This is something so useful that it should have been built into Firefox. When filling out web forms, you can easily enter any text you use regularly, like email address or names, with just two mouse clicks.
In Firefox 3 the extension no longer works, unless you bump the extension version. Here's how to do it (but please be aware that if you don't do this properly you might break things, so only do this if you're sure you know what you're doing!):
1. Download the XPI file and save it to your hard disk. I downloaded version 0.4.0.4.200610221528 (not the experimental version at the top of the page) by right-clicking on the green Add to Firefox button and selecting Save Link as...
2. Open the .xpi file you've just downloaded - it's basically a zipped archive, so open it with 7-zip or whatever zip software you use. (I used File Roller in Ubuntu GNU/Linux.)
3. In the archive you'll see a file called install.rdf - you need to edit this file and replace the one that's in the xpi with your edited version. This file is a text file so you can open it with notepad or whatever text editor you use. (MS Word is NOT a good idea!)
4. In install.rdf, under the section that begins:
<!-- Target Application this extension can install into -->
<!--- firefox -->
Find the line that says:
<!--em:maxVersion-->2.0.0.*
and change the 2 to a 3.
Update: Now that Firefox 3.0.1 is out, you'll need to change 2.0.0.* to 3.0.1.* (In fact, why not be prepared for Firefox 4 and change the 2 to a 4!)
5. Finally, install the extension by selecting Open File... from Firefox's File menu and choosing the xpi file you've just upgraded
That's it. It worked for me.
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51 comments:
Which one did you do this on? The latest seems to be version 0.4.0.5.20070419. I downloaded it, unzipped, changed the RDF, rezipped, and installed it (successfully). Unfortunately, it doesn't work. The menu doesn't appear in the right-click. :(
There's another version (0.4.0.4.20061022) on addons that I haven't tried out yet. Which one are you using?
The file I used is named:
signature-0.4.0.4.200610221528-fx+tb.xpi
Once I change the install.rdf and re-zip how do I install the signature add-on?
Install the extension by selecting Open File... from Firefox's File menu and choosing the xpi file you've just upgraded.
Hey man I just completed all of your instructions and everything worked great! The extension is now fully functional. I just wanted to thank you for taking the time to figure this out and for sharing it with all of us. This was one of my favorite extensions and my FF 3 finally feels complete now that I have it back. I'll also post a review on the extension site in order to encourage everyone who wants to use this extension to visit this blog. So once again thank you for your great work.
Hey Nick,
Many thanks for your kind words. It made giving up that little bit of my weekend worthwhile.
All the best,
Zarg
GOT IT!!
Just replaced the install.rdf file with the edited one in the original xpi and that loaded fine.
THANKS A BUNCH, I USE THIS SOOO MUCH!!!
I'm glad you got it working Bill. Thanks for your comment.
Thanx for your tip! I got it working with Thunderbird also
Well, I hate to ask it, but does anyone have a clue on how to edit the xpi file on Windows? I download signature-0.4.0.4.200610221528-fx+tb.xpi, but PowerArchiver, even though it claims to understand the tar.gz format will not read it. Sigh.
THANKS A MILLION!! I WAS SO BUMMED WHEN I UPGRADED TO FF3 AND IT STOPPED WORKING. THANKS AGAIN!
@ rgb:
Use 7zip - it's open source and a great bit of software to boot. Go to www.7-zip.org and install it. Then right-click on the xpi file and you should see an option for 7zip to 'Open archive'.
Thank you so much for your help with this!
Thank you for adapting for FF3. After 2 days of trying, I'm still getting an error message at Step 5 "This XML file does not appear to have any style information associated with it. The document tree is shown below."
Also, after changing 2 to 3 and saving new version, do I install only install.rdf OR rezip the entire pkg and then perform step 5?
Spenta:
You need to replace - or update - the install.rdf in the xpi file, so yes you need to re-zip the entire xpi file, with your modified install.rdf inside, and then go to step 5.
Thank you ^^
Thank you!
Man, you are a life saver! Thanks to your talent I can get back to work...wait maybe i shouldn't be thanking u! ;)
thanks--it worked well
Hi,
I downloaded Firefox 3.0.1 and this hack doesn't seem to work or I might be doing something wrong. I followed the instructions step by step, rezipped everything renamed it back to signature-0.4.0.4.200610221528-fx+tb.xpi but when I use install it the install window comes up with nothing in it.
Please help.
Z:
Now that Firefox 3.0.1 is out, you'll need to change 2.0.0.* to 3.0.1.* (In fact, why not be prepared for Firefox 4 and change the 2 to a 4!)
I've updated the instructions to include fixing this for FF 3.0.1
Hi Zarg,
Thanks for the quick reply. It still doesn't work for me, so probably I am doing something wrong, but not sure what. I created a video cast of the install, please take a look:
http://screencast.com/t/WsgWcUtzfgf
Let me know please if you see where the problem could be.
Thanks,
Z-
Merci, ça marche du premier coup et je retrouve mes signatures !
That was AWESOME! It totally works now. Thanks a million.
Thanks for the tip! It worked awesome!
Thank you so much for the tip. I use signature all the time and greatly missed it after the update.
All the best to you.
Thank you, thank you for this Zarg! I successfully followed your instructions and have been using Signature in FF3. I and everyone else using this appreciates what your hard work!
I have a question--when I went to use it today, half of my signatures were gone and I don't know why or where. I now see I must backup this information. Is there a way to retrieve this data?
Thanks.
cool - thank you so much, I might have gotten back to FF 2 had I not found your info - now I just need to get the paypal plugin working ;-)
Thanks for this lifesaver! Running my piano and voice studio, I need to generate a lot of same or similar emails, and I've found the Signature extension the simplest way to manage them. I was crushed when I couldn't get it to work on Firefox 3.
I am not all that sophisticated at editing files and that sort of thing, and was a little nervous, but this was extremely easy and your instructions made it a no-brainer.
I changed the number to version 4 like you suggested and it worked great. Such a simple fix. Wow. 7-zip worked great when I edited without unzipping the archive. If I unzipped, then rezipped, and changed the extension from 7z to xpi, which is how I tried it the first time, Firefox didn't like the archive format.
Thanks all, for your kind comments. Sorry it's taken a while to respond but life's been a bit busy for blogs lately.
to z:
I looked at your screencast and it looked like you were doing everything right. If you post another message with your email address - don't worry, I WON'T publish it - I'll try and help you personally
to a.p.:
I have no idea why some of your signatures went missing - is it okay now?
Such an easy fix! Many thanks. I have it installed in T'bird--didn't know it also works for FF.
Thank you [b]VERY[/b] much!!! :D
I don't know if your fix works yet; I installed ff3 on my home computer and I'm not there to test it but I was SO bummed to lose signature and I just can't install ff3 at work because of it. I just can't do without signature. It SHOULD be rolled into FF. Anyway, even if this doesn't work for me, a thousand blessings on your house for taking this on.
It works! It works! It works!
I want to bear your children.
Hi Zarg,
Thanks for your help. you made one person happy tonight.
Fabien
Thank You!, I could use again one of most useful Add-ons I like.
Sweet!. I've been putting off updating to FF3 because Signature wouldn't work. It DOES!! It DOES!!
Cheers mate! This is a wicked add-on indeed and it's grand to be able to use it.
May be a stupid question here but are the instructions for Mac OS or just Windows OS. I have a Mac and really love signature so have yet to upgrade to FF3! I have stuffit expander on my mac and am wondering if that is ok to unzip the file. Can you tell me how to rezip if I will need to do that? Thank you.
@anonymous, above: My instructions are for Firefox - I don't use Windows anyway! I use Ubuntu Linux and the instructions work for that, so I imagine it'll be no different for a Mac. I'm not familiar with Stuffit, so I don't know if it will open and save the archive - why don't you try it and post back with your results?
I am the anonymous mac user. I unzipped the file using stuffit expander, edited the install.rdf to read 4.0.0* for Firefox and then rezipped (on macs, you compress the file by crtl-click and selecting "create an archive". This created an xpi.zip file on my desktop. I then went to Firefox to open that file. It then asks what to use to open the file and I chose Firefox3 but it just creates another file folder of the xpi files on my desktop. It does not install in into Firefox. Can anyone help with this? Thank you.
@anonymous mac user: You're trying to install it wrongly! Please read step 5 of my instructions.
@anonymous mac user: P.S. the file must be named with the file extension .xpi NOT .zip, so you should rename it if you need to.
anonymous mac user here again - I appreciate you taking the time to help. I did realize that the file needed to be an .xpi file and not a .zip file and I guess that is the problem with the mac. When you compress the file, it will add a .zip extension and I can't seem to be able to rename it. When I try to change the extension, it basically ignores my replacement of the .zip with .xpi. I don't know if there is a way to override that, but I couldn't seem to find one. Thanks, anyway.
@anonymous Mac user - A quick Google search for changing file extensions on a Mac turned up this:
http://www.fileinfo.net/help/change-file-extension.html
If you can't rename it on your Mac, do you know anyone with a PC to whom you could email the file and ask them to rename it and send it back to you?
Thanks for the tips!
There is also a simpler solution... it you had it working with FF2, and it's already installed, but not working, with FF3:
On Windows:
- Open C:\Documents and Settings\{UserName}\Application Data\Mozilla\Firefox\Profiles\{Profile}\extensions\{D719B74B-E716-403b-91A9-1CE455AB80E6}
- Edit install.rdf
- Set em:maxVersion="4.0.0.*" ;)
- Save it and close Firefox.
Enjoy the signature extension again!
@ FredCK: Many thanks for the tip, but I use Ubuntu Linux so your instructions wouldn't quite work for me. My Firefox profile is in /home/(username)/.mozilla/firefox.
This excellent! I cannot live without this extension. The problem is that I can't seem to open the xpi file. No matter what text programme I use, it comes up in weird codes. Any advice?
If you read this, please contact me at wilderwein77@volunteers.deviantart.com
(I don't know how these blogs work. lol)
@ WW: Yes, I have some advice. Please read the instructions again - carefully. You should not be trying to open the xpi file with a text editor! If you read the instructions carefully you'll see what you SHOULD be using. Alternatively, if you're using Windows - and I'm guessing you are - why not try the suggestion above kindly made by FredCK .
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