How to test a Greasemonkey script, especially on a local copy of a webpage?

Question

I have my own javascript that I need to test with Greasemonkey. I've never worked with Greasemonkey before; How do I test the script?

I am not testing it on the World Wide Web, I have saved the target page ( Firefox > Save page as > Web page, complete ), so I am testing it locally.

What is the process? How do I test the script?

Answer 1

Here are some guidelines for troubleshooting Greasemonkey scripts, both in general, and on local copies of webpages.

1. For testing on local pages (without a local web-server), you must change a setting of Greasemonkey.
   Open about:config and set greasemonkey.fileIsGreaseable to true

2. Make sure the local copy of the webpage is not in the system's /tmp or /temp folder(s). The script will not work reliably, if it is.

3. Make sure the script source is not in the system's /tmp or /temp folder(s). The script will not install if it is .

4. For a script to work on local files, be sure you have an appropriate @include directive aimed at the local webpage copy. For example:

    // @include file:///D:/web/local%20page%20copies/* 

5. Familiarize yourself with Firefox's error console ( Ctrl Shift J ) and how it can be used to determine the source of errors in Greasemonkey scripts .

6. Install Firebug and get familiar with it. Firebug's excellent console functions work great from within a GM script -- although you might have to preface them with unsafeWindow. .

7. Test as much of the javascript as you can, that doesn't use GM_ functions , in Firebug's JavaScript console first.

See also:

• Troubleshooting for Script Authors
• Avoid Common Pitfalls in Greasemonkey