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| <!-- VALUE --> |
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| <dt> |
| <var>paramName</var> |
| <em> |
| |
| <!-- TYPE --> |
| <div style="display:inline"> |
| ( |
| <span class="optional">optional</span> |
| <span class="enum">enumerated</span> |
| <span id="typeTemplate"> |
| <span> |
| <a> Type</a> |
| </span> |
| <span> |
| <span> |
| array of <span><span></span></span> |
| </span> |
| <span>paramType</span> |
| <span></span> |
| </span> |
| </span> |
| ) |
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| |
| </em> |
| </dt> |
| <dd class="todo"> |
| Undocumented. |
| </dd> |
| <dd> |
| Description of this parameter from the json schema. |
| </dd> |
| <dd> |
| This parameter was added in version |
| <b><span></span></b>. |
| You must omit this parameter in earlier versions, |
| and you may omit it in any version. If you require this |
| parameter, the manifest key |
| <a href="manifest.html#minimum_chrome_version">minimum_chrome_version</a> |
| can ensure that your extension won't be run in an earlier browser version. |
| </dd> |
| |
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| <h5>Parameters</h5> |
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| <li>Browser UI |
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| </ul> |
| </li> |
| <li>Finishing |
| <ul> |
| <li><a href="hosting.html">Hosting</a></li> |
| <li><a href="external_extensions.html">Other Deployment Options</a></li> |
| </ul> |
| </li> |
| </ul> |
| </li> |
| <li><h2><a href="apps.html">Packaged Apps</a></h2></li> |
| <li><h2><a href="tutorials.html">Tutorials</a></h2> |
| <ul> |
| <li><a href="tut_debugging.html">Debugging</a></li> |
| <li><a href="tut_analytics.html">Google Analytics</a></li> |
| <li><a href="tut_oauth.html">OAuth</a></li> |
| </ul> |
| </li> |
| <li><h2>Reference</h2> |
| <ul> |
| <li>Formats |
| <ul> |
| <li><a href="manifest.html">Manifest Files</a></li> |
| <li><a href="match_patterns.html">Match Patterns</a></li> |
| </ul> |
| </li> |
| <li><a href="permission_warnings.html">Permission Warnings</a></li> |
| <li><a href="api_index.html">chrome.* APIs</a></li> |
| <li><a href="api_other.html">Other APIs</a></li> |
| </ul> |
| </li> |
| <li><h2><a href="samples.html">Samples</a></h2></li> |
| <div class="line"> </div> |
| <li><h2>More</h2> |
| <ul> |
| <li><a href="http://code.google.com/chrome/webstore/docs/index.html">Chrome Web Store</a></li> |
| <li><a href="http://code.google.com/chrome/apps/docs/developers_guide.html">Hosted Apps</a></li> |
| <li><a href="themes.html">Themes</a></li> |
| </ul> |
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| </ul> |
| </div> |
| <script> |
| initToggles(); |
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| |
| <div class="g-unit" id="gc-pagecontent"> |
| <div id="pageTitle"> |
| <h1 class="page_title">Overview</h1> |
| </div> |
| <!-- TABLE OF CONTENTS --> |
| <div id="toc"> |
| <h2>Contents</h2> |
| <ol> |
| <li> |
| <a href="#what">The basics</a> |
| <ol> |
| <li> |
| <a href="#extension-ui">Extension UIs</a> |
| </li><li> |
| <a href="#packagedapp-ui">Packaged app UIs</a> |
| </li> |
| </ol> |
| </li><li> |
| <a href="#files">Files</a> |
| <ol> |
| <li> |
| <a href="#relative-urls">Referring to files</a> |
| </li><li> |
| <a href="#H3-5">The manifest file</a> |
| </li> |
| </ol> |
| </li><li> |
| <a href="#arch">Architecture</a> |
| <ol> |
| <li> |
| <a href="#pages">Pages</a> |
| </li><li> |
| <a href="#contentScripts">Content scripts</a> |
| </li> |
| </ol> |
| </li><li> |
| <a href="#pageComm">Communication between pages </a> |
| <ol> |
| <li style="display: none; "> |
| <a>h3Name</a> |
| </li> |
| </ol> |
| </li><li> |
| <a href="#incognito"> Saving data and incognito mode </a> |
| <ol> |
| <li style="display: none; "> |
| <a>h3Name</a> |
| </li> |
| </ol> |
| </li><li> |
| <a href="#now-what"> Now what? </a> |
| <ol> |
| <li style="display: none; "> |
| <a>h3Name</a> |
| </li> |
| </ol> |
| </li> |
| <li style="display: none; "> |
| <a href="#apiReference">API reference</a> |
| <ol> |
| <li> |
| <a href="#properties">Properties</a> |
| <ol> |
| <li> |
| <a href="#property-anchor">propertyName</a> |
| </li> |
| </ol> |
| </li> |
| <li> |
| <a>Methods</a> |
| <ol> |
| <li> |
| <a href="#method-anchor">methodName</a> |
| </li> |
| </ol> |
| </li> |
| <li> |
| <a>Events</a> |
| <ol> |
| <li> |
| <a href="#event-anchor">eventName</a> |
| </li> |
| </ol> |
| </li> |
| <li> |
| <a href="#types">Types</a> |
| <ol> |
| <li> |
| <a href="#id-anchor">id</a> |
| </li> |
| </ol> |
| </li> |
| </ol> |
| </li> |
| </ol> |
| </div> |
| <!-- /TABLE OF CONTENTS --> |
| |
| <!-- Standard content lead-in for experimental API pages --> |
| <p id="classSummary" style="display: none; "> |
| For information on how to use experimental APIs, see the <a href="experimental.html">chrome.experimental.* APIs</a> page. |
| </p> |
| |
| <!-- STATIC CONTENT PLACEHOLDER --> |
| <div id="static"><div id="pageData-name" class="pageData">Overview</div> |
| <div id="pageData-showTOC" class="pageData">true</div> |
| |
| <p> |
| Once you've finished this page |
| and the |
| <a href="getstarted.html">Getting Started</a> tutorial, |
| you'll be all set to start writing extensions and packaged apps. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p class="caution"> |
| <strong>Note:</strong> |
| <em>Packaged apps</em> are implemented as extensions, |
| so unless otherwise stated, |
| everything in this page applies to packaged apps. |
| </p> |
| |
| <h2 id="what">The basics</h2> |
| |
| <p> |
| An extension is a zipped bundle of files—HTML, |
| CSS, JavaScript, images, and anything else you need—that |
| adds functionality to the Google Chrome browser. |
| Extensions are essentially web pages, |
| and they can use all the |
| <a href="api_other.html">APIs that the browser provides to web pages</a>, |
| from XMLHttpRequest to JSON to HTML5. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| Extensions can interact with web pages or servers using |
| <a href="content_scripts.html">content scripts</a> or |
| <a href="xhr.html">cross-origin XMLHttpRequests</a>. |
| Extensions can also interact programmatically |
| with browser features such as |
| <a href="bookmarks.html">bookmarks</a> |
| and <a href="tabs.html">tabs</a>. |
| </p> |
| |
| <h3 id="extension-ui">Extension UIs</h3> |
| |
| <p> |
| Many extensions—but not packaged apps—add |
| UI to Google Chrome in the form of |
| <a href="browserAction.html">browser actions</a> |
| or <a href="pageAction.html">page actions</a>. |
| Each extension can have at most one browser action or page action. |
| Choose a <b>browser action</b> when the extension is relevant to most pages. |
| Choose a <b>page action</b> when the extension's icon |
| should appear or disappear, |
| depending on the page. |
| </p> |
| |
| <table class="columns"> |
| <tbody><tr> |
| <td> |
| <img src="images/index/gmail.png" width="150" height="79" alt="screenshot"> |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| <img src="images/index/news.png" width="150" height="79" alt="screenshot"> |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| <img src="images/index/rss.png" width="150" height="79" alt="screenshot"> |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| |
| <tr> |
| <td> |
| This <a href="samples.html#gmail">mail extension</a> |
| uses a <em>browser action</em> |
| (icon in the toolbar). |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| This <a href="samples.html#news">news reader extension</a> |
| features a browser action that, |
| when clicked, |
| shows a <em>popup</em>. |
| </td> |
| <td> |
| This <a href="samples.html#mappy">map extension</a> |
| uses a <em>page action</em> |
| (icon in the address bar) |
| and <em>content script</em> |
| (code injected into a web page). |
| </td> |
| </tr> |
| </tbody></table> |
| |
| <p> |
| Extensions (and packaged apps) can also present a UI in other ways, |
| such as adding to the Chrome context menu, |
| providing an options page, |
| or using a content script that changes how pages look. |
| See the <a href="devguide.html">Developer's Guide</a> |
| for a complete list of extension features, |
| with links to implementation details |
| for each one. |
| </p> |
| |
| |
| <h3 id="packagedapp-ui">Packaged app UIs</h3> |
| |
| <p> |
| A packaged app usually presents its main functionality using |
| an HTML page that's bundled into the app. |
| For example, the following packaged app |
| displays a Flash file within an HTML page. |
| </p> |
| |
| <img src="images/index/flashapp.png" width="372" height="300" alt="screenshot"> |
| |
| <p> |
| For more information, |
| see <a href="apps.html">Packaged Apps</a>. |
| </p> |
| |
| <h2 id="files">Files</h2> |
| <p> |
| Each extension has the following files: |
| <!-- PENDING: This could use a picture --> |
| </p> |
| |
| <ul> |
| <li>A <b>manifest file</b></li> |
| <li>One or more <b>HTML files</b> (unless the extension is a theme)</li> |
| <li><em>Optional:</em> One or more <b>JavaScript files</b></li> |
| <li><em>Optional:</em> Any other files your extension needs—for |
| example, image files</li> |
| </ul> |
| |
| <p> |
| While you're working on your extension, |
| you put all these files into a single folder. |
| When you distribute your extension, |
| the contents of the folder are packaged into a special ZIP file |
| that has a <code>.crx</code> suffix. |
| If you upload your extension using the |
| <a href="https://chrome.google.com/webstore/developer/dashboard">Chrome Developer Dashboard</a>, |
| the <code>.crx</code> file is created for you. |
| For details on distributing extensions, |
| see <a href="hosting.html">Hosting</a>. |
| </p> |
| |
| |
| <h3 id="relative-urls">Referring to files</h3> |
| |
| <p> |
| You can put any file you like into an extension, |
| but how do you use it? |
| Usually, |
| you can refer to the file using a relative URL, |
| just as you would in an ordinary HTML page. |
| Here's an example of referring to |
| a file named <code>myimage.png</code> |
| that's in a subfolder named <code>images</code>. |
| </p> |
| |
| <pre><img <b>src="images/myimage.png"</b>> |
| </pre> |
| |
| <p> |
| As you might notice while you use the Google Chrome debugger, |
| every file in an extension is also accessible by an absolute URL like this: |
| </p> |
| |
| <blockquote> |
| <b>chrome-extension://</b><em><extensionID></em><b>/</b><em><pathToFile></em> |
| </blockquote> |
| |
| <p> |
| In that URL, the <em><extensionID></em> is a unique identifier |
| that the extension system generates for each extension. |
| You can see the IDs for all your loaded extensions |
| by going to the URL <b>chrome://extensions</b>. |
| The <em><pathToFile></em> is the location of the file |
| under the extension's top folder; |
| it's the same as the relative URL. |
| </p> |
| |
| <!-- [PENDING: Should mention/reflect/link to <a href="http://dev.chromium.org/developers/design-documents/extensions/i18n">internationalization</a> when it's ready.] --> |
| |
| |
| <a name="H3-5"></a><h3>The manifest file</h3> |
| |
| <p> |
| The manifest file, called <code>manifest.json</code>, |
| gives information about the extension, |
| such as the most important files |
| and the capabilities that the extension might use. |
| Here's a typical manifest file for a browser action |
| that uses information from google.com: |
| </p> |
| |
| <pre>{ |
| "name": "My Extension", |
| "version": "2.1", |
| "description": "Gets information from Google.", |
| "icons": { "128": "icon_128.png" }, |
| "background_page": "bg.html", |
| "permissions": ["http://*.google.com/", "https://*.google.com/"], |
| "browser_action": { |
| "default_title": "", |
| "default_icon": "icon_19.png", |
| "default_popup": "popup.html" |
| } |
| }</pre> |
| |
| <p> |
| For details, see |
| <a href="manifest.html">Manifest Files</a>. |
| </p> |
| |
| <h2 id="arch">Architecture</h2> |
| |
| <p> |
| Most extensions have a |
| <a href="background_pages.html">background page</a>, |
| an invisible page |
| that holds the main logic of the extension. |
| </p> |
| |
| <img src="images/arch-1.gif" width="232" height="168" alt="Two windows and a box representing a background page (background.html). One window has a yellow icon; the other has both a yellow icon and a blue icon. The yellow icons are connected to the background page."> |
| |
| <p> |
| The preceding figure shows a browser |
| that has at least two extensions installed: |
| a browser action (yellow icon) |
| and a page action (blue icon). |
| The browser action's background page, |
| which is defined by an HTML file |
| (<code>background.html</code>), |
| has JavaScript code that controls |
| the behavior of the browser action in both windows. |
| </p> |
| |
| |
| <h3 id="pages">Pages</h3> |
| |
| <p> |
| The background page isn't the only HTML page |
| that an extension can have. |
| For example, a browser action can have a popup, |
| which is implemented by an HTML file. |
| Extensions can also |
| use <a href="tabs.html#Method-create"><code>chrome.tabs.create()</code></a> |
| or <code>window.open()</code> |
| to display HTML files that are in the extension. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| The HTML pages inside an extension |
| have complete access to each other's DOMs, |
| and they can invoke functions on each other. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| The following figure shows the architecture |
| of a browser action's popup. |
| The popup's contents are a web page |
| defined by an HTML file |
| (<code>popup.html</code>). |
| The popup doesn't need to duplicate code |
| that's in the background page |
| (<code>background.html</code>) |
| because the popup can invoke functions on the background page. |
| </p> |
| |
| <img src="images/arch-2.gif" width="256" height="168" alt="A browser window containing a browser action that's displaying a popup. The popup's HTML file (popup.html) can communicate with the extension's background page (background.html)."> |
| |
| <p> |
| See the <a href="browserAction.html">Browser Actions</a> page and |
| the <a href="#pageComm">Communication between pages</a> section |
| for more details. |
| </p> |
| |
| |
| <h3 id="contentScripts">Content scripts</h3> |
| |
| <p> |
| If your extension needs to interact with web pages, |
| then it needs a <em>content script</em>. |
| A content script is some JavaScript |
| that executes in the context of a page |
| that's been loaded into the browser. |
| Think of a content script as part of that loaded page, |
| not as part of the extension it was packaged with |
| (its <em>parent extension</em>). |
| </p> |
| |
| <!-- [PENDING: Consider explaining that the reason content scripts are separated from the extension is due to chrome's multiprocess design. Something like: |
| |
| Each extension runs in its own process. |
| To have rich interaction with a web page, however, |
| the extension must be able to |
| run some code in the web page's process. |
| Extensions accomplish this with content scripts.] |
| --> |
| |
| <p> |
| Content scripts can read details of the web pages the browser visits, |
| and they can make changes to the pages. |
| In the following figure, |
| the content script |
| can read and modify |
| the DOM for the displayed web page. |
| It cannot, however, modify the DOM of its parent extension's background page. |
| </p> |
| |
| <img src="images/arch-3.gif" width="238" height="169" alt="A browser window with a browser action (controlled by background.html) and a content script (controlled by contentscript.js)."> |
| |
| <p> |
| Content scripts aren't completely cut off from their parent extensions. |
| A content script can exchange messages with its parent extension, |
| as the arrows in the following figure show. |
| For example, a content script might send a message |
| whenever it finds an RSS feed in a browser page. |
| Or a background page might send a message |
| asking a content script to change the appearance of its browser page. |
| </p> |
| |
| <img src="images/arch-cs.gif" width="238" height="194" alt="Like the previous figure, but showing more of the parent extension's files, as well as a communication path between the content script and the parent extension."> |
| |
| <!-- [PENDING: Add overview of message passing.] --> |
| |
| <p> |
| For more information, |
| see <a href="content_scripts.html">Content Scripts</a>. |
| </p> |
| |
| |
| <h2 id="pageComm">Communication between pages </h2> |
| |
| <p> |
| The HTML pages within an extension often need to communicate. |
| <!-- [PENDING: For example, ...] --> |
| Because all of an extension's pages |
| execute in same process on the same thread, |
| the pages can make direct function calls to each other. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| To find pages in the extension, use |
| <a href="extension.html"><code>chrome.extension</code></a> |
| methods such as |
| <code>getViews()</code> and |
| <code>getBackgroundPage()</code>. |
| Once a page has a reference to other pages within the extension, |
| the first page can invoke functions on the other pages, |
| and it can manipulate their DOMs. |
| </p> |
| |
| <!-- [PENDING: Here's an example of communication between xyz and the background page. (code example goes here)] --> |
| |
| |
| <h2 id="incognito"> Saving data and incognito mode </h2> |
| |
| <p> |
| Extensions can save data using |
| the HTML5 <a href="http://dev.w3.org/html5/webstorage/">web storage API</a> |
| (such as <code>localStorage</code>) |
| or by making server requests that result in saving data. |
| Whenever you want to save something, |
| first consider whether it's |
| from a window that's in incognito mode. |
| By default, extensions don't run in incognito windows, |
| and packaged apps <em>do</em>. |
| You need to consider what a user expects |
| from your extension or packaged app |
| when the browser is incognito. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| <em>Incognito mode</em> promises that the window will leave no tracks. |
| When dealing with data from incognito windows, |
| do your best to honor this promise. |
| For example, if your extension normally |
| saves browsing history to the cloud, |
| don't save history from incognito windows. |
| On the other hand, you can store |
| your extension's settings from any window, |
| incognito or not. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p class="note"> |
| <b>Rule of thumb:</b> |
| If a piece of data might show where a user |
| has been on the web or what the user has done, |
| don't store it if it's from an incognito window. |
| </p> |
| |
| <p> |
| To detect whether a window is in incognito mode, |
| check the <code>incognito</code> property of the relevant |
| <a href="tabs.html#type-Tab">Tab</a> or |
| <a href="windows.html#type-Window">Window</a> object. |
| For example: |
| </p> |
| |
| <pre>var bgPage = chrome.extension.getBackgroundPage(); |
| |
| function saveTabData(tab, data) { |
| if (tab.incognito) { |
| bgPage[tab.url] = data; // Persist data ONLY in memory |
| } else { |
| localStorage[tab.url] = data; // OK to store data |
| } |
| </pre> |
| |
| |
| <h2 id="now-what"> Now what? </h2> |
| |
| <p> |
| Now that you've been introduced to extensions, |
| you should be ready to write your own. |
| Here are some ideas for where to go next: |
| </p> |
| |
| <ul> |
| <li> <a href="getstarted.html">Tutorial: Getting Started</a> </li> |
| <li> <a href="tut_debugging.html">Tutorial: Debugging</a> </li> |
| <li> <a href="devguide.html">Developer's Guide</a> </li> |
| <li> <a href="http://dev.chromium.org/developers/design-documents/extensions/samples">Samples</a> </li> |
| <li> <a href="http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=CA101D6A85FE9D4B">Videos</a>, |
| such as |
| <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4M_a7xejYI&feature=PlayList&p=CA101D6A85FE9D4B&index=6">Extension Message Passing</a> |
| </li> |
| </ul> |
| </div> |
| |
| <!-- API PAGE --> |
| <div class="apiPage" style="display: none; "> |
| <a name="apiReference"></a> |
| <h2>API reference: chrome.apiname </h2> |
| |
| <!-- PROPERTIES --> |
| <div class="apiGroup"> |
| <a name="properties"></a> |
| <h3 id="properties">Properties</h3> |
| |
| <div> |
| <a></a> |
| <h4>getLastError</h4> |
| <div class="summary"> |
| <!-- Note: intentionally longer 80 columns --> |
| <span>chrome.extension</span><span>lastError</span> |
| </div> |
| <div> |
| </div> |
| </div> |
| |
| </div> <!-- /apiGroup --> |
| |
| <!-- METHODS --> |
| <div id="methodsTemplate" class="apiGroup"> |
| <a></a> |
| <h3>Methods</h3> |
| |
| <!-- iterates over all functions --> |
| <div class="apiItem"> |
| <a></a> <!-- method-anchor --> |
| <h4>method name</h4> |
| |
| <div class="summary"><span>void</span> |
| <!-- Note: intentionally longer 80 columns --> |
| <span>chrome.module.methodName</span>(<span><span>, </span><span></span> |
| <var><span></span></var></span>)</div> |
| |
| <div class="description"> |
| <p class="todo">Undocumented.</p> |
| <p> |
| A description from the json schema def of the function goes here. |
| </p> |
| |
| <!-- PARAMETERS --> |
| <h4>Parameters</h4> |
| <dl> |
| <div> |
| <div> |
| </div> |
| </div> |
| </dl> |
| |
| <!-- RETURNS --> |
| <h4>Returns</h4> |
| <dl> |
| <div> |
| <div> |
| </div> |
| </div> |
| </dl> |
| |
| <!-- CALLBACK --> |
| <div> |
| <div> |
| <h4>Callback function</h4> |
| <p> |
| The callback <em>parameter</em> should specify a function |
| that looks like this: |
| </p> |
| <p> |
| If you specify the <em>callback</em> parameter, it should |
| specify a function that looks like this: |
| </p> |
| |
| <!-- Note: intentionally longer 80 columns --> |
| <pre>function(<span>Type param1, Type param2</span>) <span class="subdued">{...}</span>;</pre> |
| <dl> |
| <div> |
| <div> |
| </div> |
| </div> |
| </dl> |
| </div> |
| </div> |
| |
| <!-- MIN_VERSION --> |
| <p> |
| This function was added in version <b><span></span></b>. |
| If you require this function, the manifest key |
| <a href="manifest.html#minimum_chrome_version">minimum_chrome_version</a> |
| can ensure that your extension won't be run in an earlier browser version. |
| </p> |
| </div> <!-- /description --> |
| |
| </div> <!-- /apiItem --> |
| |
| </div> <!-- /apiGroup --> |
| |
| <!-- EVENTS --> |
| <div id="eventsTemplate" class="apiGroup"> |
| <a></a> |
| <h3>Events</h3> |
| <!-- iterates over all events --> |
| <div class="apiItem"> |
| <a></a> |
| <h4>event name</h4> |
| |
| <div class="summary"> |
| <!-- Note: intentionally longer 80 columns --> |
| <span class="subdued">chrome.bookmarks</span><span>onEvent</span><span class="subdued">.addListener</span>(function(<span>Type param1, Type param2</span>) <span class="subdued">{...}</span>); |
| </div> |
| |
| <div class="description"> |
| <p class="todo">Undocumented.</p> |
| <p> |
| A description from the json schema def of the event goes here. |
| </p> |
| |
| <!-- PARAMETERS --> |
| <div> |
| <h4>Parameters</h4> |
| <dl> |
| <div> |
| <div> |
| </div> |
| </div> |
| </dl> |
| </div> |
| </div> <!-- /decription --> |
| |
| </div> <!-- /apiItem --> |
| |
| </div> <!-- /apiGroup --> |
| |
| <!-- TYPES --> |
| <div class="apiGroup"> |
| <a name="types"></a> |
| <h3 id="types">Types</h3> |
| |
| <!-- iterates over all types --> |
| <div class="apiItem"> |
| <a></a> |
| <h4>type name</h4> |
| |
| <div> |
| </div> |
| |
| </div> <!-- /apiItem --> |
| |
| </div> <!-- /apiGroup --> |
| |
| </div> <!-- /apiPage --> |
| </div> <!-- /gc-pagecontent --> |
| </div> <!-- /g-section --> |
| </div> <!-- /codesiteContent --> |
| <div id="gc-footer" --=""> |
| <div class="text"> |
| <p> |
| Except as otherwise <a href="http://code.google.com/policies.html#restrictions">noted</a>, |
| the content of this page is licensed under the <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/">Creative Commons |
| Attribution 3.0 License</a>, and code samples are licensed under the |
| <a rel="license" href="http://code.google.com/google_bsd_license.html">BSD License</a>. |
| </p> |
| <p> |
| ©2011 Google |
| </p> |
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