Switch between HTML and Plain Text while composing message?

[markrlondon]

Is there any way (addon or otherwise) to manually switch between plain text and HTML when composing a message? I've investigated the automated options but I'd really like manual, per-message, control over this.

[Egidio]

Hold the "shift" key down when you click new or reply to a message.

[markrlondon]

Hold the "shift" key down when you click new or reply to a message.

Thanks, that's a handy feature which is a step in the right direction.

Does anyone know of a way or an addon to toggle HTML<->Plain Text composing within a live Compose window?

[Egidio]

You're welcome. Also check out Toolbar Buttons. It has a button for HTML, but I'm not sure it toggles between HTML and plain text.

[markrlondon]

Also check out Toolbar Buttons. It has a button for HTML, but I'm not sure it toggles between HTML and plain text.

It toggles between HTML and plain text viewing modes. It doesn't seem to have any effect on message composition.

[Egidio]

Do you switch modes once you start composing a message? I mean, you start something as plain text and then decides to make it HTML? Or vice versa?

Take a look at the Extension add-ons and do a search for html plain text to see what comes up. Maybe an extension will provide the flexibility you're looking for. There's also the Add-ons Mirror site with more extensions.

[markrlondon]

Do you switch modes once you start composing a message? I mean, you start something as plain text and then decides to make it HTML? Or vice versa?

That is what I would like to be able to do (in either direction).

Take a look at the Extension add-ons and do a search for html plain text to see what comes up. Maybe an extension will provide the flexibility you're looking for. There's also the Add-ons Mirror site with more extensions.

I've investigated addons in considerable detail but not found anything that does this. That's why I asked here, in case anyone can recommend a specific addon/extension that will do the job.

[makaiguy]

Note that, if you compose in html mode, but do not actually USE any html features (don't change font or text color, don't insert any images, etc.) then TBird will by default send it as plain text anyway to conserve bandwidth.

As far as I'm concerned, this gives me the best of both worlds without my having to even lift a finger.

[rsx11m]

Note that, if you compose in html mode, but do not actually USE any html features (don't change font or text color, don't insert any images, etc.) then TBird will by default send it as plain text anyway to conserve bandwidth.

You can also enforce this using Options > Format > Plain Text Only while composing an e-mail in HTML mode.

[mohitv]

Hold the "shift" key down when you click new or reply to a message.

That is a useful feature. Anyone know how to do this by using the keyboard alone? I use Cmd-R / Cmd-Shift-R for Reply / Reply All (equivalent to Ctrl-R / Ctrl-Shift-R on Windows). Egidio's comment requires keyboard + mouse usage.

[malib]

Is there any way (addon or otherwise) to manually switch between plain text and HTML when composing a message? I've investigated the automated options but I'd really like manual, per-message, control over this.

Hey, that's the feature i'm currently looking for ! (no way to do that in tb 2.0.0.0.19)
Anyone knows how to suggest this to Mozilla ?

By default i write all my emails in plain text, but some times, i want to make some text effects like bold, underline, ordonned lists, colors... simple HTML composing allows that kind of thing, but in plain text its quite difficult.

Thanks

[makaiguy]

By default i write all my emails in plain text, but some times, i want to make some text effects like bold, underline, ordonned lists, colors... simple HTML composing allows that kind of thing, but in plain text its quite difficult.

As has been indicated already in this thread, if you compose in html mode, but don't actually use any html features (don't change font or colors, don't use tables, lists, etc.) then TBird will send the message as plain text. If you do happen to use html features in the message, it will send as html. Check your Sent copies of your messages - it will show you the effect. Sounds like exactly what you're looking for, automatically.

[rsx11m]

Or simply, on a message-by-message basis:

Hold the "shift" key down when you click new or reply to a message.

You just can't switch from plain-text composition into HTML mode when the window is already open.

[akaey]

Is there any way (addon or otherwise) to manually switch between plain text and HTML when composing a message? I've investigated the automated options but I'd really like manual, per-message, control over this.

Hey, that's the feature i'm currently looking for ! (no way to do that in tb 2.0.0.0.19)
Anyone knows how to suggest this to Mozilla ?

By default i write all my emails in plain text, but some times, i want to make some text effects like bold, underline, ordonned lists, colors... simple HTML composing allows that kind of thing, but in plain text its quite difficult.

Thanks

You can use *word* to highlight the word in plain text. The Thunderbird mail view highlights it. No colors though.

[swbrains]

I actually have a similar need to the OP. Sometimes I paste text into a message and don't like/want the original HTML formatting from the source. When I was using Windows Mail, I would switch to plain text then back to HTML immediately and that took care of it (yes, it unformatted the entire email but that's ok as most of my messages are not formatted text). I like the Options->Format selections while composing, but when I created an HTML message with some bold text, then selected Options->Format->Plain Text Only, I was surprised that it didn't remove the formatting of the bold text (it did remove the HTML formatting toolbar from the composition window, though). Perhaps it will ultimately send it as plain text in this mode, but I was hoping it would immediately show me the changes so I would basically be seeing the text as it would actually be sent.