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remote control of unix mozilla
[Borrowed from the 4.x x-remote doc]
When Netscape Navigator is invoked with the -remote argument, it does not open a window, but instead connects to and controls an already-existing process. The argument to the -remote switch is an Xt action to invoke, with optional arguments.

Remote control is implemented using X properties, so the two processes need not be running on the same machine, and need not share a file system.

We have started support for the old 4.x remote commands in mozilla. Look at nsGtkMozRemoteHelper.cpp, mozilla-xremote-client.cpp, and XRemoteService.cpp for most-current status. Example usage:

  mozilla -remote "openurl(http://www.mozilla.org)"

Syntax of mozilla-xremote-client:
mozilla-xremote-client [-a firefox|thunderbird|mozilla|any] [-u ] [-p ] COMMAND

Command syntax is case-insensitive, but will be listed here as they were in 4.x.

Commands should not have spaces in them.

List of commands that seem to work:

    openURL() and openFile()
    Prompt for a URL with a dialog box.
    openURL(URL) and openFile(URL)
    Opens the specified document without prompting.
    openURL(URL,new-window)
    Creates a new window displaying the specified document.
    openURL(URL,new-tab)
    Creates a new tab displaying the specified document. (Available in 1.0.1, 1.1 and beyond)
    mailto()
    pops up the mail dialog with the To: field empty.
    mailto(a,b,c)
    Puts the addresses "a, b, c" in the default To: field.
    xfeDoCommand(openBrowser)
    Opens a new browser window
    xfeDoCommand(openInbox)
    Opens a new Mail & Newsgroups Window
    xfeDoCommand(composeMessage)
    Opens a new Message Compose window
    ping()
    Checks if Mozilla is currently running. Can be used by scripts.