Google Contacts 0.6.34

Google Contacts 0.6.34 is now available. It is the latest stable version. Changes from v0.6.33 are as follows:

• [Fixed] Thunderbird freezes when a lot of contacts are retrieved
• [Changed] Remove "Maximum number of contacts" option. You don't need to specify the number any more.
• [Added] Add hidden options to option dialog. See experimental tab in the dialog.
• [Changed] Change layout of option dialog
• [Fixed] If it fails to retrieve a photo, it also fails to get rests
• [Fixed] Fail to synchronize soon after installation
• [Fixed] Warning about CSS is outputted to the error console
• [Changed] Backup of Thunderbird address books are saved as *.mab file
• [Fixed] A file which is not the oldest will be overwritten when the number of backup files exceeds a limit.
• [Fixed] Wrong number of backup files show in option dialog
• [Added] Working directories are removed when Google Contacts is uninstalled
• [Added] Support the department field
• [Fixed] Duplicated contact is added when editing a card after adding it
• [Fixed] Unnecessary updates will be recorded when a list is removed with Batch mode
• [Changed] Change protocol for communicating with Google's server from http to https
• [Fixed] Ctrl-k does not work
• [Fixed] Batch mode does not work if "Load contacts at startup" option is diabled
• [Changed] Check formats of photos. A file other than jpeg, gif and png are ignored
• [Fixed] Improve performance of retrieving photos
• [Fixed] Improve performance of rebuilding cards and lists
• [Fixed] Some photos are not retrieved fully
• [Fixed] Thunderbird crashed while retrieving photos
• [Fixed] If a photos is remove at Google side, it is not reflected to Thunderbird
• [Fixed] A suffix added in order to avoid conflict of list names will be duplicated such as My Contacts:1:1
• [Added] Support birthday without birth year
• [Fixed] If only birthday is changed at Thunderbird, it is not submitted to Google
• [Fixed] Removing a contact from a list by right-click menu is not submitted to Google
• [Fixed] Changing a list name is not submitted to Google
• [Fixed] Adding a card to a list is not submitted to Google
• [Fixed] Modifications of cards and lists are not recorded with Batch mode after synchronization

It includes many fixes and enhancements. I recommend all user to update.

Google Contacts 0.6.34b9

9th beta of Google Contacts 0.6.34 (v0.6.34b9) is now available. It fixes the following problems:

• [Changed] Check photos formats (only jpeg/gif/png are supported)
• [Changed] Change default number of contacts retrieved at one request to 30
• [Changed] Retrieve only updated photos
• [Changed] Improve performance of rebuild address books
• [Fixed]Thunderbird will crash by retrieving photos

If there is no fatal problems, stable version of 0.6.34 will be available soon.

Google Contacts 0.6.34b8

8th beta of Google Contacts 0.6.34 (v0.6.34b8) is now available. It fixes the following problems:

• [Fixed] Duplicated contacts are created when you add card and then edit it
• [Fixed] Unnecessary updates will be run when deleting mail lists
• [Changed] Change protocol from http to https
• [Fixed] Ctrl-k does not work
• [Fixed] Changes of cards and mail lists are ignored if "Load contacts at startup" option is disabled with batch mode

Priority Switcher 0.6.10/0.6.11

Priority Switcher 0.6.10 and 0.6.11 are now available for download. v0.6.11 fixes a bug under pl-PL language setting and others are the same as v0.6.10.

v0.6.11

• [Fixed] Cannot open option dialog with pl-PL locale

v0.6.10

• [Fixed] "Commit" does not work on IMAP (but some IMAP servers are not supported including Gmail IMAP)
• [Fixed] Order of header entries will be changed by comitting
• [Fixed] Some header entries will be disappeared by committing
• [Fixed] "Reset" does not work
• [Fixed] Sorting by priority will be canceled when folder selection is changed
• [Fixed] "Commit automatically" option does not work for changing priority by clicking an icon in a thread pane
• [Added] Locale update
• [Added] Priority list in a message composition window is always set to normal when re-editing a draft message (it is a workaround for possibly Thunderbird's bug)

Priority Switcher 0.6.10b3

Priority Switcher 0.6.10b3 is now available. It fixes the following problem:

• Fixed: "Commit automatically" option does not work when priority is changed by clicking a thread pane icon
• Fixed: Thread tree will be broken by comitting
• Changed: Commit on Gmail IMAP is not supported

Priority Switcher 0.6.10b2

Priority Switcher 0.6.10b2 is now available. It fixes the following problem:

• Fixed: sorting by priority is canceled when another folder is selected

All changes planed for v0.6.10 have been implemented. I'm going to release stable version soon if there is no serious problem in the beta.

Priority Switcher 0.6.10b1

The first beta for Priority Switcher (v0.6.10b1) is now available. It fixes the following problems:

• Fixed: remove eval() functions
• Fixed: cannot "commit" on IMAP; "commit" is a function to rewrite a header of a message
• Fixed: order of headers will be changed by commit
• Fixed: reset is not work

Committing on IMAP issue has been reported by many users long before, but I could not fix it since it seemed it depended on your IMAP server. I've tested it on Gmail IMAP but I don't know whether it works for other servers or not. Please test it on your IMAP and let me know if it is not fixed completely.

Tag Toolbar 0.8.30b4

Tag Toolbar 0.8.30b4 is now available. It includes the following new features:

• Always show small icon in Tag Toolbar:
    If the it is enabled all toolbar icons in Tag Toolbar are shown with small icons regardless the original toolbar's setting. It is enabled by default.
• Hide tags row in header view:
    When you show Tag Toolbar with text mode, it is redundant to displaying tags both Tag Toolbar and message header view. This option hide tags row in the header view even if tags are added to a selected message like the following image. It is disabled by default.
  
  
  

The features can be enabled/disabled in the option dialog. See the image below:

This beta also includes a bug fix which was reported by Marco:

• [Fixed] Cannot add tags to sent message on IMAP:
    It would happen when saving a sent message takes some time. So, it would occur if you store profile into network drive, too. Thanks, Marco!

Beta test for Tag Toolbar 0.8.30 has started

I've started beta testing for Tag Toolbar 0.8.30. v0.8.30b3 is the latest so far. The beta includes the following new features which have been requested many users.

• Sharing tags:
     Embed tags information within a mail header and send it to recipients. If they fulfill the following conditions, the tags will be reproduced at recipients sides:
  
  • Recipients have the same tags as you
  • Recipients have installed Tag Toolbar 0.8.30
  To use the function, select tags you want to share and click "Clip" icon in Tag Toolbar in a message composing window (see the image below):
  
  
    If tags are selected but the icon is not clicked, the tags are added only to a message in your sent folder; it is a function previous versions have. In the case, tags information does not embedded.
    Tag Toolbar's tag import function is useful to share your tags setting with others. Please try it too.

• Reproducing original tags on replying, forwarding:
    When you reply or forward a message, tags attached the original message are selected in a message composing window automatically. It is enabled by default. If you don't need the function, open Tag Toolbar's option and uncheck the "Reproduce tags attached to original message" option.
  
  

• Tag category button:
     It is a toolbar button to add tags via category. It is a request from users who need Tag Toolbar's category only. The button is not added to toolbar by default. Customize your toolbar and put the icon below:
  
  

I'm glad if I could hear your thoughts about these features. If you have comments or suggestions for Tag Toolbar, please feel free to post here.

Tag Toolbar 0.8.21

Tag Toolbar 0.8.21 is now available for download. It is a bug fix release. I recommend all users to update.

• Fixed: labels are always displayed beside icons regardless toolbar setting
• Fixed: cannot click an arrow icon on compose window when tags overflow
• Fixed: cannot tag sent message on IMAP
• Update: locale update

Google Contacts 0.6.34b7

Google Contacts 0.6.34b7 is now available.

• Fixed: cannot reload photos if "Reload in parallel" option is enabled

Google Contacts 0.6.34b6

Google Contacts 0.6.34b6 is now available. Changes in the beta are the following:

• Fixed: default number of backups is differ between option dialog and code
• Added: synchronize Department field
• Changes: default value of "Maximum number of contacts in each responses" is changed to 100
• Changes: Reload in parallel option is enabled by default

Validating Google Contacts Data

Google Contacts will fail to retrieve contacts from Google server if it contains invalid contacts. It is very difficult to find out such contacts from a lot of contacts.

So, I've created a simple validating tool for contacts data. If you cannot retrieve contacts from Google server, please try it by following steps below:

1. Download and install the tool
2. Add "Verify XML" button to a toolbar
3. Open ConfigEditor and create boolean preference "gmcont.dump_raw_xml" and set it true
4. Reload contacts by Google Contacts
5. Click "Verify XML" button
6. Click "Choose" button in the opened form
7. Select
   
   • GoogleContacts/[email address]/contacts/[date] directory for contacts
   • GoogleContacts/[email address]/groups/[date] for groups
   * [date] directory does not exist v0.6.33 and before
   
8. Click OK
9. Invalid contacts will be listed. Confirm their values at Gmail etc. You can see raw data (XML) by clicking "View source" button with selecting a contacts.

Google Contacts beta test progress

Now 5th beta build v0.6.34b5 is available. The following is change log:

v0.6.34b5

• [Changed] copy .mab file for TB address book backup
• [Changed] remove working directory on uninstalling Google Contacts
• [Changed] remove Backup tab in option dialog and move backup option into General tab

v0.6.34b4

• [Added] "Ignore invalid contacts" is added to Experimental tab

v0.6.34b3

• [Fixed] cannot synchronize on brand new profile

v0.6.34b2

• [Added] add Experimental tab to the option dialog and put hidden and put experimental options here

If you cannot retrieve contacts, please try the followings:

• See the Experimental tab and reduce "Maximum number of contacts in each responses" such as 100 if you synchronize a lot of contacts. If it solves the problem, please let me know the value you specified. I'll consider the value for determining default.
• See the Experimental tab and enable "Ignore invalid contacts" option. If it solves the problem, your data includes invalid contacts. Find contacts not appear in TB address book and confirm their values.

Google Contacts 0.6.34b1

New beta testing for Google Contacts has started. v0.6.34b1 is now available.

The main goal of v0.6.34 is to address a limitation for number of contacts to be synchronized. The limitation depends on your contacts data; if the size of your raw data sent from Google exceeds the limitation of JavaScript's String object length, it fails to synchronize.

This version may little bit slower than the previous releases but it has ability to retrieve a lot of contacts.

Please test the beta with care.

Check and Send 0.9.21

Check and Send 0.9.21 is now available for download. It fixes a problem in recipient name removing, which was reported here.

I recommend all users who use the function.

Google Contacts 0.6.33

Google Contacts 0.6.33 is now available for download. One of main changes in this version is a synchronization of phonetic first/last names (yomi in Japanese), which is an important feature for Japanese users. See the images below for the synchronization. (the phonetic name fields may not appear in you language settings)

v0.6.33 also has a function to uniquify user mail lists by adding suffix, which has already worked for system groups. It will solve the problem in synchronizing Android contacts, which is reported many users. But, since I don't have an Android phone, it is not fully tested. Please let me know, if you find problems.

Other changes in this version, refer to the post I wrote for beta test announcement.


Phonetic name fields in Thunderbird



Phonetic name fields in Gmail

Tag Toolbar 0.8.20

Tag Toolbar 0.8.20 is now available for download. It newly has a tag import function. See the post for the detail.

I think it is useful for cases such as recovering tags from a backup, sharing tags other people, etc.

Have fun!

Maximize Message Pane 1.1.11

Maximize Message Pane 1.1.11 is now available for download. It fixes the following bug:

• Fixed: cannot maximize the message pane on vertical layout
  

Google Contacts 0.6.33b4

Google Contacts 0.6.33b4 is now available for download. It fixes a problem of group synchronization with batch mode.

Importing tags in other profiles

Tag Toolbar 0.8.20b1 is now available for testing. It includes new functionality to import tags, which is requested some users.

"Import" tab is added to the option dialog. You can import tags in another profile from here. Other profiles which can be found by the add-on are listed in the Profile list. Choose a profile and click Import button. You can also specify prefs.js manually if a profile you want to import is not found. Plus, you can import Tag Toolbar categories, too.

If no error is found in several days, I'll release it as a stable version. Please let me know, if you find problems.

Beta test for Google Contacts 0.6.33

Beta test for Google Contacts 0.6.33 has started and v0.6.33b2 is now available. It includes the following changes:

• Fixed: progress bar does not stop when connection error is occurred
  
• Fixed: cannot read postal address if postal address conversion is disabled
• Fixed: adjust group mapping setting dialog size
  
• Fixed: group names in the group mapping option are collapsed when a scroll bar appears
• Fixed: cannot modify system groups in batch mode
• Fixed: cannot change list name in interactive mode
  
• Added: sync first and last names
  
• Added: sync phonetic first and last names (yomi)
  
• Changed: add suffix to a list name if it conflicts with another list
• Changed: remove Derive first and last name from display name option

Before talking about Tag Toolbar ...

I've recently asked Tag Toolbar many times but some users misunderstood with the Quick filter. Quick filter is a functionality of Thunderbird. It is just a filter and cannot add/remove tags. These are similar but different.

Quick filter



Tag Toolbar (below the toolbar buttons)

Get before Send 0.8

Get before Send 0.8 is now available for download. It is the first stable version for Thunderbird 3. Thank you for your testing.

Maximize Message Pane 1.1.10

Maximize Message Pane 1.1.10 is now available for download. It is a bug fix release. It fixes the following problems:

• Fixed: default settings for maximizing by header view is wrong
• Fixed: header view toolbar buttons are wrong style
• Fixed: menuseparator in folder pane context menu is wrong

These fixes are not serious but I recommend all TB3 users to update.

Maximize Message Pane 1.1.00

Maximize Message Pane 1.1.00 is now available for download. It is the first stable version for Thunderbird 3. If you use beta one, please update.

Maximize Message Pane 1.1.00b7

Maximize Message Pane 1.1.00b7 is now available for download. I'm sorry to have kept you waiting for a release version. This will be the last beta for v1.1.00. So, if you find a problem, please let me know as soon as possible.

Changes in v1.1.00b7:

• Fixed: rewrite code to obey an AMO's guideline
• Added: add buttons to a header view
• Fixed: maximization is restored when folder selection is changed regardless the option
• Fixed: remove "Search Box" from the option dialog
• Fixed: cannot close option dialog [UPDATE] It seems not to be fixed completely
  

Google Contacts 0.6.32

I've released Google Contacts 0.6.32. It includes many bug fixes and new functions. I recommend you to update if you use v0.6.xx.

Change log:

• Added: sync birthday fields
• Added: sync nickname
• Added: option to derive first and last names from display name
• Added: sync web page fields
• Added: sync custom fields
• Added: sync contacts photos (read only)
• Added: support Thunderbird3.1
• Fixed: cannot copy/move cards from a Google account to another account
• Fixed: a message pops up when sending a email
• Fixed: failed to sync a card which was modified several times
• Fixed: "mail list already exists" error is shown for system groups
• Fixed: cannot add a card on batch mode
• Fixed: cannot modify mail list on batch mode
• Fixed: deleting items in Google is ignored in Thunderbird
• Fixed: cannot remove primary email in Thunderbird
• Fixed: Primary Email will become same as Secondary Email when Primary is removed
• Fixed: gmcont.XXX.org_name in prefs.js will increase infinitely
• Fixed: exception will be thrown when a profile is shared among different OSs
• Fixed: Batch mode and backup function do not work with Portable Thunderbird
• Fixed: cannot save password if password is changed

Check and Send 0.9.20

I've uploaded Check and Send 0.9.20. It fixes the following problems:

• Fixed: "Ignore the occurrences in quoted text" option does not work
• Fixed: Support Thunderbird 3.1
• Fixed: Change homepage URL
• Added: cs locale
  

Photo sync (Google Contacts 0.6.30b3)

I've uploaded new Google Contacts beta (v0.6.30b3). It newly has a contact photo sync functionality. The sync is "one way" sync so far: load photos from Google but not update changes at Thunderbird. Loading photos may take many times, so it is disabled by default. If you want to load photos whenever you sync, enable "Always reload contact photos" option in the option dialog. If you want to load photos only when you need, invoke "Reload Contact Photos" menu in the drop down menu of the toolbar button in the address book window (see the image).

It also include fixes for batch mode sync.

Working on "Maillist already exists" issue

I've addressed the mail lists conflict issue, which is reported by many users, in Google Contacts 0.6.30b2. I believe this fixes the problem. Please try it.

Birthday sync and more (Google Contacts 0.6.30b1)

I've uploaded Google Contacts 0.6.30b1. It uses Google Contacts API v3.0, which enables GC to synchronize more fields. In GC v0.6.30b1, Birthday field, Nickname field, Web Page fields and Custom 1 - 4 fields are newly supported.

Custom fields in TB are mapped into the ones in Google with the labels Custom1 - 4. Don't modify the labels in Google otherwise they cannot be sync.

Summary of the changes in v0.6.30b1 are the following:
[Added]

• Birthday field sync
• Nickname field sync
• Web Page fields sync
• Custom fields sync
• Option to derive First Name and Last Name from Display Name; it is done by Google server and the correctness depends on Google.

[Fixed]

• Cannot copy/move cards from an Google account to another Google account
• "Reload before sync" message pops up when sending a message
• Fail to sync if a card is modified several times

This version includes many changes due to the upgrade of API. Please test and use it carefully. And please let me know if you find any problems or have suggestions.

Google Contacts 0.6.20

Google Contacts 0.6.20 is now available for download. It fixes the following bugs:

• Fixed: duplicated groups will be created when a mail list is updated
• Fixed: remove cs-CZ locale due to XUL error
• Fixed: change web site URL

It includes fixes of critical bugs. I strongly recommend all user to update.

New Server

Now my web site is moved to new server since the server used before stopped its service suddenly.

The new URL is
http://hogi.sakura.ne.jp/en/

Sorry for the server down and inconvenience.

Update Google Contacts / Tag Toolbar / Maximize Message Pane beta

I've updated Google Contacts, Tag Toolbar, and Maximize Message Pane beta. Google Contacts fixes the problem which shows the following error message when opening option with Italian language setting:

"Interpretion error XML: non well-formed
Indirizzo: chrome://gmcont/content/settings.xul
Linea numero 126, colonna 5: <checkbox id="GCAddrConvDelimiterBROpt" label="&gmcont_set.af_delim_br;" checked="false"
--------------------------------^"

• Google Contacts v0.6.10
  
  • Fixed: cannot open option dialog with it-IT locale
  • Fixed: icon beside text setting does not work for address book window
  • Fixed: address book conversion option UI does not work
  • Changed: hide system groups for Google Apps account
• Tag Toolbar v0.8.12
  
  • Fixed: tag toolbar is not hidden in Lightning and search result tab
  • Fixed: Tag Toolbar's access keys collide with Lightning's Alt-1,2,3,4 shortcut keys
  • Fixed: icon beside text setting does not work for a message compose window
  • Fixed: cannot hide tag toolbar
• Maximize Message Pane 1.1.00b5
  
  • Fixed: attachment view is always collapsed regardless the option

The extensions above have not been reviewed by AMO editor yet and only available at my homepage so far. Please download them from here or wait for the review and update notification.

Stable versions for Thunderbird3 are released

I've released stable versions of Check and Send, Tag Toolbar, Priority Switcher, and Google Contacts. Thank you for your contribution for the compatibility testing.

These are not available at AMO yet. Please download them from my homepage.

[Update] The extensions passed AMO editors' reviews.

First alpha of Get before Send for Thunderbird3

Get before Send 0.8a1 is now available for download. It is the first alpha for Thunderbird3. Please join the testing!

And please keep tracking the Thunderbird3 Compatibility Testing Thread for the progress.