I have defined a global object in a .js file. For example file1.js contains the global object SomeObject. This file gets loaded in background.html.
Since file1.js is included in background.html, I am able to access the global object in this page. So no issues here.
When an event like click on the extension button is performed, I am running a content script using the chrome.tabs.executeScript(null, {file: "contentscript.js"});
api.
How can I access SomeObject in the contentscript in this case?
There is no way to get direct access to the background page's global object from a Content script or injected script.
To use a background page's method from an injected script , follow these steps:
- Content Script: Bind an event listener to the page example 1.
Whenever you want to notify the method from the background page:
- Injected script: Create and fire this specific event example 1.
→ The event listener from 1) gets triggered.
- In this event listener, use
chrome.runtime.sendMessage
to request the functionality from the background example 2.
- In the background page, handle this request using
chrome.runtime.onMessage
.
- Optionally, inject code in the original tab using
chrome.tabs.executeScript(tab.id, func)
.
To use a background page's method from a Content script, only steps 3 and 4 are needed.
Here's an example, in which the content script communicates with the background page:
// Example background page
function some_method(arg_name) {
return localStorage.getItem(arg_name);
}
chrome.runtime.onMessage.addListener(function(request, sender, callback) {
if (request.type == 'localStorage - step 4') {
callback( some_method(request.name) );
} else if (request.type == 'localStorage - step 5') {
localStorage.setItem(request.name, request.value);
}
});
// Example contentscript.js
chrome.runtime.sendMessage({
type: 'localStorage - step 4',
name: 'preference'
}, function(value) {
if (value === null) {
// Example: If no preference is set, set one:
chrome.runtime.sendMessage({
type: 'localStorage - step 5',
name: 'preference',
value: 'default'
});
}
});
See also
- SO: What you should know about background scripts vs Content Scripts vs Injected scripts.
- SO: Example code: Communicating between an Injected script and a Content script.