this post was submitted on 26 Apr 2024

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Firefox

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Can I control my firefox browser externally (from CLI or make an app) ? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) by interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml to c/firefox@lemmy.ml

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I would like to be able to perform the following actions from outside the browser, for example from a script

''' Obtain a list of all tabs, and which URL is open Obtain a list of all firefox windows and which tab is in each and in what order Obtain a list of firefox running instances Actions on tabs Close a tab Open a new tab and enter URL move a tab in a window's tab order move a tab to another window mute/unmute a tab make a tab hidden or unhide pin/unpin a tab select/unselect a tab discard a tab reload a tab copy tab body or a specific xpath run a javascript cmdlet, (bookmarklet ? ) Run a function of a script in somethingmonkey bookmarks list all bookmarks folder and bookmarks move a bookmark to another folder delete a bookmark create a bookmark get/change position of a firefox window close a window/ open a new window list installed addons turn an addon on or off '''

I would love to be able to write script, from outside firefox, and do these actions

I have found about the remote debugger, but I can't figure out if it's only for debugging firefox on android via adb ? Or can I use that directly from a script ?

https://firefox-source-docs.mozilla.org/devtools-user/about_colon_debugging/index.html#connecting-over-the-network

https://wiki.mozilla.org/Firefox_OS/Remote_Control

https://wiki.mozilla.org/Firefox/CommandLineOptions

devtools.debugger.remote-enabled -start-debugger-server ?

Is any of this possible ?

thanks !

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[–] lemmyreader@lemmy.ml 12 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Your question reminded me of TabFS https://omar.website/tabfs

Examples of stuff you can do!

List the titles of all the tabs you have open

Cull tabs like any other files

Close all Stack Overflow tabs

Save text of all tabs to a file

Evaluate JavaScript on a page / watch expressions: demo

Get images / scripts / other resource files from page

Retrieve what's playing on YouTube Music: youtube-music-tabfs

Reload an extension when you edit its source code

TODO: Live edit a running Web page

TODO: Import data (JSON? XLS? JS?)

[–] sugar_in_your_tea@sh.itjust.works 3 points 7 months ago

Wow, I never knew I needed this. :)

There's a bunch of stuff I have wanted to do, but it's been too annoying:

copy URLs from a list of tabs - e.g. to send to a friend/coworker
close tabs with a common theme - Github, Confluence, Jira, etc
search across open tabs

I'm going to play with this today.

[–] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 3 points 7 months ago

That is amazing

[–] boredsquirrel@slrpnk.net 10 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Can you please make those into a list?

Yes that is likely possible. Firefox uses SQL databases, json files, and more complex stuff to store all its data.

Reading data is possible but complex. Opening windows is done via CLI interface. Moving the windows is part of your compositor and not Firefox, like KWin on KDE.

[–] Deebster@lemmy.ml 5 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (1 children)

It's

Obtain a list of all tabs, and which URL is open
Obtain a list of all firefox windows and which tab is in each and in what order
Obtain a list of firefox running instances
Actions on tabs
Close a tab
Open a new tab and enter URL
move a tab in a window's tab order
move a tab to another window
mute/unmute a tab
make a tab hidden or unhide
pin/unpin a tab
select/unselect a tab
discard a tab
reload a tab
copy tab body or a specific xpath
run a javascript cmdlet, (bookmarklet ? )
Run a function of a script in somethingmonkey
bookmarks
list all bookmarks folder and bookmarks
move a bookmark to another folder
delete a bookmark
create a bookmark
get/change position of a firefox window
close a window/open a new window
list installed addons
turn an addon on or off

[–] boredsquirrel@slrpnk.net 2 points 7 months ago

Thanks for your time haha

[–] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 2 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Oops it looked fine when I posted. And I won't be back at my computer for quite a while.

It is a series of basic browser function. Mostly list tabs, read tab url, move tab, close tab.

[–] CosmicTurtle0@lemmy.dbzer0.com 3 points 7 months ago (1 children)

It might help to know what exactly you're trying to do. Are you trying to automate something? Buy stonks? Download porn? Click ads?

There might be better solutions than automating a browser.

[–] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 0 points 7 months ago

Control basic browser fonction from console and scripts.

Example, move all tab where url contains testpattern1 to new window. Imagine a sinple example like that for all the listed functions.

[–] Deebster@lemmy.ml 2 points 7 months ago

It only looked ok in the textarea you wrote it in, but the format was wrong.

You have a few options:

* lists
* with a * or -

lists
with a * or -

Blank

Lines

For paragraphs

Blank

Lines

For paragraphs

Double spaces  
At end of lines  
If you don't want paragraphs

Double spaces
At end of lines
If you don't want paragraphs

It looked like you were trying to use code formatting which is three backticks, but you used single quotes. This is a backtick: `

Then
It'll  keep   exactly what you write
l1I|

[–] ahal@lemmy.ca 9 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Sounds like you want Webdriver (aka what Selenium uses).

[–] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

How can I use it from the console with my firefox portable instance ?

[–] ahal@lemmy.ca 2 points 7 months ago (1 children)

Try: https://www.selenium.dev/documentation/webdriver/getting_started/

It requires programming knowledge though.

[–] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 2 points 7 months ago (2 children)

Thanks that is a great lead ! So webdriver is a common interface of browser remote control.

Firefox has geckodriver which is a bridge from webdriver protocol to "marionette" which is firefox' internal remote control protocol.

Apparently, marionette is an open TCP port where you send a command and it replies in json.

I could make a batch script that uses netcat to send my commands ! I just need to figure put how to open that port and what the commands are.

[–] ahal@lemmy.ca 2 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago)

Yes, IIRC there's a pref or env that needs to be set too.. I want to say MOZ_ENABLE_MARIONETTE, but it's been awhile.

[–] ReversalHatchery@beehaw.org 1 points 7 months ago

I just need to figure put how to open that port

I'm not sure what you mean by this, but you should not need to open any ports here, especially to the internet.
Even more, if you can find a setting for it, make firefox listen only on localhost, and not on your network interfaces, because this can quickly become a security nightmare.

[–] Max_P@lemmy.max-p.me 3 points 7 months ago* (last edited 7 months ago) (2 children)

I think it would be much cleaner to make an addon that does this within the browser and exposes the functionality as a web API (or failing that, connects to a relay server locally). Then you can just use curl to send it commands.

You can look at how KDE Connect / Plasma Browser Integration does it, it does very similar things to integrate with Plasma like go to a tab via KRunner.

[–] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 1 points 7 months ago (1 children)

How can a browser add on receive commands from command line or open a port ?

[–] ReversalHatchery@beehaw.org 1 points 7 months ago

They can't open a port, but they can connect to webservers (and similar things) on localhost.

There's also "native messaging", this might be a better choice if you go the addon route.

[–] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 1 points 7 months ago

Also I specifically want that from the console. The console is the universal tgat doesn't require using some particulat language, or even programming at all

[–] leanleft@lemmy.ml -5 points 7 months ago (1 children)

walled garden

[–] interdimensionalmeme@lemmy.ml 1 points 7 months ago

I don't think firefox is that. At least not on purpose in that context.