Need a Tutorial on how to make MX Classic Plugins work with MX4???


leeuniverse

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MX Classic had the most plugin creation. I have about 50 plugins, many of which I've combined so actually a total of about 100 plugins. There isn't even close to all those features and plugins for MX4.

Can someone point me to or create a basic tutorial on how to convert a MX Classic plugin to make it work with the new MX4 plugin methodology?

We need all those plugins back.... Thanks.

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BTW, I now see EXACTLY why plugin support has completely died....

You can't even hardly do anything unless you're a programing/script expert. (which I'm not)

It used to be so easy to make a plugin before with Maxthon Classic, to have it do what you want, easy drop-downs, adding several plugins into one, simply calling of the file type, etc.

I'm trying to see if I can get some simple ones to work, almost there for one, but, it's just unacceptable that they've made this so hard now. I've spent hours already and I've only got the most basic functioning to work with the most simplest of plugin.

I see now why it's likely not going to be possible to create a tutorial. But, if someone can over-view some of the essential methods that would be good and possible I'm sure.

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All the info required is here: http://forum.maxthon.com/thread-801-1-1.html

But like you've noted you do require some knowledge of JavaScript.

If you are trying to create something simple, it's sometimes easier to find an extension that is similar to what you want then use that as a basis to build your own. Just change what is required and make additions as needed.

I'm not familiar with the plugin system of MX Classic, so can't say just how different the new system is.

Maybe post what it is you are looking for and someone might be able to advise of one that they are aware of?

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Ya, I've been going wacko trying to go through and figure all that out.

And yes, copying has been the only way I could figure anything out, and it's what I used to do with Classic, it was so easy and straight forward though.

This new one the whole thing is scripting, so way more harder.

Ya, I did make one thread of a "simple" plugin I've got mostly working, so waiting on a response for that for the parts that aren't working.

MyIE2 was even more simple, but classic they added some "security" thus it was a bit more complicated. Anyway.

Ya, with MyIE2 and then with Classic as Maxthon got popular we had TONS of plugins, because anyone could make one. You take an existing script, html, or EXE and you could make yourself a plugin, by simply copying the simple configuration from already made plugins. I made like 10 Plugins, and I combined many more into several of those plugins, which was sweet.

With this new system I'm seeing the complete impossibility of any of that. It doesn't even look like you can do EXE's either. Just terrible. :'(

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script, html, or EXE/quote]

Curious about that? Seems more like just shortcuts to files/links.

I'd say the new system is very similar just that the code has changed to JS. Once you learn how to call the correct commands it should all make sense. But of course that depends on how much time you have and want to spend trying to figure it out.

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Well, it's more complicated it seems.... For example when I look over the ViolentMonkey extension, clicking on it pop's up a panel, which I've been able to figure out that part, but then in order to make links do various things in that panel that code is apparently in one seriously complicated JS that I can't make heads nor tails of.

Yes, the old system was pretty much just shortcuts, which was easy because then you could make any sort of thing work as a plugin or sidebar, it was great. I'll post a pic of my Classic of the plugin bar and sidebar.

We need to be able to have this kind of functionality with the new version. Like I mentioned, I had the equivalent of about a 100 plugins, and many features within a plugin.

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leeuniverse replied at 2013-7-29 03:06 back.gif

Well, it's more complicated it seems.... For example when I look over the ViolentMonkey extension, ...

Violentmonkey is probably one of the more complex extensions to be looking at, considering what it's able to do. I'd start with something simpler at first and continue from there.

For example the "favourites on toolbar" extension, it's as basic as it comes. It just links to the internal maxthon favourites panel. (I'm only referencing this one as it's the only one that I use and have played with).

Changing the target to a webpage or desktop link (i believe, haven't tested it) will give you something different. If that's all you want then it's about as easy as it gets.

Once again, give a few examples of what it is that you are after. It's easier to help when people know what's going on :-)

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I was looking at Violent Monkey because it's one of the few that I have (there really are hardly ANY existing plugins anymore) that in the popup panel you can click a link and it pop's up a page. So, I was trying to see how to get that to work.

So, what's wrong with my browser looking like that? It has my icon's, address bar, links bar and my plugins where I can easy access everything I want to do.

If you want I can upload MX classic with all my plugins for you, and then you can install it and see all that I've got going on plugin wise.

Also, see my recent thread on the "Alt" image text for my first test of trying to figure all this out. I'll look at that favorites extension.

Question also.... Do you know of an extension like that favorites one that put's the icon in the toolbar, but also has a dropdown for other functions etc.? That might also help me. I was also trying to access the other plugins there to look at, but couldn't seem to? Suggestions?

AKK..... That Favorites in toolbar extension doesn't work, at least with the "stable" version of MX4.

It put's the icon in the Sidebar not the toolbar. I uninstalled the last beta because it was having serious Flash issues "memory browser slowness crashing", and the Spell Checker wasn't working.

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So, what's wrong with my browser looking like that? It has my icon's, address bar, links bar and my plugins where I can easy access everything I want to do.

Nothing at all if that is what works for you. I like like mine bare with only the minimal amount of extras showing. Probably depends alot on what you do with the browser. Eg content creation vs just browsing. Each to their own as they say.

Do you know of an extension like that favorites one that put's the icon in the toolbar,

None do actually, not even that one as plugins are no longer allowed to do so in Maxthon4, even if they are coded for that like in MX3. You need to play around with the code and even then you can't add more than 4 or 5. Lot's of caveats in doing so. Sidebar or nothing basically.

As far as other ones, I have no idea. That is the only one that I use and have played around with. I was hoping someone who has more experience working with extensions might have chimed in by now.

Only thing that i can think of is making the main panel a HTML page and then have links to the other options within that. Don't know if that's viable with what you are after, or even how exactly that would be coded.

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That's what I'm doing currently, the main panel is an HTML page.

It's working, but the Images are not showing the ALT text like they are supposed to.

It works otherwise though.

Plus, there is the issue of what if I want to add more.

No idea how one would make an html page in the panel and for the links to run the functions in the open page like the old plugins used to. Big cluster flip....

No one's responding because few people are programing experts, which is the primary reason plugins are completely DEAD.... The average person can't create one, and most programing experts are busy with actual work programing.

Maxthon has made a serious error making such a complicated system. They need to back to something that works as easy as Classic or MyIE2.

Yes, I use my browser for working and creating things, so most of those plugins are very useful.

Or another option is they could keep supporting MX Classic as a "option" for people, to update it. But, I'm sure they wouldn't want to do that, but to instead stick with one Browser to worry about. So, since that would be the case, they seriously need to make plugins so the "average" intelligent person can reverse look at things and create their own plugins or change existing ones.

I've heard tell that they might be going so Chrome Plugins can work with Maxthon (apparently MAC does already work)? That might not be too bad, but still, who's got that space? I think half of my plugins I combined them over several plugins per functionality, so I could save space and easily find what I was looking for, and I was able to create plugins myself within only slight help like from old TARA for one or two (miss her).

I think the developers need to make some kind of Developer space where every single feature or proposed feature is listed, and then us users can "comment" on how to improve, use, change etc. to make it better.

For example, for the life of me I have no clue why the current sidebar is this HUGE monster. I've been telling them forever that they need to reduce the size to the toolbar size, but they still aren't listening.

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7twenty replied at 2013-7-28 20:10 back.gif

Nothing at all if that is what works for you. I like like mine bare with only the minimal amount of ...

you would first make the panel as an html document, and create a hyperlink using the usual "a href" format, to, well, I'm not sure, but I would GUESS to that mx-package-addon internal url thing that you can get by using a dummy script in an extension, and then checking the inspector for the loaded scripts in the console section. Right after THAT internal url, follows, with no spaces and just a slash (might be a backslash, I'm having *terrible* memory span problems lately, hehe, sorry), and then the name of the OTHER html document which contains js, css, and image data for your options page, followed by the actual script which will now embed in the page. Since I'm on Xbox, I canNOT check the actual format for the internal name, but I know it when I see it

Those are my thoughts.

Oh you can also do more than just a panel. You can do a window AND a page.

cooltext.png

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I just went to a website that generates GUID's for that (seems to work).

As to the rest, could you get to your computer and give scripting examples, step by step?

I've already know how to create an HTML page for the panel (or otherwise), and then a simple normal link opens a page, but anything beyond that I'm pretty much clueless.

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leeuniverse replied at 2013-8-1 17:57 back.gif

I just went to a website that generates GUID's for that (seems to work).

As to the rest, could you ...

actually from more recent journeys, you can put a config line in the def.json file, apparently.

The html document still needs to be created. This would be the easier way.

My original hypothesis would *probably* still work, but it'd be OVERLY-complicated than it needs to be.

From your games addon, you seem to know how the json file works, so that's all you need. Under entry points, do a line that fits the same format, but make it say config, and then the html doc name that's packaged in your mxaddon file.

For instance, this:"config": "options.html",This is an example taken from that imagus extension shared on the forum...however since I don't feel like posting another thread when it's already on the topic well-enough: that one won't load in Maxthon; all it does is make the extensions not appear in about:extensions, and it only fixes upon restart of Maxthon browser.

cooltext.png

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