I'm using a jQuery plug-in and Google Closure Compiler. The problem is that there's a bug in the plug-in when I add the URL of that plug-in into the pilation, the pilation fails. So I want to create an extern for that plug-in. Basically, I'm only using 1 object and 2 methods from the entire library; something like this:

var TheObject = $.plugin({...});

var SomeVar = TheObject.someName.otherName(SomeString, {

      prop1: [...],

      onError: function () {...}

});

TheObject.SomeMethod();

I looked at the doc on Google's website but it's written from a confusing "what-it-is" perspective and I need a simple "how-to" perspective on how to do this. What do I need to do to create an extern for what I have?

I'm using a jQuery plug-in and Google Closure Compiler. The problem is that there's a bug in the plug-in when I add the URL of that plug-in into the pilation, the pilation fails. So I want to create an extern for that plug-in. Basically, I'm only using 1 object and 2 methods from the entire library; something like this:

var TheObject = $.plugin({...});

var SomeVar = TheObject.someName.otherName(SomeString, {

      prop1: [...],

      onError: function () {...}

});

TheObject.SomeMethod();

I looked at the doc on Google's website but it's written from a confusing "what-it-is" perspective and I need a simple "how-to" perspective on how to do this. What do I need to do to create an extern for what I have?

• javascript
• google-closure-piler

2 Answers 2

Here you go:

• How to Write Closure-piler Extern Files – Part 1 The Basics
• jQuery Plugins and Closure-Compiler

I haven't had time to finish out the series on creating externs. If this isn't enough for your project, I'll revisit the topic.

So I've been struggling on and off with this question for a while and I've e up with a working solution for others who have a plug-in they want to use in their code with closure piler: instead of doing an extern, just use strings, like this:

var TheObject = $['plugin']({...});

var SomeVar = TheObject['someName']['otherName'](SomeString, {

      'prop1': [...],

      'onError': function () {...}  
});

TheObject['SomeMethod']();

That may not work for everybody but this worked for me and saved me a great deal of hassle in terms of writing an extern. I found the doc online to be very confusing: either written by techies who explain what things are, but now how to use them, or written in a professorial tone, with not many empirical examples. I hope this answer will help others.