Search code examples
greasemonkeyauto-updatetampermonkey

Why isn't my Greasemonkey script updating?

I've got a Greasemonkey script for Firefox. The script includes this meta-block and some lines of code.

I want to update my script on the server and then automatically update the browser's scripts. The requireSecureUpdates option is off.
What am I doing wrong?

My 1.meta.js

// ==UserScript== 
// @name     Ibood autosubmit 
// @include  https://*.ibood.com/* 
// @include  http://*.ibood.com/* 
// @include  * 
// @version  1.1 
// @require  http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.7.2/jquery.min.js 
// @grant    GM_addStyle 
// @downloadURL http://www.tipsvoorbesparen.nl/1.user.js
// @updateURL http://www.tipsvoorbesparen.nl/1.meta.js
// ==/UserScript==
Solution

  • Two problems:

    1. Currently, your 1.meta.js is:

          // ==UserScript== 
    // @name     Ibood autosubmit 
    // @include  https://*.ibood.com/* 
    // @include  http://*.ibood.com/* 
    // @include  * 
    // @version  1.7
    // @require  http://ajax.googleapis.com/ajax/libs/jquery/1.7.2/jquery.min.js 
    // @grant    GM_addStyle 
    // @downloadURL http://www.tipsvoorbesparen.nl/1.user.js
    // @updateURL http://www.tipsvoorbesparen.nl/1.meta.js
    // ==/UserScript==

      Note the leading spaces?

      Greasemonkey cannot handle leading spaces for its Metadata Block due to a design limitation1.

    2. The current script version seems to be 1.8, but the meta file has version 1.7.

    ~~~~~
    For small scripts, that you host on your own website, don't even bother with the @updateURL setting. That's there mainly to conserve bandwidth, especially on sites like userscripts.org.

    With no @updateURL setting, Greasemonkey will just use/check whatever's set by @downloadURL. This saves you extra maintenance work (and possible SNAFU's like this one).

    Finally, on an unrelated note, don't use @include *!
    Using @include *:

    1. Slows down your browser
    2. Can cause unwanted side effects
    3. Causes conscientious users to refuse to install your script.




    1. Specifically, this bit in the GM source file, parseScript.js:

    var gAllMetaRegexp = new RegExp(
    '^// ==UserScript==([\\s\\S]*?)^// ==/UserScript==', 'm');