diff --git a/xpfe/browser/samples/Makefile.in b/xpfe/browser/samples/Makefile.in
index 1b7e55298f60..0b7577105ca1 100644
--- a/xpfe/browser/samples/Makefile.in
+++ b/xpfe/browser/samples/Makefile.in
@@ -26,10 +26,12 @@ include $(topsrcdir)/config/config.mk
 include $(topsrcdir)/config/rules.mk
 
 EXPORT_RESOURCE_SAMPLES = \
-	$(srcdir)/dexsimplemaster.xul \
-	$(srcdir)/dexsimpledialog.xul \
 	$(srcdir)/dexanimmaster.xul \
 	$(srcdir)/dexanimdialog.xul \
+	$(srcdir)/dexparammaster.xul \
+	$(srcdir)/dexparamdialog.xul \
+	$(srcdir)/dexsimplemaster.xul \
+	$(srcdir)/dexsimpledialog.xul \
 	$(NULL)
 
 install:: 
diff --git a/xpfe/browser/samples/dexparamdialog.xul b/xpfe/browser/samples/dexparamdialog.xul
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..97dc03a01aa8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xpfe/browser/samples/dexparamdialog.xul
@@ -0,0 +1,221 @@
+<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<?xml-stylesheet href="xul.css" type="text/css"?> 
+<!DOCTYPE window>
+<!-- dialog containing a control requiring initial setup -->
+<xul:window
+    xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"
+    xmlns:xul ="http://www.mozilla.org/keymaster/gatekeeper/there.is.only.xul"
+    onload = "SetFromParams()"
+    title = "Things to do"
+    height = "200" width = "300">
+
+  <html:script>
+    <![CDATA[
+    var debug = true;
+    // Initialize controls from parameters sent through the URL
+    function SetFromURL() {
+      // dump a bunch of diagnostics
+      if (debug) {
+        dump("In SetFromURL...\n");
+        dump("param string is '" + location.search + "', length " +
+            location.search.length + "\n");
+        var debugSetting = GetNamedParam(location.search.substring(1,location.search.length), "remind");
+        if (debugSetting) {
+          dump("'remind' parameter = '" + debugSetting + "'\n");
+        } else
+          dump("'remind' setting not found\n");
+        if (document.getElementById("remind"))
+          dump("found 'remind' element in document\n");
+        else
+          dump("'remind' element missing from document\n");
+        dump("Finishing SetFromURL...\n");
+      }
+
+      // set checkbox from "remind=xxx" name=value pair
+      var params = location.search.substring(1, location.search.length);
+      var setting = GetNamedParam(params, "remind");
+      if (setting)
+        setting = setting.toLowerCase() == "true";
+      else
+        setting = false;
+      var checkbox = document.getElementById("remind");
+      if (checkbox)
+        checkbox.checked = setting;
+
+      // set prompt text from "prompt=xxx" name=value pair
+      var setting = GetNamedParam(params, "prompt");
+      control = document.getElementById("prompt");
+      if (control && setting) {
+        control = control.firstChild;
+        if (control && control.nodeType == 3) // TEXT_NODE
+          control.data = setting;
+      }
+    }
+
+    // Initialize controls from parameters sent through openDialog
+    function SetFromParams() {
+      // dump a bunch of diagnostics
+      if (debug) {
+        var debugSetting;
+        var debugControl;
+        dump("In SetFromParams...\n");
+        if (window.arguments) {
+          dump("arguments exist\n");
+          if (window.arguments[0]) {
+            dump("  arguments[0] exists\n");
+            if (window.arguments[0].remind) {
+              dump("  arguments[0].remind exists\n");
+              debugSetting = window.arguments[0].remind;
+              dump("  it's " + debugSetting +
+                ", type " + typeof debugSetting + "\n");
+            } else
+              dump("arguments[0].remind does not exist\n");
+            if (window.arguments[0].prompt) {
+              dump("  arguments[0].prompt exists\n");
+              debugSetting = window.arguments[0].prompt;
+              dump("  it's " + debugSetting +
+                ", type " + typeof debugSetting + "\n");
+            } else
+              dump("arguments[0].prompt does not exist (or it's just false)\n");
+          } else
+            dump("arguments[0] does not exist\n");
+        } else
+          dump("no arguments\n");
+        debugControl = document.getElementById("remind");
+        if (debugControl)
+          dump("found 'remind' element in document "+
+            typeof debugControl+"\n");
+        else
+          dump("'remind' element missing from document\n");
+        debugControl = document.getElementById("prompt");
+        if (debugControl) {
+          dump("found 'prompt' element in document "+
+            typeof debugControl+"\n");
+          debugControl = debugControl.firstChild;
+          if (debugControl) {
+            dump("found prompt's first child. type " + debugControl.nodeName + "\n");
+          } else
+            dump("couldn't find prompt's first child\n");
+        } else
+          dump("'prompt' element missing from document\n");
+        dump("Finishing SetFromParams...\n");
+      }
+
+      // look in arguments[0] for an object with interesting properties and values
+      // set checkbox from its value, if present
+      if (window.arguments && window.arguments[0]) {
+        var setting;
+        var control;
+        // set checkbox from the value of argment[0]'s "value" property
+        setting = window.arguments[0].remind;
+        if (setting) { // (exists and true)
+          control = document.getElementById("remind");
+          if (control)
+            control.checked = setting;
+        }
+        // set prompt from the value of argment[0]'s "prompt" property
+        setting = window.arguments[0].prompt;
+        if (setting) {
+          if (typeof setting == "string") {
+            control = document.getElementById("prompt");
+            if (control) {
+              control = control.firstChild;
+              if (control && control.nodeType == 3) // TEXT_NODE
+                control.data = setting;
+            }
+          }
+        }
+      }
+    }
+
+    // OK button handler
+    // return the setting of the "remind" checkbox in two equivalent ways
+    // and then close the window (disabled for now, since that crashes)
+    function DoOK() {
+      var checkbox = document.getElementById("remind");
+      if (checkbox) {
+
+        // attach a property to ourselves, which can be queried from outside
+        window.returnArguments = checkbox.checked;
+
+        // additionally, if we were given an openDialog parameter, set its value
+        if (window.arguments && window.arguments[0])
+          window.arguments[0].remind = checkbox.checked;
+      }
+//    var toolkitCore = GetToolkitCore();
+//    if (toolkitCore)
+//      toolkitCore.CloseWindow(window);
+//    window.close();
+    }
+
+    function GetToolkitCore() {
+      var toolkitCore = XPAppCoresManager.Find("ToolkitCore");
+      if (!toolkitCore) {
+        toolkitCore = new ToolkitCore();
+        if (toolkitCore)
+          toolkitCore.Init("ToolkitCore");
+      }
+      return toolkitCore;
+    }
+
+    // params is a list of name=value parameters separated by semicolons
+    // or ampersands. To pass parameters containing either character,
+    // string together parameters escape()d separately, separated by ;.
+    // this function returns the value of the named pair, or null
+    // if it found nothing.
+    function GetNamedParam(params, name) {
+      if (debug)
+        dump("GetNamedParam looking for '" + name + "' in '" + params + "'\n");
+      var re = new RegExp(name+" *=([^&;]+)");
+      var match = re(params);
+      if (match) {
+        if (debug)
+          dump("  matched regexp. found '" + match[1] + "'\n");
+        return unescape(match[1]);
+      }
+      return null;
+    }
+
+    function DumpWindow() {
+      dump("**********************************************\n");
+      for (prop in window)
+        dump(prop + "\n");
+      dump("----------------------------------------------\n");
+    }
+    ]]>
+  </html:script>
+
+  <html:table>
+    <html:tr>
+      <html:td html:id="prompt">Give me your money</html:td>
+    </html:tr>
+    <html:tr>
+      <html:td>
+        <!-- note the html namespace on the id attribute, which
+             seems at this time to be required by getAttribute() -->
+        <html:input type="checkbox" html:id="remind"/>Remind me
+      </html:td>
+    </html:tr>
+    <html:tr>
+      <html:td>
+        <html:button onclick="DoOK()">OK</html:button>
+      </html:td>
+    </html:tr>
+    <html:tr>
+      <html:td>
+        <html:button onclick="SetFromURL()">Startup from URL</html:button>
+      </html:td>
+    </html:tr>
+    <html:tr>
+      <html:td>
+        <html:button onclick="SetFromParams()">Startup from Params</html:button>
+      </html:td>
+    </html:tr>
+    <html:tr>
+      <html:td>
+        <html:button onclick="DumpWindow()">Dump Window</html:button>
+      </html:td>
+    </html:tr>
+  </html:table>
+
+</xul:window>
diff --git a/xpfe/browser/samples/dexparammaster.xul b/xpfe/browser/samples/dexparammaster.xul
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..3e5ae2ce81a4
--- /dev/null
+++ b/xpfe/browser/samples/dexparammaster.xul
@@ -0,0 +1,96 @@
+<?xml version="1.0"?>
+<?xml-stylesheet href="xul.css" type="text/css"?>
+<!DOCTYPE window>
+<!-- Simple sample interface for bringing up a nonmodal dialog -->
+<xul:window
+    xmlns:html="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"
+    xmlns:xul ="http://www.mozilla.org/keymaster/gatekeeper/there.is.only.xul"
+    title = "Dialog creation sample">
+
+  <html:script>
+    <![CDATA[
+    var dialogWindow = null;
+
+    // show a nonmodal dialog, sending parameters as part of the URL
+    function MakeURLDialog() {
+      var newWin = window.open("resource://res/samples/dexparamdialog.xul?remind=true;prompt=Give me your money and convertible bonds", "New");
+      return newWin;
+    }
+
+    // show a nonmodal dialog, sending parameters as part of the function call
+    function MakeParamDialog() {
+      var newWin = window.openDialog("resource://res/samples/dexparamdialog.xul",
+        "New", "chrome", {remind:true, prompt:"Give me your money and convertible bonds"});
+      return newWin;
+    }
+
+    // show a modal dialog (requires toolkit core for now)
+    function ModalDialog() {
+      var toolkitCore = GetToolkitCore();
+      if (toolkitCore)
+        toolkitCore.ShowModalDialog("resource://res/samples/dexparamdialog.xul",
+            window);
+    }
+
+    // find and load the toolkit core
+    function GetToolkitCore() {
+      var toolkitCore = XPAppCoresManager.Find("ToolkitCore");
+      if (!toolkitCore) {
+        toolkitCore = new ToolkitCore();
+        if (toolkitCore)
+          toolkitCore.Init("ToolkitCore");
+      }
+      return toolkitCore;
+    }
+
+    // dump the contents of a JS object
+    function Regurgitate(what, explain) {
+      dump("***regurgitating " + explain + ": " + what + "\n");
+      for (prop in what) {
+        dump("  property '" + prop + "' = '" + what[prop] + "'\n");
+        var subarg = what[prop];
+        dump("    length "+subarg.length+"\n");
+        for (subprop in subarg)
+          dump("    subarg property '"+subprop+"' = '"+subarg[subprop]+"'\n");
+      }
+      dump("regurgitated.\n");
+    }
+
+    // just list the properties of a JS object
+    function ListProperties(what) {
+      dump("**********************************************\n");
+      for (prop in what)
+        dump(prop + "\n");
+      dump("----------------------------------------------\n");
+    }
+
+    // display a bunch of possibly interesting properties of the last
+    // dialog window we saw
+    function DumpLastDialog() {
+      ListProperties(dialogWindow);
+      Regurgitate(dialogWindow.arguments, "sent arguments");
+      Regurgitate(dialogWindow.returnArguments, "returned arguments");
+    }
+    ]]>
+  </html:script>
+
+  <xul:toolbox> 
+    <xul:toolbar>
+      <!-- insert the next line should the bug where buttons don't show up
+           without an image specified ever return -->
+      <!-- src="resource:/res/toolbar/TB_Stop.gif" align="bottom" -->
+      <xul:titledbutton
+         value="URL Dialog" onclick="dialogWindow=MakeURLDialog()"
+         style="background-color:rgb(192,192,192);"/>
+      <xul:titledbutton
+         value="Param Dialog" onclick="dialogWindow=MakeParamDialog()"
+         style="background-color:rgb(192,192,192);"/>
+      <xul:titledbutton
+         value="Modal Dialog" onclick="ModalDialog()"
+         style="background-color:rgb(192,192,192);"/>
+      <xul:titledbutton
+         value="Dump Window" onclick="DumpLastDialog()"
+         style="background-color:rgb(192,192,192);"/>
+    </xul:toolbar>
+  </xul:toolbox>
+</xul:window>
diff --git a/xpfe/browser/samples/makefile.win b/xpfe/browser/samples/makefile.win
index e18463574a95..03c90b306869 100644
--- a/xpfe/browser/samples/makefile.win
+++ b/xpfe/browser/samples/makefile.win
@@ -22,13 +22,17 @@ DIRS=sampleimages
 include <$(DEPTH)\config\rules.mak>
 
 install:: $(DLL)
-	$(MAKE_INSTALL) dexsimplemaster.xul $(DIST)\bin\res\samples
-	$(MAKE_INSTALL) dexsimpledialog.xul $(DIST)\bin\res\samples
 	$(MAKE_INSTALL) dexanimmaster.xul $(DIST)\bin\res\samples
 	$(MAKE_INSTALL) dexanimdialog.xul $(DIST)\bin\res\samples
+	$(MAKE_INSTALL) dexparammaster.xul $(DIST)\bin\res\samples
+	$(MAKE_INSTALL) dexparamdialog.xul $(DIST)\bin\res\samples
+	$(MAKE_INSTALL) dexsimplemaster.xul $(DIST)\bin\res\samples
+	$(MAKE_INSTALL) dexsimpledialog.xul $(DIST)\bin\res\samples
 
 clobber::
-	rm -f $(DIST)\res\samples\dexsimplemaster.xul
-	rm -f $(DIST)\res\samples\dexsimpledialog.xul
 	rm -f $(DIST)\res\samples\dexanimmaster.xul
 	rm -f $(DIST)\res\samples\dexanimdialog.xul
+	rm -f $(DIST)\res\samples\dexparammaster.xul
+	rm -f $(DIST)\res\samples\dexparamdialog.xul
+	rm -f $(DIST)\res\samples\dexsimplemaster.xul
+	rm -f $(DIST)\res\samples\dexsimpledialog.xul