Removing duplicated contacts

Unfortunately, Google Contacts is not stable enough yet and sometimes creates many duplicates. As a workaround for the issue, I've added a function to remove duplicates. Please note it is an experimental function. Try Google's one first and then, if Google cannot remove them, try Google Contacts.

The function checks primary email, second email and display name. If all of them are the same among some contacts, they are recognized as duplicates and removed. It is available in v0.6.40b4. Again, please try it carefully.

Invoke the function from drop down menu of toolbar icon

Google Contact 0.6.39 and 0.6.40beta

New Google Contacts are available: v0.6.39 and v0.6.40beta. As I posted before, Google Contacts has a problem in photo sync. So, I decided to release v0.6.39 before finishing work for freezing problem. It will be addressed in v0.6.40.

Unfortunately, after I released v0.6.39, a bug was found in a group sync; it was reported by some users as Ticket-80 in Issue Tracking System. It was fixed in v0.6.40b1 and later. But v0.6.40 includes modifications for the performance issue and need more test. So, please use it carefully if you use v0.6.40beta and please let me know if you find a problem.

Sorry for the inconvenience.

Photo sync problem with Thunderbird 7

Google Contacts fails to retrieve photos from Google.The Error Console shows the following message:

Error: document.getElementById("PhotoType") is null

This bug is fixed in v0.6.39b3.

Download: http://hogi.sakura.ne.jp/en/downloadcgi.rhtml?gmcont

Google Contacts 0.6.39b2

The second beta of v0.6.39 is available. It will lower memory usage a little. Please try it and please let me if it improves the performance or not. Thanks!

Check and Send 0.9.24

Check and Send 0.9.24 is now available for download. It is a bug fix version. All Thunderbird 7 users need to update.

• Fixed: address books are not listed in the address checking option

Freezing problem of Google Contacts

I've received many reports about freezing of Google Contacts. But it is very hard to find a problem and fix it because I don't have huge amount of contacts as you have. I've tried to go one step forward this issue in v0.6.39 and the first beta is available now.

Please try it and let me know the result.

Download: http://hogi.sakura.ne.jp/en/downloadcgi.rhtml?gmcont

Google Contacts 0.6.38

Current Google Contacts has a problem in group synchronization. It create duplicated cards in a mail list. v0.6.38 fixes the issue. Please update as soon as possible.

v0.6.38 is waiting for a review by AMO editor. So, it takes some time to receive update notification. Please download it from my homepage.

Download: http://hogi.sakura.ne.jp/en/index.rhtml

Format Column 0.1.11

Format Column now supports smart playlist. You can use Format for conditions.

Setting Format for smart playlist

Compatibility with Thunderbird 7

Thunderbird 7 will be released today. Check and Send and Google Contacts had a problem with Thunderbird 7 but Check and Send 0.9.23 and Google Contacts 0.6.37 fix the issue. Check and Send 0.9.23 has been reviewed by an AMO editor and available now. Google Contacts 0.6.37 is waiting for a review. It will be available soon in AMO. If the review is not finished by the time Thunderbird 7 is released, please download it from my homepage.

Other extensions will work with Thunderbird 7 without updating except for Evernote tab. You need to download Evernote tab 0.1.14 from here since Evernote tab is not hosted in AMO. Evernote tab 0.1.14 is the same as 0.1.13; it only changes supported version of Thunderbird.

Updating Format Column extension

I've updated Format Column extension for Songbird: v0.1.10. Now you can set "Format" for a filter of the filter pane view.

Setting up a filter is little bit tricky. You need to do "Tools->Format Column->Set Format Filter" menu command. And then select a position where you want to set the format filter. Please note you cannot set it by the context menu of the filter. I know it should be done by the context menu but, because I'm new to create a Songbird add-on, I don't know how to add entry to the menu. Does anyone know the way? If you know, please teach me!

Setting Format filter

Selecting position of a Format filter

My first Songbird extension: Format Column

I use Songbird on my laptop PC. It is very good product for me since it does not need background processes rather than iTunes. But I sometime feel a little inconvenience. I want to see a file type of a media for some reasons, such as ordering library contents, but I can't.

Maybe it is not common for other Songbird users and Songbird team does not add it. But, fortunately, it is a Mozilla based product. I can realize it by making an extension as I do for Thunderbird. So, I've created it. My Songbird becomes more convenient!

If someone needs it too, please feel free to use it. You can download it from the following.
http://hogi.sakura.ne.jp/hiki/?SongbirdExtensions

Please note it just shows a file extension of a media file. So, you cannot recognize whether it is AAC or Apple Lossless since their extension are the same: M4A.

Extension updates

New stable versions of my extensions are available: Google Contacts 0.6.37, Check and Send 0.9.23, and Tag Toolbar 0.8.35. The main aim of the updates is to fix compatibility with forthcoming Thunderbird 7.

• Google Contacts 0.6.37
• Fixed: cannot work with Thunderbird 7
• Fixed: duplicated pseudo addresses are created
• Fixed: fail to retrieve phone numbers and postal address fields
• Added: option to select postal address filed synchronized with second address field of Thunderbird
• Added: Tools - Open Google Contacts Web menu, which open Google Contacts web with stand alone mode
• Check and Send 0.9.23
• Fixed: cannot work with Thunderbird 7
• Tag Toolbar 0.8.35
• Fixed: cannot set "Maximize number of toolbars" option to 0 (infinite)

Google Contacts 0.6.37b2

New beta for Google Contacts is now available: v0.6.37b2. It mainly fixes compatibility with Thunderbird 7. Please test it with Thunderbird 7 to release it in time.

• Fixed: cannot work with Thunderbird 7
• Fixed: same pseudo email addresses are created
• Fixed: fail to synchronize phone numbers if custom labelled one exists
• Added: add option to choose a use of the second address field
• You can choose one of the followings: "---" (not use), "P.O. Box", "Neighborhood".

Finishing Thunderbird 5 compatibility testing

Now stable versions which support Thunderbird 5 are available. They are submitted to AMO and waiting for reviewing. They are also available at my homepage.

Following versions support Thunderbird 5:

• Check and Send 0.9.22
• Get before Send 0.8.10
• Maximize Message Pane 1.1.12
• Priority Switcher 0.6.13
• Tag Toolbar 0.8.33
• New Tab Button 0.1.24
• Google Contacts 0.6.36
• Evernote Tab 0.1.12

Little changes in Issue Tracking System

 Issue Tracking System, where bug reports and requests are managed, has received many spams and its spam filter sometimes wrongly rejects your post. It's very troublesome work to find out your post from many spam logs and recover it.

In order to reduce spams in the log, now Issue Tracking System has a "Spam Check" field. By default, "I'm a spammer" is checked. Please uncheck "I'm a spammer" and check "I'm not a spammer". And then submit you post. Otherwise, your post is rejected and not recorded into the filter log; namely, I cannot recover your post.

Thank you for your patience.

Progress of beta testing for Thunderbird 5

New betas of the following extensions are available.

• Google Contacts 0.6.36b6
• Fixed: postal address will disappear if it is not structured
• Fixed: cannot sign up if gmail account start with recent:
• Tag Toolbar  0.8.33b3
• Fixed: context menu of tag toolbar becomes transparent on Windows7
• Fixed: cannot work with CopySent2Current extension
• New Tab Button 0.1.24b3
• Fixed: text area in status bar disappears if New Tab Button is installed

Tag Toolbar 0.8.33b2

Tag Toolbar 0.8.33b2 is now available. It fixes a problem with CopySent2Current extension.

Compatibilty test for Thunderbird5

Compatibility test is finished.

Now beta versions of my extensions, which can be installed to Thuderbird5, are available. No new features are added to them, except for Google Contacts. Google Contacts includes changes in postal address synchronizing; it supports structured one now.

The betas for the following extensions are available in my homepage. Please try them and let me know if you find problems.

• Google Contacts
• Tag Toolbar
• Maximize Message Pane
• Priority Switcher
• Check and Send
• New Tab Button
• Get before Send
• Evernote Tab

Opening Evernote Web in Thunderbird tab

I've started to use Evernote with Thunderbird. Evernote Web Clipper extension realizes almost all things I want to do except for the two inconveniences:

• I want to open Evernote Web application in Thunderbird tab to organize notes created by the clipper
• I cannot clip a mail by context menu; can clip only Tools->Add to Evernote menu or toolbar button. It is little bit troublesome.

So, I've created an extension, Evernote Tab, to solve the two issues above.

After you install the extension, the "elephant" button is added to the tab bar. By clicking it, Evernote Web is opened in tab. You can open it by Tools->Evernote Web menu, too.

And if you intall Evernote Web Clipper extension, "Add to Evernote" menu is added to the context menu. It has the same as Tools->Add to Evernote menu.

I don't know many Thunderbird and Evernote users need it but I'm happy if you like it.

Download:
http://hogi.sakura.ne.jp/en/index.rhtml
* Evernote Tab is not tested fully. So, it is available at Experimental Extensions page; click the "Experimental Extensions" link in the left navigation.

Priority Switcher 0.6.12

Priority Switcher 0.6.12 is now available for download. It includes the following changes:

• Fixed: invalid X-Priority header is created when you switch priority to not set
• Added: sv-SE and sk-SK locales

Issue Tracking System

I've started Issue Tracking System to maintain bug reports and feature requests. I'll file bugs reported here and by emails to the system. It is OK to post bugs by yourself without reporting me using blog comments or emails. Of course, you can also report by the existing ways.

[Updated 2011/6/20]
Your filing may be rejected by a spam filter. If you see Internal server error after you submit, your post is judged as a spam. I'll watch the filtering log periodically and recover your post. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Google Contacts 0.6.35

Google Contacts 0.6.35 is now available for download. Changes in the version are following:

• Added: upload/delete a contact photo
• Added: view XML source of a contact
• Fixed: group mapping does not work for a group specified as “Other”
• Changed: drop support for Thunderbird 3.0.x

Tag Toolbar 0.8.32

Tag Toolbar 0.8.32 is now available. It fixes a problem in v0.8.30 and v0.8.31. The problem creates invalid mail header. Please update immediately if you use v0.8.30 and v0.8.31.

Tag Toolbar 0.8.30 and 0.8.31

Tag Toolbar 0.8.30 and 0.8.31 are now available for download. Differene between v0.8.30 and v0.8.31 is that v0.8.31 fixes a pl locale problem in v0.8.30. I recommend all user to use v0.8.31.

In these versions, the following new features are added:

• Always show small icon in tag toolbar
  Open the option dialog and enable “Always show small icons in Tag Toolbar”.
  
• Hide tags shown in the message header view
  Open the option dialog and enable “Hide tags row in header view”.
  
• Add the same tags an original message has on replying, forwarding or editing a message
  Open the option dialog and enable “Add the same tags the original message has”. This option is enabled by default.
  
• Add tags to “outgoing” message
  Previous versions have a function to add tags to a message saved in Sent folder. In addition to that, new version can include tags to “outgoing” message. Namely, tags are stored as a part of headers and sent to recipients. If recipients have the same tags as you and install Tag Toolbar 0.8.30 or later, the tags are added automatically at recipients side.
  
  To use this function, toggle “Attach tags” button; see the image below. If you do not click the button, tags are only added to a message in a Sent folder at your side.
   
  
  This function send tags as X-TagToolbar header. And some server eliminate X-* tags. In such servers, this function does not work. Please note.
  
• Change background colors of the thread pane
  You can change background colors of the thread pane by tag colors. And you can also change text colors: tag colors, black/white and complementary colors. See the images below:
  • Text colors are tag ones
    
  • Text colors are black/white
     
  • Text colors are complementary color of tags ones
    

In order to enable it, firstly, open the option dialog and enable “Change background colors of tagged messages (need restart)” option. Then setup lightness of background colors by the slider or text box in the Lightness section. You can select text color mode in the Text color section. When you change the Lightness and the Text color settings, the preview next to them is updated. Following the setup, restart Thunderbird and then you’ll see your thread pane becomes colorful!

Under some tag colors such as yellowish colors, text becomes hard to read. In such case, text colors become black/white.

• Add tag filtering by category to the Message->Tag menu, the context menu and toolbar button
  For the menus, choose Tag (Category) menu. Categories pop up before tags appear. For the toolbar button, put the following icon to to a toolbar. You can place it to the toolbars of the main window, the message window and the message composing window.
  

Thank you for joining beta test and many feedbacks!

Tag Toolbar 0.8.30b10

Tag Toolbar 0.8.30b10 is now available for download. I will be the last beta for v0.8.30 if there is no big issue. It includes the following changes:

• Added: add Tag(Category) menu to the Message menu
• Added: add Tag(Category) menu to the context menus of the thread pane and the message pane
• Changed: change the icon for the button to add tags to outgoing message

Tag Toolbar 0.8.30b9

Tag Toolbar 0.8.30b9 is now available for download. It fixes the following:

• Fixed: background colors of selected messages using theme's settings

Tag Toolbar 0.8.30b8

Tag Toolbar 0.8.30b8 is now available for download. It has been available since Jan 24 but the announcement delayed because my PC has broken after uploading it. Now I have new PC and am migrating data.


Changes in the beta are as follows:

• Lightness:
  Transparency option in b7 is changed to Lightness. 0% means tag color and the more the value is increased, the lighter the color is.
• Text color: 
  You can specify text color by one of the following 3 options:
• Tag colors: Tag colors. Only when yellowish colors, text colors become black because it is hard to read them. And if you specify Lightness less than 50%, text colors are determined by Black/White option described below because it is hard to read them, too.
• Black/White: Black or white. It is determined by brightness of background colors.
• Complementary colors: Complementary colors of tag color.
• Preview:
  Preview shows all available colors now.

Tag Toolbar 0.8.30b7

Tag Toolbar 0.8.30b7 is now available. In this beta, a transparency of the thread pane color can be changed. See the "Thread pane style" option, which was added in the previous beta. You can change it by either moving the slider bar or input value to the text box. The change is applied after restarting Thunderbird.

Tag Toolbar 0.8.30b6

Tag Toolbar 0.8.30b6 is now available. In this beta, an extra option is added: changing background color of tagged messages in the thread pane. You can enable this function by checking "Change background colors of tagged messages" in the option dialog. Background colors are changed after restarting Thunderbird.

I'm glad if you like this new function. And if you have any suggestion for it, please let me know.