Make QuickFolders compatible with Thunderbird 78 ESR

[RealRaven2000]

This issue is specifically for handling all compatibility problems in Thunderbird 70. Feel free to add more bugs specific to this version below.

• when right-clicking a tab, its label is removed

[RealRaven2000]

Here is a quick-fix for the "removed label" problem; this was caused by some faulty tidy up of old menus in the function addPopupSet:

    if (button.firstChild)
      button.removeChild(button.firstChild);

I have fixed this by adding && tagname == "menupopup" to the conditional
QuickFolders-min-4.17pre27.zip

[RealRaven2000]

Another regression: the search box of the quickMove panel doesn't work. I replaced the (deprecated) textbox with a search-textbox element - for this, I had to split out the tool panel into a separate XUL file. There is still a new issue with loading the reading list which is caused by this fix. test version:

QuickFolders-wx-4.17pre41.zip

[RealRaven2000]

When moving files with quickMove, there is an exception that fails querying the folders ti the nsIRDFResource interface. I was able to remove the references, so the quickMove function works again - fixed version, tested in 72.0a1 Daily (2019-111-01):

QuickFolders-wx-4.17pre43.zip

[RealRaven2000]

I created the new branch ESR78 and have started the conversion process, for real. I estimate about 3-5 weeks.

[RealRaven2000]

Just updated manifest,json so that QF actually installs (in Tb78 b4)
Obviously I need to convert the options file, but this is an encouraging start:

[RealRaven2000]

Timeline: we intend to be ready by end of September, when 78.2 is auto-rolled out to the Tb68 users base. Please do not upgrade until then.

What happened - @jobisoft helped me and @opto with the first hard conversion step to a mail experiment with QuickFolders. We will finish that one first so that it runs completely with only minor functionality loss. Then we will apply the same changes to quickFilters (similar codebase) and last SmartTemplate⁴.

[RealRaven2000]

I had to abandon branch ESR78 because it was too chaotic. Created a new branch here:

ESR78-method

and now following John Bieling's update guide, here:
https://github.com/thundernest/addon-developer-support/wiki/Using-the-WindowListener-API-to-convert-a-Legacy-Overlay-WebExtension-into-a-MailExtension-for-Thunderbird-78

[PotatoCarl]

Would be happy to beta-test for Thunderbird 78.

[RBZS1947]

I too would be happy to beta-test for TB78.

[RealRaven2000]

I just had some design meeting, and here are some previews for the toolbars:

Current Folder ("Navigation") toolbar:

New icons for main toolbar: (Toolbar toggle, create new folder, skip folder)

they will of course have "focus colors" to make them even easier to use:

[opto]

Hi, I am opto - Klaus. I am updating Quickfolders together with Axel.

We just made a major - if preliminary breakthrough.

As a start, we are putting the new technology into 68. Later, we will transpose that to 78.

Now, as of today, the new technology can in 68:

• drag and drop folders to the toolbar
• if you click that, you will display of the messages in that folder
• context menus on the folders work: you can color, create subfolders - no guarantee all works.

This all works with the new addon technology and can be easily (???) ported to 78. Well, not really easily, but we are promised it will be possible.

If you want to help with testing, that is very welcome:

install a test 68.10 (that is what I am using)
install the test version (Axel will put a link here)

test and report any issues - likely, there will be many, but still, it starts to come together.

enjoy,

Klaus

[jobisoft]

RemoveDupes also uses this two-step upgrade process and the developer reported that the final step into TB78 required only little changes. Strategy is looking good!

[opto]

and THANKS !! to John for his help

[RealRaven2000]

Here is a first prerelease (beta) of the new QuickFolders, based on non-legacy code, It's only tested in Thunderbird 68.10 / 68.11 yet; probably some stuff still missing, but it's useable:

QuickFolders-wx-5.0pre45.zip

To install, please unpack the contained xpi to hard drive. then pull the xpi file into Add-ons Manager.

Important: This is not tested in Tb78 yet! but it uses methods that (so we are told) are forward compatible. We will see what particular things break once we have completed work on 68 first - for safety we are sticking to the conversion guide here:
https://github.com/thundernest/addon-developer-support/wiki/WindowListener-API:-Getting-Started

PS: This current source code is in Klaus' branch at
https://github.com/RealRaven2000/QuickFolders/tree/ESR78-method-opto

[RealRaven2000]

and THANKS !! to John for his help

dito from me! My next plan is to get SmartTemplate4 to the same stage quickly...

(Some) users are already screaming for it.

[RealRaven2000]

Here is another preview version, based on opto's esr method branch which works partly in Thunderbird 78:

QuickFolders-wx-5.0pre48.zip

To install, please unpack the contained xpi to hard drive. then pull the xpi file into Add-ons Manager.

What it already does in Thunderbird78:

• displays your old tabs properly
• click a tab to go to the folder
• drag tabs to change their visual order
• add new tabs by dragging
• context menus of tabs (mostly)

What doesn't work yet (Tb78):

• the options dialog (and anything related to entering licenses) doesn't work in Tb78 yet
• you cannot currently drag mails to the tabs - Mozilla got rid of an important drag and drop interface so we gotta rewrite that part
• there is a bug in the settings menu (clicking on the blue cogwheel doesn;t work) - instead you can use the right-click on the QuickFolders label to display the menu
• any of the rudimentary quickfilter / create filter methology

[RealRaven2000]

Here is the next prerelease version. We are having some toruble with the foldertree (I bypassed the code for now) and still no drag and drop, But most dialogs (options / register / categories / change order) work properly now.

This version only works in Thunderbird 78 or higher.

QuickFolders-wx-5.0pre50.zip

To install, please unpack the contained xpi to hard drive. then pull the xpi file into Add-ons Manager.
Known issues:

• Fucks up the icons in folder tree. I may have to take out all the icon code for now,

[RealRaven2000]

And another: I fixed the icon issue in foldertree:

QuickFolders-wx-5.0pre51.zip

To install, please unpack the contained xpi to hard drive. then pull the xpi file into Add-ons Manager.

• The main thing that doesn't work still is drag+drop. :)

getting closer.

[RealRaven2000]

New version - another milestone. Thunderbird 78 only!

QuickFolders-wx-5.0pre52.zip

To install, please unpack the contained xpi into a hard drive folder. then pull the xpi file into Thunderbird Add-ons Manager.

• we fixed most of the drag+drop issues, still have to do a complete test for this.
• The navigation bar (current folder toolbar) is now in the correct position (on top of the mail preview in 3pane mode)

known issues:

• we cannot currently reorder tabs by dragging them sideways...

[RealRaven2000]

Next version - prerelease 54:

QuickFolders-wx-5.0pre54.zip

To install, please unpack the contained xpi into a hard drive folder. then pull the xpi file into Thunderbird Add-ons Manager.

• Fixed the tab reordering issue
• Fixed the bad optics in the options dialog
• Fixed lightweight themes support in options

To do next:

• make the fieldsets a little friendlier when using the default theme
• backup / restore checkboxes do not remember their values!
• fix dropmarker css when reordering tabs to show where tab will be positioned

[RealRaven2000]

Here is the latest update with style related and functional fixes:

QuickFolders-wx-5.0pre57.zip

To install, please unpack the contained xpi into a hard drive folder. then pull the xpi file into Thunderbird Add-ons Manager.

• made the fieldsets a little friendlier when using the default theme
• improved the layout of color pickers and optimized vertical space in dialog
• backup / restore checkboxes should remember values
• the "Find orphaned Tabs" tool menu item is working now

To do next:

• In the license screen "Get QF Pro" the fields Email / First Name and Last Name are not populated / cannot be edited.
• the black chevorns and dragover colors do not work - Tb currently ignores all dragover css selectors

[RealRaven2000]

Here is the latest update with the new skinnable icons (supports theming colors)

These icons were created by @Paenglab - many thanks for the beautiful work!

QuickFolders-wx-5.0pre59.zip

To install, please unpack the contained xpi into a hard drive folder. then pull the xpi file into Thunderbird Add-ons Manager.

Fixed:

• register / license screen - account selection and editing form fields works now

Known issues:

• the recent folders icon disappears permanently when clicked in navigation bar
• still issues with dragover states not registering
• integrate the new icons into general settings / advanced settings pages.
• style the tabbed icons in the options dialog

[RealRaven2000]

After improving some of the icons, here is the latest version:

QuickFolders-wx-5.0pre62.zip

To install, please unpack the contained xpi into a hard drive folder. then pull the xpi file into Thunderbird Add-ons Manager.

[RealRaven2000]

Since all updates after 5.7 there is only one line of quick folder tabs shown in Thunderbird, so I have had to revert always to 5.7. I have quite a few lines as I have several mail accounts.

I have tried finding a setting that say allow multiple lines but cannot.

5.7? you probably mean pre 57 - I see... yeah they need to wrap, that's a regression right there... what's the last versioon where it works?

[UdFrederic]

I tried the "QuickFolders-wx-5.0pre62.zip" in "Thunderbird 78.1.0 (32-Bit)": Drag and drop onto the quick folder icon is possible but the text field which then opens has a red background and does not let me write text/folder name in, so moving of e-mails is not possible. Here how it lools like:

And the version info of Thunderbird:

Second observation: without having moved an e-mail to the quick folder icon (so only opening the textbox for to jump to a specific folder) the background is white - but still no text can be typed in:

[RealRaven2000]

I use letter 'm' for quickMove in the Premium functionality pane. This does not work anymore : it just marks the mail as unread.

are you sure it is not Shift+M?

[Vacoas]

It is just 'm'. I have reverted to pre70 and it works.

[RealRaven2000]

Some of the shortcuts are probably taken by Thunderbird themselves (I know for a fact that M toggles unread status on my Tb68, so I am surprised it doesn't do that on yours). Anyway if you want a shortcut without Shift you have to look for a different letter. Thunderbird probably won't allow us to overwrite the built in keyboard shortcuts.

[Vacoas]

Many thanks for replying quickly. You are right. It is indeed surprising 'm' has worked so far. I'll choose another lower case letter after checking it is not used by TB.

[Vacoas]

Hello again,
I am afraid that the shortcuts for quickMove and quickJump do not work after 5.0pre71. It dos not matter which letter and which case is used.
Before testing a pre-version, I have removed the previous one but I have not gone as far as removing the Thunderbird parameters for quickfolders.
From the testing done, I believe 5.0pre71 reads and uses 'extensions.quickfolders.quick..." configuration items although it will only update the 'qfpp' configuration items when the key configs are changed.
5.0pre84 updates the 'qfpp' configuration items but appears not to use them.

pre71

pre84

I can provide more information if needed.

Regards.

[RealRaven2000]

Hello again,
I am afraid that the shortcuts for quickMove and quickJump do not work after 5.0pre71. It dos not matter which letter and which case is used.
Before testing a pre-version, I have removed the previous one but I have not gone as far as removing the Thunderbird parameters for quickfolders.
From the testing done, I believe 5.0pre71 reads and uses 'extensions.quickfolders.quick..." configuration items although it will only update the 'qfpp' configuration items when the key configs are changed.

It sounds like a regression - @opto pointed out to me that the use of keyCode was deprecated so he changed it to "charCode" in the last patch, I am going to test that now...

[jobisoft]

Actually both are deprecated. Use

https://developer.mozilla.org/en-US/docs/Web/API/KeyboardEvent/code

instead.

[Vacoas]

quickMove and quickJump issue fixed in 5.0pre87.
Many thanks for the great work.

[RealRaven2000]

Hello again,
I am afraid that the shortcuts for quickMove and quickJump do not work after 5.0pre71. It dos not matter which letter and which case is used.
Before testing a pre-version, I have removed the previous one but I have not gone as far as removing the Thunderbird parameters for quickfolders.
From the testing done, I believe 5.0pre71 reads and uses 'extensions.quickfolders.quick..." configuration items although it will only update the 'qfpp' configuration items when the key configs are changed.
5.0pre84 updates the 'qfpp' configuration items but appears not to use them.

That's correct, none of the settings starting with "qf" should actually be in the config database (I only use these internally to categorize different setting groups), so there are definitely some major fixes necessary still. All user specific preferences should start with

extensions.quickfolders

I am hoping to get some assistance from @jobisoft early next week to fix this issue. Maybe we will switch to local storage for good, but I want to be able to still see changes (instantApply) visually in the toolbar while the options dialog is open.

[nandudb]

i installed the quickfolders from below url, but I don't see it picked up my previous configurations and folder colors as it shows nothing. Is there way to copy or backup the configuration from older thunderbird quickfolders extension and restore it new thunderbird(78.2)? I don't want to manually create folders/colors.

https://github.com/RealRaven2000/QuickFolders/releases/tag/5.0pre71

[RealRaven2000]

Here is a new pre-release. The preferences system was borked, we fixed it with @jobisoft today:

https://github.com/RealRaven2000/QuickFolders/releases/tag/5.0pre90

[RealRaven2000]

i installed the quickfolders from below url, but I don't see it picked up my previous configurations and folder colors as it shows nothing. Is there way to copy or backup the configuration from older thunderbird quickfolders extension and restore it new Thunderbird(78.2)? I don't want to manually create folders/colors.

yes there is - it's on the QuickFolders Pro tab:

If it is on the same PC, you can also use these two buttons on the advanced tab which use the Clipboard for only the folder configuration (all tabs):

[RealRaven2000]

There is a new prerelase available, please see:

https://github.com/RealRaven2000/QuickFolders/releases/tag/5.0pre100

[Vacoas]

I have a problem 5.0.pre100 which did not occur with 5.0.pre92.
All tabs positions and colours are displayed as before.
It's just the colours that have disappeared from the QuickFolders settings.
I tried to reload in pre100 the settings I had saved in pre92 but this made no difference.
It's probably just a display problem in the 'Bling my tabs' tab.

[RealRaven2000]

I have a problem 5.0.pre100 which did not occur with 5.0.pre92.
All tabs positions and colours are displayed as before.
It's just the colours that have disappeared from the QuickFolders settings.
I tried to reload in pre100 the settings I had saved in pre92 but this made no difference.
It's probably just a display problem in the 'Bling my tabs' tab.

It looks like something in the code crashes when the options dialog is opened (I can see even your Pro tab isn't initialized properly).

Can you create a debug log (just open the JavaScript error console [which you can open with Ctrl+Shift+J] before you open options) and copy out the results using the command "export visible messages to clipboard" after opening the options dialog?

Before you test, delete the contents of the error console using the button on the top left:

then open options and capture the log - if you want you can send me the log directly off list (to the support email address given on the options screen / support website) for keeping privacy.

[RealRaven2000]

After @Vacoas sent me en error log I found the problem can be reproduced by opening the QuickFolders options dialog through the Add-ons / Tools menu. Some code that is designed to preselect a tab (and possibly hide others) in this dialog fails because of the window arguments parameter being passed having an unexpected length; this also leads to the license validation misfiring. It will be fixed in the next pre-release.

[RealRaven2000]

Discovered an issue with the category manger not loading due to missing namespace for the new html input controls. I have already fixed this and am going to add this to the next prerelease. In the meantime, the very latest beta version can be found here:

https://github.com/RealRaven2000/QuickFolders/releases/tag/5.0pre116

• improved donation link
• fully localized splash screens (18 languages)
• using new Add-on Icon designed by @Paenglab

[nobswolf]

pre116 works nicely here. It found all folders I used in the old version. Environment is Debian 10.6 and TB 78.4.0 64 Bit.

[oldmoldy]

My Thunderbird upgraded itself to 78.4.0 in Windows 10 and the pre116 release solved my problems. I downloaded the .xpi file and then went into TBird Add-on Manager. Using drag and drop I was able to install the file successfully. Thanks.

[RealRaven2000]

Latest prerelease solving the broken category dialog mentioned in issue #68:

https://github.com/RealRaven2000/QuickFolders/releases/tag/5.0pre119

[phit42]

I believe 78.4 was not optional anymore but rolled out to a lot of users, maybe all?

[annepiez]

just want to say a big thank you - so helpful!

[RealRaven2000]

Released 5.0 for Thunderbird 78 - 17/11/2020 (currently waiting for approval on ATN)

if you don't have a pro license get the Black Friday bargain 19/Nov - 29/November! - or get one for a friend!

[LinuxOnTheDesktop]

@RealRaven2000

That's good and indeed I received a pop-up in Thunderbird and I renewed my license.

However, your webpage and version history page do not mention version 5.0. I imagine that that is so because of the approval that you mention you are waiting on. Still, it would be good to do all those things in one go, such that users do not get automatically upgraded to 5.0 until there is a release announcement on the website. That said, perhaps I got upgraded only because I was using a beta.

[RealRaven2000]

@RealRaven2000

That's good and indeed I received a pop-up in Thunderbird and I renewed my license.

However, your webpage and version history page do not mention version 5.0. I imagine that that is so because of the approval that you mention you are waiting on. Still, it would be good to do all those things in one go, such that users do not get automatically upgraded to 5.0 until there is a release announcement on the website. That said, perhaps I got upgraded only because I was using a beta.

Well they don't do it on top of the page, but new versions are jumped to in a thunderbird tab via a version tag, see:
https://quickfolders.org/version.html#5.0

you are automatically updated from any previous version number (as long as the Add-on is compatible with your current version of Thunderbird). according to the version comparison algorithms: 5.0 > 5.0pre120 > 5.0pre56 > 4.12

[RealRaven2000]

Closing issue, with version 5.1 released on we are fully compatible with Thunderbird 78