SOLVED In Firefox 43, Add-on signatures will be required, here's how to override

[c627627]

about:config

set this to false:
xpinstall.signatures.required
Otherwise some of your add-ons will be disabled in Firefox 43

This override will expire in Firefox 44, I hope we can figure out how to keep it off by then...

Also, override for the supremely moronic PERMANENT reminder from Cpt. Firefox Obvious: "YouTube.com is now fullscreen." covering the screen & preventing us from seeing the actual picture *every time* we go to full screen mode.

You will be able to disable that through
full-screen-api.warning.timeout
double click on it and change the default value from 3000 to 0


Finally, you go to Fullscreen, the screen goes black (!).
You exit Fullscreen, the screen goes black again.

If you think this is crazy, turn that behavior off, no black screen:

Change about:config values of
full-screen-api.transition-duration.enter
full-screen-api.transition-duration.leave

from 200 200 to 0


Firefox 43 Beta is here:
http://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/firefox/releases/

I have made significant progress on the Firefox unsigned Ad-on front:




To get a Firefox Add-on signed:



To get a Firefox Add-on signed:

1. Open the Add-on's .xpi installation file with WinRAR or a similar program.

2. Open install.rdf

3. It should be enough to change just one character in value <em:id>
or use a GUID generator https://www.guidgenerator.com/

4. Change the maximum Firefox version the add-on supports to three versions after the current version.
So if the current Firefox version is 43, change this value to 46.0:
<em:maxVersion>46.0</em:maxVersion>

It is not possible to go higher than three versions ahead of the current version, meaning this process will have to be repeated every three incremental versions of Firefox, if you want to have a signed .xpi installation file on your computer for future installs.

5. Save the edited install.rdf and make sure that .xpi archive is updated with the changes.

6. Go to
https://addons.mozilla.org/

Sign in > Tools > Submit a New Add-on > CHECK: Do not list my add-on on this site > Select a file... > browse to the edited .xpi file > Open > Continue > Enter the name you choose for the edited file > Continue >

Click on where it says "You can download it here:"

**IMPORTANT**

Download the file from this page, and delete the edited file from your computer.
This is because the one on your computer has not been signed, and the one listed on this page now, has an embedded signature.

7. Finally, after you install the signed Add-on, the old one will still remain installed on Firefox, so you need to manually uninstall the old one.


Some Add-ons may have an ID check.
This means that inside install.rdf the ID <em:id>THISMUSTBETHESAME</em:id>
needs to be the same as ID inside file \components\NameOfAdd-On.js
when you scroll down to line dllFile.append('THISMUSTBETHESAME');
[don't forget to use ' apostrophe signs around the id above.]

 

[Automata]

Thanks, I'll probably need these later. Mine hasn't updated yet.

 

[c627627]

They just posted the final build of Firefox 43 on the Beta download page today, same release build should be be moved to official download page tomorrow, later in the day...

The act of updating to Firefox 43 from [Firefox 42 or earlier] switches back
xpinstall.signatures.required
to true

So you must switch it to false - and do so manually - once again after installing Firefox 43 final.


The xpinstall.signatures.required switch will not work on Firefox 44 so do not update to future 44 Beta until this is figured out, certainly not all add-ons have required signatures and certainly there's nothing wrong with them so I do not know why they couldn't have been just GRANDFATHERED in, damn it, so now we have until 44 Final to figure out how to override the signature requirement in version 44 which cannot be switched off using xpinstall.signatures.required switch, since it ONLY works on Firefox 43 and not future Firefox 44.

 

[c627627]

I have made significant progress on the Firefox unsigned Ad-on front:




To get a Firefox Add-on signed:



To get a Firefox Add-on signed:

1. Open the Add-on's .xpi installation file with WinRAR or a similar program.

2. Open install.rdf

3. It should be enough to change just one character in value <em:id>
or use a GUID generator https://www.guidgenerator.com/

4. Change the maximum Firefox version the add-on supports to three versions after the current version.
So if the current Firefox version is 43, change this value to 46.0:
<em:maxVersion>46.0</em:maxVersion>

It is not possible to go higher than three versions ahead of the current version, meaning this process will have to be repeated every three incremental versions of Firefox, if you want to have a signed .xpi installation file on your computer for future installs.

5. Save the edited install.rdf and make sure that .xpi archive is updated with the changes.

6. Go to
https://addons.mozilla.org/

Sign in > Tools > Submit a New Add-on > CHECK: Do not list my add-on on this site > Select a file... > browse to the edited .xpi file > Open > Continue > Enter the name you choose for the edited file > Continue >

Click on where it says "You can download it here:"

**IMPORTANT**

Download the file from this page, and delete the edited file from your computer.
This is because the one on your computer has not been signed, and the one listed on this page now, has an embedded signature.

7. Finally, after you install the signed Add-on, the old one will still remain installed on Firefox, so you need to manually uninstall the old one.


Some Add-ons may have an ID check.
This means that inside install.rdf the ID <em:id>THISMUSTBETHESAME</em:id>
needs to be the same as ID inside file \components\NameOfAdd-On.js
when you scroll down to line dllFile.append('THISMUSTBETHESAME');
[don't forget to use ' apostrophe signs around the id above.]

 

[c627627]

So there are no plain English instructions on how to get unsigned add-ons signed on the internet so far that I can find.

Firefox people on the forums are taking the approach of telling users to STOP using perfectly working add-ons, unless they are signed by Mozilla.
But original Add-on authors may have real life issues to deal with, maybe they died, in any case they are unreachable so the only recourse we have is what I posted.

They are locking or moving my posts on this issue, and I can't understand why. They could have posted those instructions in five minutes if they chose to. It took me hours the other day to figure them out finally. I don't get the Mozilla world lately .


IF we wish to use OUR *still working* Add-ons we've used for years, who are they to tell us to STOP!?



Archived in case they delete it over there:

Spoiler

XXX, I am still concerned that the thread will get locked, but all I can do is try to have an honest and to-the-point conversation with you.

I respect your opinion and I'd like to start with the crux of the counterargument to your opinion: IF users wish to use their *still working* Add-ons, who are we to tell someone else to stop using a working Add-on!?


You have made valid points. Of course you are correct if *exactly* the same feature can be done natively in Firefox, why not do it natively, who can argue with that, I certainly cannot. If we can establish that, then maybe we can focus on the Add-ons that serve a purpose which otherwise cannot be done without them. Am I incorrect in understanding that your point is that *even though* YOU OR I have no use for some Add-on, a third person should stop using it, *even though* it works, does not conflict with anything else, its purpose is unique and not available natively in Firefox... so *even tough* it's crucial for someone else's way of life, the way they use computers... your point is to have them stop... even though they can continue using them after a simple plain English seven step process?

You are going out of your way, to drive the point home that a user should stop a (let's say dead) author's perfectly working and compatible extension which cannot be signed because the author is dead or otherwise engaged with real life issues.... Why would you go out of your way to make sure a reason is found for people to STOP using a perfectly working Extension... instead of telling them, hey this may not work for 100% of Extensions but in most cases you can follow this seven step process and get your currently working Extension to continue working in Firefox 43/44... Why would you go out of your way to make sure they remain ignorant to a possibility of a solution?

I absolutely accept your argument that if there is a newer signed Extension that users should switch to it.

As for the poster above who suggested "our way or the highway" - perhaps one day but not just yet. There still is a solution. The one I posted, which works in most cases, something that is bothersome to whoever has the goal of preventing users from continuing to use *working* extensions under the assumption that they may be problematic, and so they want *everyone* to stop using them immediately.