How best does one go about...

[Code Name]

How best does one go about getting persuading a developer to adopt a [once] popular add-on (e.g. Calendar Tweaks) that has been abandoned and make it compatible with the current and future Thunderbird add-on platform?

The original developer of the add-on has publicly stated:
After 11 years, it is with regret that it has been decided to cease development and support of Calendar Tweaks.
Support for legacy extensions was removed in Thunderbird 74beta and the future for Thunderbird extensions is focused around the new mailExtensions APIs. Unfortunately, the work required to keep Calendar Tweaks in step with the continuing changes to Thunderbird is not sustainable.

► https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-US/th ... ks/?src=ss

[tanstaafl]

Your best bet is probably to find somebody who is the author of some other calendar related add-on and suggest they implement part of the calendar tweaks features. i.e. feature creep. However, its not a given that the MailExtension API supports the features needed. Its still pretty bare bones.

You could also try to convince the author of a add-on designed to make it easier to use CSS such as CustomCSSforTb to provide some examples for tweaking the calendar. That is far less of a commitment.

[JYLD]

Over a year ago, I looked at calendar tweaks and tried using it, but ultimately didn't think it did much. It didn't seem to do anything I couldn't do myself with css in userChrome,css file. I have implemented a significant number of calendar appearance tweaks in my own css that I use with Customize My Bird. Most of them should still work in TB 78+ with or without CustomCSSforTB. My css file can be found at https://github.com/JYLD/User-CSS-For-Fi ... hunderbird . Open the css file in notepad and then search for the section labeledd "Calendar Tweaks". That will contain most but not quite all of my css Calendar Tweaks.

[Code Name]

Over a year ago, I looked at calendar tweaks and tried using it, but ultimately didn't think it did much. It didn't seem to do anything I couldn't do myself with css in userChrome,css file. I have implemented a significant number of calendar appearance tweaks in my own css that I use with Customize My Bird. Most of them should still work in TB 78+ with or without CustomCSSforTB. My css file can be found at https://github.com/JYLD/User-CSS-For-Fi ... hunderbird . Open the css file in notepad and then search for the section labeledd "Calendar Tweaks". That will contain most but not quite all of my css Calendar Tweaks.

There are two things I really liked about the 'Calendar Tweaks' add-on:
• Coloring event backgrounds with the category colors.
• Adding icons for repeating events and exceptions.

I know virtually nothing about using CSS in userChrome, but from everything I've read about 'Coloring event backgrounds with the category colors' using css requires that each individual category must be listed in the css file and maintained. So, if I wanted to add a new category or change the color of an existing category, I must go into the css file and make those changes. I use 50 categories and 7 calendars in my Tb calendar. I don't feel comfortable (or confident) in my ability to come up with the correct coding and the necessity to maintain it. It's just more than I care to get involved with.

Then, there's the second add-on I really liked about 'Calendar Tweaks' that adds icons for repeating events and exceptions.

It has been suggested that I look into seeing if maybe another developer of a calendar-related add-on might be interested in either adopting the abandoned 'Calendar Tweaks' add-on, or incorporating some of the features of 'Calendar Tweaks' into his/her calendar-related add-on. However, I haven't found a developer that has an extensive add-on for the Tb calendar.

I'm still hoping that some experienced developer will adopt the abandoned 'Calendar Tweaks' add-on and make it compatible for Tb78+. I'd gladly make a hefty 3-digit donation.

[JYLD]

I don't use Calendar Categories at all. I had to look it up to find them in TB. You must have a really complex calendar and very full of entries to need all that categorization. If CSS can color event backgrounds based on categories, I think you are correct that you would need 50 color entries in your CSS for 50 different categories. Assuming none of the categories share the same color. Each of the 50 entries would be around 2 or 3 lines of CSS. Depending on how you entered each one. New categories would require adding a new entry in the CSS. I don't know if CSS could add icons to repeating events or not.

[JYLD]

What might be done quite a bit more simply, would be to see if CSS could widen the category color bar for all events globally. That would make it easier to visually spot the category colors in your calendar. Not the same as fully changing the background of the event itself to the category color, but might be an acceptable substitute. Imagine if the category color bar was 2 or 3 times wider than its default width. I don't know if CSS could do this, but something that someone might look into to try and help you. If it could be done, you wouldn't need to add any new CSS entries for new categories and colors.

[JYLD]

Here, I played with it a little bit for you and this is some sample CSS for changing the background color of a calendar event that has the category "clients" set. This works on TB 60.9.1 and should likely work on TB 78+, but I can't guarantee that something didn't change in TB 78+

Code: Select all

/* This sets the background color to blue for all calendar events with the Category "clients" set */
.calendar-color-box[categories="clients"] {
        background-color: #0000FF !important;
}

/* This sets the text color to white in a calendar event that also has the Category "clients" set */
.calendar-color-box[categories="clients"] .calendar-event-details-core.title-desc {
    color: #FFFFFF !important;
}

Don't forget in TB 68+ to make sure you set:

Settings/Options > Advanced > General > Config Editor...
toolkit.legacyUserProfileCustomizations.stylesheets to true
to activate use of the userChrome.css file.

[Code Name]

I don't use Calendar Categories at all. I had to look it up to find them in TB. You must have a really complex calendar and very full of entries to need all that categorization. If CSS can color event backgrounds based on categories, I think you are correct that you would need 50 color entries in your CSS for 50 different categories. Assuming none of the categories share the same color. Each of the 50 entries would be around 2 or 3 lines of CSS. Depending on how you entered each one. New categories would require adding a new entry in the CSS. I don't know if CSS could add icons to repeating events or not.

Yeah, that's what I'm finding too - that each category must be addressed in the CSS file, and anytime a new category is added or the color changed it must be addressed in the CSS file. I don't care for having to deal with that...

[Code Name]

Here, I played with it a little bit for you and this is some sample CSS for changing the background color of a calendar event that has the category "clients" set. This works on TB 60.9.1 and should likely work on TB 78+, but I can't guarantee that something didn't change in TB 78+

Code: Select all

/* This sets the background color to blue for all calendar events with the Category "clients" set */
.calendar-color-box[categories="clients"] {
        background-color: #0000FF !important;
}

/* This sets the text color to white in a calendar event that also has the Category "clients" set */
.calendar-color-box[categories="clients"] .calendar-event-details-core.title-desc {
    color: #FFFFFF !important;
}

Don't forget in TB 68+ to make sure you set:

Settings/Options > Advanced > General > Config Editor...
toolkit.legacyUserProfileCustomizations.stylesheets to true
to activate use of the userChrome.css file.

I'm not familiar with category 'clients'...

[Code Name]

What might be done quite a bit more simply, would be to see if CSS could widen the category color bar for all events globally. That would make it easier to visually spot the category colors in your calendar. Not the same as fully changing the background of the event itself to the category color, but might be an acceptable substitute. Imagine if the category color bar was 2 or 3 times wider than its default width. I don't know if CSS could do this, but something that someone might look into to try and help you. If it could be done, you wouldn't need to add any new CSS entries for new categories and colors.

This may be the best option - globally increasing the width of the category color. It also takes care of not needing to make any changes in CSS for new categories or color changes.

So, how do I accomplish this?

[morat]

@JYLD

I already posted a solution in another thread.

Other thread: http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic ... #p14880938

Unfortunately, the original poster can't even use the userChrome.css file.

@Code Name

Post your topic to one forum only.

Crossposting
http://forums.mozillazine.org/faq.php?mode=rules#f4r0

[Code Name]

You must have a really complex calendar and very full of entries to need all that categorization.

Below is an image of a typical month. You can see the many different category colors on the far right-hand tip of the events. Most events are in the primary calendar, but there are 7 total calendars and 50 categories. The ■ you see on some events are my indicator that they are 'repeating' events.

[JYLD]

@morat Thank you for letting me know you had previously posted solutions to this. I looked at your links and as usual they are excellent.

@code name
You stated above "I'm not familiar with category 'clients'..." If you don't understand what is so wrong about that comment, then I'm afraid you just aren't knowledgeable enough for anyone here to help you. If you can't figure out what I mean by this paragraph. You need to hire a programmer to come to your home or office, sit at your computer, and read these threads, and code your userChrome.css file for you. Seriously !!

@code name
You stated above "This may be the best option - globally increasing the width of the category color. It also takes care of not needing to make any changes in CSS for new categories or color changes. So, how do I accomplish this?"

Looking at the solutions previously posted by @morat, it is obvious he previously gave the answer to "how do I accomplish this?"

In morat's solutions is this one:
How to remove the category box. ( i.e. small rectangle at end )

.calendar-category-box-gradient {
width: 0 !important;
}

Now how about a little effort, thinking and logic on your part @code name!!
If the code above makes the category box disappear by making its width zero, then wouldn't using that same code make the category box WIDER with one simple tweak?

Say this for example:

.calendar-category-box-gradient {
width: 16px !important;
}

Now you have the exact solution you wanted. It is up to you to read and think and figure out how to make a working userChrome.css file in your profile. If you can't help yourself at least that much, you are just wasting everyone's time.

Don't forget in TB 68 or higher to make sure you set the following. Otherwise the userChrome.css file won't work:

Settings/Options > Advanced > General > Config Editor...
toolkit.legacyUserProfileCustomizations.stylesheets - should be set to true

[Code Name]

@JYLD,

You seem to think that everyone here should know at least a reasonable amount about programming and coding. Please accept my apology for not having even a marginal knowledge about it. I did not know it was a requirement!

For your information I am not computer illiterate, I just don't know anything much about programming and coding. I'm guessing that you may have had numerous questions about it (or any other subject you have ever been interested in) at some point when you were learning...or then again, maybe you were just born knowing all about it.

Just so you know; I had no problem creating a chrome folder in my Profile, or adding the necessary userChrome.css and userContent.css files with the correct preface coding. I already had my computer files displaying file suffixes, and it was no problem for me to quickly change the preference for toolkit.legacyUserProfileCustomizations.stylesheets to 'true' in Config Editor. I want you to also know that I had no problem figuring out that if '0' was used in the coding to remove the category box that adding some numerical figure would almost certainly make the category box WIDER! I guess I was just born to solve such deep-thinking, complex subjects because I scored really high in logic and reasoning! I digress. What I was a bit unsure about, not having any programming or coding experience mind you, if I needed to add 'px' after the number because there was no 'px' after the '0'. And, I didn't know if there should be a space between the number and the 'px'. You know how it is (or maybe you don't) with all those brackets and stuff in the coding, a fellow just can't be too sure about exactly how code entry needs to be made. Stupid me! (Incorrect entries is how military weapons are sent on the wrong course!) I also didn't know whether I needed to add the /* and */ I've seen discussed when adding certain coding to the userChrome.css. Stupid me! And, I was unsure whether to add the coding to my userChrome.css file or to my userContent.css file. I still don't know what the userContent.css file is for. Again, stupid me!

I'm absolutely sure that you fully understand my above paragraph because I know just enough to 'speak' the language that you are so knowledgeable and adept at. However, if the typical adult read the above paragraph, they wouldn't have a damn clue what we are conversing about. Yet, you want to criticize me for being ignorant about something only a tiny percentage of people know anything about. Think 'bout that!

So JYLD, you can see I had a number of newbie type questions, not having any experience in the subject that you are so extremely knowledgeable about. I really hate that I pissed you off for not being as smart as you are about programming and coding. But, having no experience in such matters usually prompts elementary questions...even from intelligent people. I doubt seriously that you could find one person out of 100 people (maybe 1:500) with professional degrees that knows anything about programming and CSS coding for Thunderbird's email client and the built-in calendar. I think we should all be thankful that you are not a teacher or professor with the responsibility of teaching our children and grandchildren. Now then JYLD, here's some advice for you. If you happen to have any interest and questions about the topic of physics, molecular physics or geophysics in particular, please make it a point not to ask any stupid newbie questions - okay? Otherwise you may be treated with the same arrogant ridicule like you treated me. Seriously!

PS - I'm still not familiar with category 'clients'...

Happy Holidays to you!

[JYLD]

@code name
I'm not a programmer either and knew nothing about CSS or how to modify the TB UI 1.5 years ago. I used google searches, searches on this forum, and reading the threads here to teach myself what I now know which is probably just 1/4 of what Morat and Frank Lion and others like them know about CSS and JS.

What I didn't do was ask a bunch of the same questions about CSS and TB. I read and studied the links people pointed me at. I found lots of information on my own. Within 3 months I effectively programmed a lightweight theme for TB using my own CSS and CustomizeMyBird.

I never once told someone something as unthinking as "I'm not familiar with category "clients", and I wasn't too lazy or unthinking to google "css width property" to find out about its proper syntax and usage.

If you've got your userChrome.css file working then you have all you need to do what you've asked for help.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family as well.