Tutorial

After connection you’ll be in the context of the browser window (not the web page!), and everything you write will be evaluated there:

  repl> repl.whereAmI()
    [object ChromeWindow] - Document title: "Firefox"
  repl> repl.look()
    this.repl=[object]
    this.browserContentListener=[object]
    this.getInterface=[function]
    this.XULBrowserWindow=[object]
    this.tryToClose=[function]
    this.document=[object]
    [...]

Typing document.title will be equivalent to typing window.document.title:

  repl> document.title
    Firefox

You can modify what you see around. The following changes the window title and hides the toolbar:

  repl> document.title = 'REPL-powered Firefox'
    REPL-powered Firefox
  repl> document.getElementById('toolbar-menubar').hidden = true
    true

You can enter other parts of the interface, have a look, play with things, get online docs for XUL elements (a browser popup appears), then go back:

  repl> var c = document.getElementById('urlbar-container')
  repl> repl.enter(c)
    [object XULElement]
  repl> firstChild
    [object XULElement]
  repl> repl.doc(firstChild)
    TYPE: object
    NODENAME: textbox

    Online help found, displaying...
  repl> repl.back()
    [object ChromeWindow]

When you’re tired of the browser’s internals, try exploring a web page:

  repl> repl.home()
    [object ChromeWindow]
  repl> content.location.href = 'http://maps.google.com'
    http://www.google.com
  repl> repl.enter(content) // for Firefox 3 you'll need: repl.enter(content.wrappedJSObject)
    [object Window]
  repl> repl.whereAmI()
    [object Window] - Document title: "Google Maps"
  repl> repl.look()
    this.G_HYBRID_TYPE=[object]
    this.G_HYBRID_MAP=[object]
    this.G_SATELLITE_TYPE=[object]
    [...]
  repl> repl.search(/app/i)
    GMapsApplication
    loadApplication
    gApplication
    _mMapPrintUrl
    XPCNativeWrapper
  repl> repl.doc(gApplication)
    TYPE: object
  repl> repl.enter(gApplication)
    [object Object]
  repl> repl.look()
    this.ra=[object]
    this.We=[object]
    [...]
  repl> repl.search(/get/)
    getMap
    getOverviewMapControl
    getPageUrl
    getTabUrl
    getMarker
    getPolyline
    getVPageUrlParams
  repl> repl.doc(getPageUrl)
    TYPE: function
    ARGS: [none declared]
  repl> getPageUrl()
    http://maps.google.com/?ll=37.020098,-49.042969&spn=61.328812,93.164062&om=1
  repl>

To go back to the context where the REPL was started:

  repl> repl.home();
    [object ChromeWindow]
  repl>

Creating a new context and working inside it, e.g. for testing new stuff, is easy, and what you define there, stays there:

  repl> var scratch = {}
  repl> repl.enter(scratch)
    [object Object]    
  repl> repl.look()
    this is empty
  repl> var x = 2
  repl> var y = 'hello'
  repl> x
    2
  repl> y
    hello
  repl> repl.look()
    this.x=2
    this.y=hello
  repl> repl.back()
    [object ChromeWindow]
  repl> x
    	@data:application/x-javascript,x:1

    !!! ReferenceError: x is not defined
  repl> y
    	@data:application/x-javascript,y:1

    !!! ReferenceError: y is not defined
  repl> scratch.x
    2
  repl> scratch.y
    hello
  repl>

You can also mess with the REPL itself:

  repl> repl.enter(repl)
    [object Object]
  repl> function sayHello() { this.print('hello from repl!') }
  repl> sayHello.doc = 'just say hello'
    just say hello
  repl> repl.back()
    [object ChromeWindow]
  repl> repl.doc(repl.sayHello)
    TYPE: function
    NAME: sayHello
    ARGS: [none declared]

    just say hello
  repl> repl.sayHello()
    hello from repl!
  repl>

To find out more about REPL commands, inspect() it, and then use doc() for more specific information.

  repl> repl.inspect(repl)
    [...]
    <object>.back=[function]
    <object>.sayHello=[function]
        just say hello
    <object>.module=[object]
    <object>.util=[object]
    <object>.setenv=[function]
        Takes a name and a value and stores them so that they can be later ...
    <object>.getenv=[function]
        Given a name, returns a value previously stored via setenv().
    <object>.pushenv=[function]
        Takes one or more names of values previously stored via setenv(), a...
    <object>.popenv=[function]
        Takes one or more names of values previously pushed via popenv() an...
    <object>.print=[function]
        Converts an object to a string and prints the string. Appends a new...
    [...]
  repl> repl.doc(repl.print)
    TYPE: function
    NAME: print
    ARGS: data, appendNewline

    Converts an object to a string and prints the string. Appends a
    newline unless false is given as second parameter.
  repl>

When you’re done:

  repl> repl.quit()