How can I include files with Gjs Gnome Javascript

Question

I understand I can import files easily enough, but I'm trying to make some kind of plugin structure. I'd like to be able scan through a folder and load each Javascript file.

With Seed JS I can use Seed.include() to evalute a file as if it were included in the file at the point include is called. ( reference )

Does Gnome Javascript (Gjs) have an equivalent function?

Answer 1

There is a thread about this problem, the guy apparently complains that it doesn't actually work. I don't know if it worth trying because anyway the approach sucks big way - it too cumbersome in my opinion.

So I'll just share what I did in my gnome extension.

TL;DR: Use Node + Webpack to have nice module system and access to huge library of modules.

• First of all I've installed Node + npm because together they give you quite capable module system. Bonus - you can use public NPM modules if they don't use any Node API.
• I've created package.json file, here it is:

{
  "name": "blah",
  "version": "0.0.1",
  "description": "blah",
  "scripts": {
    "watch": "nodemon --exec 'npm run build'",
    "build": "webpack"
  },
  "author": "me",
  "license": "ISC",
  "devDependencies": {
    "nodemon": "^1.11.0",
    "webpack": "^2.2.1"
  },
  "dependencies": {
    "string-format": "^0.5.0"
  }
}

• Next, I've created my webpack.config.js file:

var path = require('path');

module.exports = {
  entry: {
        main: './src/main.js',
        ui: './src/ui.js'
    },
  output: {
    filename: '[name].js',
    path: path.resolve(__dirname),
        libraryTarget: 'var',
        library: '[name]'
  },
    resolve: {
        modules: [
            path.resolve('./src'),
            'node_modules'
        ]
    },
    externals: {
        'gnome': 'global',
        'lang': 'imports.lang',
        'gi/meta': 'imports.gi.Meta',
        'gi/shell': 'imports.gi.Shell',
        'ui/main': 'imports.ui.main',
        'ui/popupMenu': 'imports.ui.popupMenu',
        'ui/panelMenu': 'imports.ui.panelMenu',
        'gi/atk': 'imports.gi.Atk',
        'gi/st': 'imports.gi.St',
        'gi/gtk': 'imports.gi.Gtk',
        'gi/gdk': 'imports.gi.Gdk',
        'gi/gobject': 'imports.gi.GObject',
        'gi/gio': 'imports.gi.Gio',
        'gi/soup': 'imports.gi.Soup',
        'gi/glib': 'imports.gi.GLib',
        'gi/clutter': 'imports.gi.Clutter',
        'misc/config': 'imports.misc.config',
        'me': 'imports.misc.extensionUtils.getCurrentExtension()'
    }
};

So now I get to use Node's module system and I can just require my stuff into files. I then run npm run build and webpack gives me one nice tight file which I can run with all of the stuff required inside.

Have an example of a file:

const Lang = require('lang')
const Gdk = require('gi/gdk')

const parser = require('./parser')
const modifier = require('./modifier')

const rules = [
    parser((state, result) => {
        const name = result.string
        const rule = new RegExp('^[a-zA-Z0-9]+$')
        return name && rule.test(name)
    }, '', true),
    modifier(Gdk.ModifierType.SUPER_MASK, 'super', false),
    modifier(Gdk.ModifierType.MOD1_MASK, 'alt', false),
    modifier(Gdk.ModifierType.CONTROL_MASK, 'control', false),
    // this makes sure that we have at least one modifier enabled
    modifier(Gdk.ModifierType.MODIFIER_MASK, false, true)
]

module.exports = function(state, keyval) {
    const result = {
        valid: false,
        string: '',
    }

    if(state[0] && keyval[0]) {
        result.valid = true,
        result.string = Gdk.keyval_name(keyval[1])

        rules.forEach((rule) => {
            result = rule(state[1], result)
        })
    }

    return result
}

Answer 2

You can add a new entry to imports.searchPath :

$ mkdir -p ~/gjs/dynmodules/
$ touch ~/gjs/dynmodules/hello.js

imports.searchPath.push("/home/ole/gjs")
hello = imports.dynmodules.hello;

Answer 3

You can load the file contents into a string and eval() it to get the same effect.

Do you have a particular reason why you can't use imports to get what you want in a plugin structure? You can also scan through a directory and import each JS file. That will prevent plugins from dumping arbitrary values into your global namespace.