background.js

  var logging = false;
  //sets the item in the localstorage
  function setItem(key, value) {
    try {
      log("Inside setItem:" + key + ":" + value);
      window.localStorage.removeItem(key);
      window.localStorage.setItem(key, value);
    }catch(e) {
      log("Error inside setItem");
      log(e);
    }
    log("Return from setItem" + key + ":" +  value);
  }
  //Gets the item from local storage with the specified
  //key
  function getItem(key) {
    var value;
    log('Get Item:' + key);
    try {
      value = window.localStorage.getItem(key);
    }catch(e) {
      log("Error inside getItem() for key:" + key);
	  log(e);
	  value = "null";
    }
    log("Returning value: " + value);
    return value;
  }
  //Clears all the key value pairs in the local storage
  function clearStrg() {
    log('about to clear local storage');
    window.localStorage.clear();
    log('cleared');
  }

  function log(txt) {
    if(logging) {
      console.log(txt);
    }
  }


  
  chrome.extension.onMessage.addListener(
    function(request, sender, sendResponse)
    {
    chrome.pageAction.show(sender.tab.id);
    switch (request.name)
      {
      case "getPreferences":
      // request from the content script to get the preferences.
      sendResponse(
                    {
                       WTF : localStorage["showWTF"],
                       TRENDS : localStorage["showTRENDS"]
                    });
      break;
      default:
        sendResponse({});
      }
     }
  );


  chrome.pageAction.onClicked.addListener(function(tab) {
    var url = chrome.extension.getURL('options.html');
    chrome.tabs.create({selected:true, url:url});
    
  });