XPCOM

Abstract: This is your guide to building Internet applications and user interfaces with the Mozilla component framework, which is best known for the Firefox web browser and Thunderbird email client. Programming Firefox demonstrates how to use the XML User Interface Language (XUL) with open source tools in the framework's Cross-Platform Component (XPCOM) library to develop a variety of projects, such as commercial web applications and Firefox extensions. This book serves as both a programmer's reference and an in-depth tutorial, so not only do you get a comprehensive look at XUL's capabilities--from simple interface design to complex, multitier applications with real-time operations--but you also learn how to build a complete working application with XUL. If you're coming from a Java or .NET environment, you'll be amazed at how quickly large-scale applications can be constructed with XPCOM and XUL. Topics in Programming Firefox include: An overview of Firefox technologyAn introduction to the graphical elements that compose a XUL applicationFirefox development tools and the process used to design and build applicationsManaging an application with multiple content areasIntroduction to Resource Description Files, and how the Firefox interface renders RDFManipulating XHTML with JavaScriptDisplaying documents using the Scalable Vector Graphics standard and HTML CanvasThe XML Binding Language and interface overlays to extend FirefoxImplementing the next-generation forms interface through XForms Programming Firefox is ideal for the designer or developer charged with delivering innovative standards-based Internet applications, whether they're web server applications or Internet-enabled desktop applications. It's not just a how-to book, but a what-if exploration that encourages you to push the envelope of the Internet experience.

Abstract: From the Publisher: Mozilla is not just a browser. Mozilla provides a framework that allows developers to create cross-platform applications by utilizing its accessible components, including JavaScript, CSS (Cascading Style Sheets), and Mozilla's XUL (XML-based User-interface Language), as well as the Gecko rendering engine, XBL (eXtensible Binding Language), and XPCOM (Mozilla's component model). Imagine the innovative applications you can create, such as a text editor, chat client, or MP3 player, by using a combination of easy-to-understand technologies. Creating Applications with Mozilla provides step-by-step information about how you can create your own programs using Mozilla's powerful cross-platform development framework. After you understand the basic workings of the Mozilla building blocks, you'll create a simple "Hello World" application and progress to the point of adding more advanced features and functionality to your programs. Working through the book, the first several chapters serve as an introduction to the Mozilla development environment and impart the knowledge necessary to quickly learn to create simple programs. After obtaining the initial satisfaction of developing your own applications, you'll be ready to branch into topics on modular development and other advanced subjects. In order for you to be able to build more complex applications, the second half of the book explores UI enhancements, localization, datasources, and remote distribution.

Abstract: In this paper we describe an approach and an implementation for integrating Web technologies in Eclipse, a Java-and component-based platform. First, we support embedding of UI (user interface) artifacts that are developed using either widget or markup technologies. Second, we provide support for DOM (Document Object Model) programming. We implement this approach by bridging the relevant foundation technologies-COM (Component Object Model) and XPCOM (Cross Platform Component Object Model)--which allows us to embed the engines of the two major browsers, Internet Explorer and Mozilla®. We discuss several possible applications of this work, such as seamless access to online help systems and Web-based development of administrative tools.

Abstract: We propose a platform for distributed multimedia applications which simplifies the development process and at the same time ensures application portability, flexibility and performance. The platform is implemented using the Netscape Portable Runtime (NSPR) and the Cross-Platform Component Object Model (XPCOM).