How do I build a Safari extension under Windows?

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How do I build a Safari extension under Windows?

We're including a Safari extension in our product that is otherwise entirely a Windows-based product, and the entire build system is under Windows. It's not acceptable for us to require use of a Mac just to build the extension (it would be almost impossible to automate at any rate), but we're really struggling to find out how we can build the extension on a Windows machine (specifically using TFS build/msbuild). I've found Windows-based that can read the xar format, but nothing so far that can create it. Thanks for any assistance.

Dylan

Posted on Jan 27, 2015 7:08 PM

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Answer 1

Jan 27, 2015 7:21 PM in response to wizofaus

Hi Dylan...

Impossible to build a Safari extension that will run on a Windows based computer.

Read here.

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Answer 2

wizofaus Author

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8 points

Jan 27, 2015 7:50 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

That's not what I asked though - it will *run* on Macs, but I want to be able to compile it under Windows.

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Answer 3

Jan 27, 2015 7:57 PM in response to wizofaus

Safari extensions cannot be compiled on a Windows based machine. Period. Two different operating systems.

Keep in mind, Apple discontinued support for Safari for Windows > Apple apparently kills Windows PC support in Safari

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Answer 4

wizofaus Author

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8 points

Jan 27, 2015 8:46 PM in response to Carolyn Samit

Sure they're different O/S's, but if the algorithm for creating an XAR was a published standard, code capable of doing so could be compiled and run on any O/S in principle.

But OK, let's assume it's not possible - can't it be done via a WebService? I.e. someone (possibly, but preferably not, us) could be running a Mac machine running a service that exposes a Web-based API that receives all the source files and spits back a compiled extension. Then we can call the web service from our build box and relatively seamlessly produce the final build bundle.

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