creating closure compiler extern

Question

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 compilation, the compilation 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?

Thanks.

Answer 1

Here you go:

• How to Write Closure-compiler 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.

Answer 2

So I've been struggling on and off with this question for a while and I've come up with a working solution for others who have a plug-in they want to use in their code with closure compiler: 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.