Thunderbird Tips: adding many tags

Tag Toolbar acelerates use of tags in Thunderbird. However, there is one precaution for adding many tags to a message. Attached tags are stored in X-Mozilla-Keys header and a summary file whose file extension is *.msf. The most important fact is the length of the header is limited to 80 bytes. If the sum of lengths of attached tag keys exceeds the limit, overflowed tag keys are stored only in the summary file. Namely, the overlowed tags will disappear if you remove or rebuild the file. For example, if you rebuild a summary file by clicking "Rebuild Index" button in Folder Properties form, overflowed tags in the folder are all gone.

In order to avoid the issue, I suggest two tips. One tip is to make tags whose keys are short. If you create a tag named "long long tag name", its key will be "long_long_tag_name". It costs 18 bytes. If you create a tag named "a" and rename it to "long long tag name", its key is still "a" in spite of its long name. You can save 17 bytes by the latter way.

Another tip is to compact folders. If you compact folders by File->Compact Folders etc., mail data is reconstructed. During the reconstruction, the X-Mozilla-Keys is also reconstructed and all tags are stored in it, exceed the 80 bytes limit. Once all tags are stored in the header, it is OK to remove/rebuild the summary file. However, there is one note for it. The reconstruction will be conducted on the folders in which the messages are removed or moved.

I'm glad you could enjoy tagging messages with these tips and Tag Toolbar.

Tag Toolbar 0.7.00b1

New features are added to Tag Toolbar beta. In this version, you can add/remove all tags in the category you open at once. If you use Tag Toolbar in Text or Color mode, + and - buttons appears in the toolbar. If you use it in Category mode, two new menus are added in a category.

You can download it from my web site.
Please let me hear your comments.

Check and Send 0.8.00b1

Beta test for Check and Send 0.8 has started. In the build 0.8.00b1, the following functionalities are added:

1. You can set up to confirm if the keyword you specified don't appear in a message (available in both word and attachment check)
2. You can check only subject of a message (available in both word and attachment check)
3. You can check file extension of an attachment

See the screenshot of the option dialog too.

This build is early beta and experimental. Some functionalities may be removed in future update. If you find any problems or have requests/comments, please feel free to tell me.

Maximize Message Pane 1.0.00b1

MMP is designed to work on default Thunderbird: no extension and default theme. So, it will not work if an extension which changes layout of Thunderbird. In this version, I've added new hidden option to solve this issue. Note that this option is added for advanced users who can customize Thunderbird.

You can use this option by the following steps:

1. download MMP1.0.00b1 and install it
   
2. find out IDs of XUL elements you want to collapse by DOM Inspector etc.
3. open Config Editor
4. create new string pref: maxmsgpane.usr_idlist
5. set the IDs to its value (multiple IDs are set by using "," as separator)
   
6. restart Thunderbird

For example, if you want to collapse the status bar, set status-bar as the pref's value.

This option is experimental. It may be removed in future release.

Eudora 8.0.0b2 has tabs!

Eudora 8.0.0b2 is now available for download. It is based on the latest trunk of Thunderbird; it is considered as Thunderbird3.0a1 + Penelope extension version 0.1a22. So, it has tabs since Thunderbird3.0a1 has tabs. The tab is different from one I posted before. I think the Thunderbird3.0/Eudora way is superior to that.

You must note that it is beta and Thunderbird on which it is based is alpha yet. You should use it at your own risk. However, I think it is worth trying for all tab addicts.

How do you install add-ons to Thunderbird?

I am sometimes asked that I could make an extension to install add-ons to Thunderbird easily. AMO says you should download an add-on to your hard disk then install it by the form from Tools->Add-ons menu. Many users may think it is annoying. So, I suggest you a better way.

It is very easy way. Firstly, open a web page in which a link for an add-on you want to install exists by Firefox and open the Thunderbird's add-ons form from Tools->Add-ons. Then, drag and drop the link to the add-ons form. You don't need to download the add-on to your hard disk. I think it is less annoying than the way AMO says.

I tested it on Windows XP. I don't know whether it works or not on other OS.
Anyway, AMO seems to know the issue and work to improve it. Think it as a workaround.

Tip for installing extensions to Seamonkey

"Get before Send" and "Check and Send" are Seamonkey compatible. So, you can install them to not only Thnderbird but also Seamonkey. You can download Seamonkey compatible builds from my homepage.

However, there is a problem when you install to Seamonkey; You may see xul error after the install. It depends on how you installed Seamonkey. If you installed Seamonkey by Windows installer, the error may appear; by zip is OK. The bug have been filed as Bug 396908.

If you see the error after you install my extension to Seamonkey, uninstall Seamonkey and install it again by zip archive.

Priority Switcher 0.4.40 is released

Priority Switcher 0.4.40 has been approved by AMO.
A bug in the privious version is fixed.
Please update if you use v0.4.30.

Download

Check and Send 0.7.40 is released

I've update Check and Send.
Thank you for your contributions for the beta test.

This version includes the following update:

• add "Select All" and "Clear Selection" buttons to the alert dialog of address check
• bug fix: check for a list contain accentuated characters in its name does not work
• update for locales: English, Japanese, Italian, French, German, Dutch, Slovak are available now

You can download it from AMO.
If you are Seamonkey user, download it from my homepage.

Please feel free to post your comments and questions here.

Priority Switcher 0.4.30 is released

I've updated Priority Switcher.
This version includes the following update:

• add new locales: Italian, French, Dutch, Korean, Polish

You can download it from AMO.
If you are new to the extension, visit the link above and read the description.
Please feel free to post here if you have any questions.