utils

The window/utils module provides helper functions for working with application windows.

getInnerId

Returns the ID of the given window's current inner window.

getOuterId

Returns the ID of the given window's outer window.

getXULWindow

Module provides getXULWindow function that can be used get access nsIXULWindow for the given nsIDOMWindow:

let { Ci } = require('chrome');
let utils = require('api-utils/window/utils');
let active = utils.activeBrowserWindow;
active instanceof Ci.nsIXULWindow // => false
utils.getXULWindow(active) instanceof Ci.nsIXULWindow // => true

getBaseWindow

Module provides getBaseWindow function that can be used get access nsIBaseWindow for the given nsIDOMWindow:

let { Ci } = require('chrome');
let utils = require('api-utils/window/utils');
let active = utils.activeBrowserWindow;
active instanceof Ci.nsIBaseWindow // => false
utils.getBaseWindow(active) instanceof Ci.nsIBaseWindow // => true

open

Module exports open function that may be used to open top level (application) windows. Function takes uri of the window document as a first argument and optional hash of options as second argument.

let { open } = require('api-utils/window/utils');
let window = open('data:text/html,Hello Window');

Following options may be provided to configure created window behavior:

  • parent If provided must be nsIDOMWindow and will be used as parent for the created window.

  • name Optional name that will be assigned to the window.

  • features Hash of options that will be serialized to features string. See features documentation for more details.

    let { open } = require('api-utils/window/utils');
let window = open('data:text/html,Hello Window', {
  name: 'jetpack window',
  features: {
    width: 200,
    height: 50,
    popup: true
  }
});

backgroundify

Module exports backgroundify function that takes nsIDOMWindow and removes it from the application's window registry, so that they won't appear in the OS specific window lists for the application.

let { backgroundify, open } = require('api-utils/window/utils');
let bgwin = backgroundify(open('data:text/html,Hello backgroundy'));

Optionally more configuration options via second options argument. If options.close is false unregistered window won't automatically be closed on application quit, preventing application from quitting. While this is possible you should make sure to close all such windows manually:

let { backgroundify, open } = require('api-utils/window/utils');
let bgwin = backgroundify(open('data:text/html,Foo'), {
  close: false
});

isBrowser

Returns true if the given window is a Firefox browser window. (i.e windows with chrome://browser/content/browser.xul document)