Split Unicodify in 2 extensions

[tDeContes]

Background

• Ideally, I would like to have only Recommended extensions installed.
• I don't need auto-correction. (In fact I need one, but the one I need has noting to do with what does Unicodify.)

Proposed solution

Split Unicodify – Text transformer in 2 parts:

• 1 for convert text
• 1 for auto-correction

This split makes sense since Unicodify makes substantially 2 different things:

• convert text by choice via a context menu
• auto-correction as long as we are typing the text, without choice

Then, you'll be able to request the Recommended badge for the 1st, while letting the 2nd as experimental. :-)

Additional context

I suppose the reason you consider Unicodify – Text transformer as experimental is contained in auto-correction part, and the part which convert text is fine.
(Tell me if I'm wrong!)

[tdulcet]

Do you mean a recommended extension in Firefox or Thunderbird? Thunderbird does not yet have any standard criteria for their recommended extensions, but I believe even with the experimental functionality it could still be a recommended extension in Firefox.

The Unicode autocorrection is not without choice, as they can be enabled/disabled from the options page and individual autocorrections can be reverted while typing by pressing backspace. I would not want to remove the autocorrection functionality, as it is a core part of this add-on. This was actually already split in two parts, as it was originally part of @rugk's Awesome Emoji Picker add-on, which now supports just the Unicode Emoji autocorrection and this add-on was created for the Unicode symbol autocorrection.

Anyway, in the next update we could temporarily deemphasize the Unicode autocorrection feature in the AMO/ATN listing, which should allow removing the experimental label. Would that be acceptable for you?

[rugk]

Anyway, in the next update we could temporarily deemphasize the Unicode autocorrection feature in the AMO/ATN listing, which should allow removing the experimental label.

👍

Ideally, I would like to have only Recommended extensions installed.

Note that the experimental label is one thing. What Firefox aka Mozilla calls a “recommend extension” is another thing. Even if the extension would not be experimental (which is just a flag set by us), it would still be not recommend in that sense. Thus, the warning that the extension “is not actively monitored” is just always a warning of Mozilla that explains the extension is not part of their suggested and extra-strongly vetted add-ons. See https://support.mozilla.org/kb/add-on-badges for more information.
However all add-ons are verified by Mozilla partly in an automated or manual way, see https://extensionworkshop.com/documentation/publish/signing-and-distribution-overview/#post-submission-review for details about that.

Then, you'll be able to request the Recommended badge

Yeah, but unlikely to succeed. If it would, the split would certainly be useful.
Also, as far as I know other people rather than the devs should submit such extensions.

Anyway, just FYI.

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About the idea itself hmm, yeah, I can see where it comes from. But I agree you can disable everything you don't need and once done so, it should come with no downsides.

So for now, I also tend to keep it together,

[tDeContes]

Do you mean a recommended extension in Firefox or Thunderbird? Thunderbird does not yet have any standard criteria for their recommended extensions,

I would like both, but I understood it exists only for Firefox yet.

but I believe even with the experimental functionality it could still be a recommended extension in Firefox.

I would say not, but I don't know.

The Unicode autocorrection is not without choice, as they can be enabled/disabled from the options page and individual autocorrections can be revered while typing by pressing backspace.

I said that a little too quickly, but I hope you understand: I spoke about the UI nature which is not the same. (Auto-correction gives the choice to not do it, but nothing else.)

I would not want to remove the autocorrection functionality, as it is a core part of this add-on.

I don't understand: Does the text conversion via context menu use this core ?

This was actually already split in two parts, as it was originally part of @rugk's Awesome Emoji Picker add-on, which now supports just the Unicode Emoji autocorrection and this add-on was created for the Unicode symbol autocorrection.

OK, I didn't know.

Anyway, in the next update we could temporarily deemphasize the Unicode autocorrection feature in the AMO/ATN listing, which should allow removing the experimental label. Would that be acceptable for you?

Don't do that just for me.
It's acceptable as is, I post that because I thought that was a good idea to make Unicodify better. :-)

[tDeContes]

Ideally, I would like to have only Recommended extensions installed.

Note that the experimental label is one thing. What Firefox aka Mozilla calls a “recommend extension” is another thing. Even if the extension would not be experimental (which is just a flag set by us), it would still be not recommend in that sense.

See https://support.mozilla.org/kb/add-on-badges for more information.

I already read it.

Then, you'll be able to request the Recommended badge

Yeah, but unlikely to succeed.

Why ?

If it would, the split would certainly be useful.

I think so. Also because it would make each part smaller, which give less work to AMO devs to check it.

Also, as far as I know other people rather than the devs should submit such extensions.

OK, but if you think that it's too soon to ask that, so I should wait anyway ?

About the idea itself hmm, yeah, I can see where it comes from. But I agree you can disable everything you don't need and once done so, it should come with no downsides.

No downsides for usage, I agree.

So for now, I also tend to keep it together,

Basically I would say that if your extension contains different things which have no link between, it tend to be better to be split in several smaller extensions.

But in the meantime I thought about custom auto-correction (end of #30 ).
If you propose a context menu to apply it manually, it will straddle the 2 features.
But it could also be a 4th extension. They can set 2 context menu items for these 2 features.

I would say that it mainly depends if there is shared code between them, or not.

[tdulcet]

I would like both, but I understood it exists only for Firefox yet.

Thunderbird is working on establishing a criteria for this. I was recently elected to the Thunderbird Council, so I will definitely advocate that they finish this.

I don't understand: Does the text conversion via context menu use this core ?

By "core", I meant that it is the main functionality of the add-on (more than 50%), but it does use separate code.

Don't do that just for me.
It's acceptable as is, I post that because I thought that was a good idea to make Unicodify better. :-)

Feedback from the community is always very helpful.

We were hoping that the autocorrection feature could be finished and enabled by default, but unfortunately it does not look like that is going to happen anytime soon (new APIs are needed: #4 (comment)), so this is probably a good solution in the meantime.

I think so. Also because it would make each part smaller, which give less work to AMO devs to check it.

This add-on is already extremely small compared to most add-ons on AMO/ATN. We used modern JS features which significantly reduced the amount of code needed. I agree in general about making modular add-ons that "do one thing well", but users also do not want to install a bunch of add-ons with related functionality when they could install just a single add-on.

But in the meantime I thought about custom auto-correction (end of #30 ).

What do you mean by custom autocorrection? The auto superscript/subscript requested in #66? The add-on already supports superscript and I just enabled a subscript Unicode font in #84.

I would say that it mainly depends if there is shared code between them, or not.

There is no shared code, but the idea for the add-on is to make use of various Unicode symbols and other characters, so it is all related.

[tDeContes]

I would like both, but I understood it exists only for Firefox yet.

Thunderbird is working on establishing a criteria for this. I was recently elected to the Thunderbird Council, so I will definitely advocate that they finish this.

Nice :-)

I think so. Also because it would make each part smaller, which give less work to AMO devs to check it.

This add-on is already extremely small compared to most add-ons on AMO/ATN.

I agree in general about making modular add-ons that "do one thing well", but users also do not want to install a bunch of add-ons with related functionality when they could install just a single add-on.

Nice, so, do as you feel :-)

But in the meantime I thought about custom auto-correction (end of #30 ).

What do you mean by custom autocorrection?

msg -> message
pb -> problem

Text Insert, the point "Define shortcut-replacements", does that, but:

• it does not work on Firefox,
• there is no context menu,
• the UI is not very nice.

Do you want I write a new feature request for that ?
Would you prefer I ask Text Insert to improve it ?

The auto superscript/subscript requested in #66?

It could be a subset, probably.
But I don't like manipulating special characters. I prefer stay inside ASCII ALAP, and I like very much Unicodify for making transformations inside. (Of course it's very nice that it handles french accents. :-) )

I would say that it mainly depends if there is shared code between them, or not.

There is no shared code, but the idea for the add-on is to make use of various Unicode symbols and other characters, so it is all related.

Why did you split Unicodify from Awesome Emoji Picker ?

[tdulcet]

Do you want I write a new feature request for that ?

I do not believe this would be the correct add-on to add support for general (non-Unicode related) autocorrections. However, @rugk wants to extract out the autocorrection code into a separate library, which could be used by any add-ons. See #42 and the repository: https://github.com/TinyWebEx/TextModification/.

Why did you split Unicodify from Awesome Emoji Picker ?

@rugk wanted their Awesome Emoji Picker add-on to only focus on emojis and not other Unicode symbols. See rugk/awesome-emoji-picker#106 for background.