Events

Listen to extension events posted to your page (tabStatus stream).
Docs updated: 2026-03-24

tabStatus

The extension can post a tabStatus event stream to your page via window.postMessage. This is a one-way notification. It’s useful to refresh UI (tabs list, “connected” indicator), or to wait until a controlled tab is ready (e.g. “complete”). 

<script src="../RTO_helpers/RTO_form_api.js"></script>
<script>
// Helper-based subscription:
RTOForm.onStatus(function (d) {
  // Typical shape (fields may vary by event):
  // { "type":"tabStatus", "tabKey":"...", "tabId":123, "event":"loading"|"complete"|"url"|"activated"|"removed"|..., "url":"..." }
  console.log("tabStatus:", d);
});
</script>
<script>
// Raw window.message listener:
window.addEventListener("message", function (ev) {
  var d = ev && ev.data;
  if (!d || typeof d !== "object") return;

  // Filter by the extension origin marker:
  if (d.origin !== "rto-extension") return;

  if (d.type === "tabStatus") {
    console.log("tabStatus:", d);
  }
}, false);
</script>
Tip: you can filter the stream by tabKey if you manage multiple controlled tabs.

Examples

Refresh a tabs list UI when status changes

<script src="../RTO_helpers/RTO_form_api.js"></script>
<script src="../RTO_helpers/RTO_tabsList.js"></script>
<script>
(function () {
  function refresh() {
    RTOTabsList.requestNow(2500);
  }

  // Refresh when the extension reports tab changes
  RTOForm.onStatus(function () { refresh(); });

  // Initial load
  refresh();
})();
</script>

Wait until a controlled tab is fully loaded

<script src="../RTO_helpers/RTO_form_api.js"></script>
<script>
RTOForm.waitForStatus(function (ev) {
  return ev && ev.type === "tabStatus" && ev.tabKey === "demo" && ev.event === "complete";
}, 15000).then(function (ev) {
  console.log("demo tab ready:", ev);
});
</script>

Tips

  • MV3: tab lifecycle events are emitted by the background, then forwarded to the page.
  • Don’t block: treat tabStatus as an async stream; always update UI non-blockingly.
  • Filter: if you manage multiple tabs, filter by tabKey and/or tabId.