

Knowing Your Own Metadata

Routine utilizing E4X (ECMAScript for XML) XMLList to retrieve a copy of the initial file metadata block entries and https metadata block entries.

  • If a user changes the include/exclude rules via Manage User Scripts, they will not be reflected in this copy.
  • Remember to change the @uso:script key to match the scriptid hosted on userscripts.org

Template:Good example

top | back

jQuery require

Template:Good example

top | back

Caveats

Changing the metadata of an installed script does not do anything, as this data is only accessed during installation. The script must be re-installed for these changes to take. Alternatively, config.xml can be modified manually.

top

See Also

top

Notes

top