XP-compatibility mode

Discussion of features in Mozilla Thunderbird
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CBA
Posts: 233
Joined: June 16th, 2008, 2:08 am

XP-compatibility mode

Post by CBA »

...you can force Thunderbird to use the theme for Windows XP/2000 contained in the same installation. The easiest way is to just run Thunderbird in XP-compatibility mode. Other approaches require hacking the omni.jar file to change the OS-version threshold in the manifest...

XP-compatibility mode, which brings back the Classic Theme and (colorful) buttons, still works for TB 38.7.2 running under W7. However, not for TB 45.8.0 under W7.

Is there a way to force TB 45.8.0 to use XP-compatibility mode under W7? The classic theme is there as it's used when running TB 45.8.0 under XP Pro Sp3.

Thanks!
morat
Posts: 6403
Joined: February 3rd, 2009, 6:29 pm

Re: XP-compatibility mode

Post by morat »

Did you try any addons by Aris like the classic toolbar buttons addon?

Addons by Aris
http://addons.thunderbird.net/thunderbird/user/aris-t2
CBA
Posts: 233
Joined: June 16th, 2008, 2:08 am

Re: XP-compatibility mode

Post by CBA »

morat wrote:Did you try any addons by Aris like the classic toolbar buttons addon?

Addons by Aris
http://addons.thunderbird.net/thunderbird/user/aris-t2
No, my preference is to use XP-compatibility mode rather than another addon. I have to find a way to figure that out, if still feasible. Thanks.

Addendum: and the XP "classic" mode also looks quite different from the W7 skin. More pleasing to my eye.
CBA
Posts: 233
Joined: June 16th, 2008, 2:08 am

Re: XP-compatibility mode

Post by CBA »

CBA wrote:...my preference is to use XP-compatibility mode rather than another addon. I have to find a way to figure that out, if still feasible...
If this requires hacking the omni.jar file to change the OS-version threshold in the manifest, no problem, just tell me what to change and where. Perhaps in the file chrome.manifest?
morat
Posts: 6403
Joined: February 3rd, 2009, 6:29 pm

Re: XP-compatibility mode

Post by morat »

I don't know how to change the value of the osversion manifest flag or the -moz-os-version media query directly.

Manifest flags
http://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Mozil ... fest_Flags

Media query -moz-os-version
http://developer.mozilla.org/docs/Web/C ... os-version

The image for the address book toolbar button ( i.e. #button-address ) wouldn't change if you hacked the chrome.manifest file in the default theme {972ce4c6-7e08-4474-a285-3208198ce6fd}.xpi archive. You would need to hack the css file that styles the address book toolbar button.

Reference
http://dxr.mozilla.org/comm-esr45/sourc ... oolbar.css
http://dxr.mozilla.org/comm-esr45/searc ... on-address

Windows XP uses the mail-toolbar.png file. Windows 7 uses the mail-toolbar.svg file.
CBA
Posts: 233
Joined: June 16th, 2008, 2:08 am

Re: XP-compatibility mode

Post by CBA »

morat wrote:I don't know how to change the value of the osversion manifest flag or the -moz-os-version media query directly...
I know how to expand and re-compress the omni.ja file and how to modify a specific file setting based on "detailed instructions" from someone smarter than I am. Other than that, it's above my pay grade!

So far I have played around with the "chrome.manifest" file in the chrome folder, however, no success. There are just too many variables involved.

There must/should be a way of simply activating the XP Compatibility mode when running W7. As it is now, I'm running TB 45.8.0 on my old legacy XP computer (2 instances) and TB 38.7.2 on my W7 computers (3 instances). How silly is that?! :?
CBA
Posts: 233
Joined: June 16th, 2008, 2:08 am

Re: XP-compatibility mode

Post by CBA »

Upshot: I gave up on modifying (the omni.ja fine on) TB 45.8.0 and went back to 38.7.2 on all computers. To disable automatic degradation of HTML emails to plain-text emails on 38.7.2 .. I installed the extension "always_html-1-tb.xpi". That's it. End of thread.
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