Thunderbird - Profiles & userChrome.css

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Mike R
Site Admin
Posts: 64
Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2020 3:40 am

Thunderbird - Profiles & userChrome.css

Post by Mike R »

Recent updates to TB have broken my favorite theme TTDeepDark, the developer of which now wants about 5G to punch out an updated version.
In addition to this, a forced password reset by my hosting provider broke several installs, so in recovering them, this set me off on a path...

Setting up TB:
  • Different profiles:
  • Open command/terminal and type: thunderbird -p
  • Hit enter and the TB profile manager will open.
  • Rename the default config. to something you want.
  • Create a new profile with the second identity.


This creates two different profiles you can launch from wherever you put your shortcut. I prefer to use the quick launch area on my taskbar/panel, and dial them in accordingly.

  • Shortcuts
  • Right click on your shortcut and select properties.
  • Change the command from thunderbird %u to thunderbird -P = "NAME" (Win/Linux are similar)
  • Change the name if you want - ~~~My Email~~~ and the mouse-over popup will change
  • Change icon if you want in Win
  • Linux lick on the image to change image to whatever you want
Now you have a visually identifiable shortcut dedicated to an individual profile. Repeat this procedure for the other profile.

Setting up calendars and cardbook is fairly straight forward. Just be sure you have the correct url from your server, and the process is rather smooth.
If this is an old installation, it is also a good idea to go into password manager (options/options/security/saved passwords/show saved passwords) and delete old passwords. Quite a jumble in there...

userChrome.css

To get the look I want, the above file needs to be created in the profile folder of each user you want to tweak. It follows that each user can have as individual an appearance as they want, within the limitations of the tags provided.
  • Open TB and click on menu bar/help/troubleshooting information
  • in the window, scroll down to Profile Folder and click on "Open Folder"
  • Take note of this location as you will return often until done
    1. Linux = /home/*username*/.thunderbird/rxxxxx.default
    2. Windows = C:\Users\*Username*\AppData\Roaming\Thunderbird\Profiles\2xxxxxx.default
  • In the profile of the desired user, create a new folder "Chrome"
  • Now, in Notepad (or Notepad+) open a file and name it "userChrome.css"
  • Cut and past the following code into the file, and save it to the "Chrome" folder you just created.
  • Restart TB to see changes
  • Over time you will discover what tag does what.
CSS Code

@namespace url("http://www.mozilla.org/keymaster/gateke ... s.only.xul");
/* set default namespace to XUL */

/* Change menu and dialog font sizes */
menupopup > * {
font-size: 12px !important
}

/* Change font-size of email list */
.tree-rows {
font-size: 14px !important;
}

/* Change all fonts to Century Gothic */
* {
font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif !important;
}

/* Hide status bar */
#status-bar {
display: none !important;
}

/* Get rid of the throbber */
#throbber-box {
display: none !important;
}

/* Make Sidebar header big and bold */
#folderpane-title {
font-size: 1.2em !important;
font-weight: bold !important;
}

/* Hide Menus: menu_File, menu_Edit, menu_View, messageMenu, ltnCalendarMenu, tasksMenu */
#menu_File, #menu_Edit, #menu_View {
display: none !important;
}

/* Remove disabled toolbar buttons until enabled */
toolbarbutton[disabled="true"] {
display: none !important;
}

/* Make unread messages blue and italic */
treechildren:-moz-tree-cell-text(unread) {
color: #CCCCFF !important;
font-style: italic !important;
}

/* Change background color of unread messages to slightly red */
treechildren::-moz-tree-cell(unread) {
background-color: #330000 !important;
}
treechildren::-moz-tree-cell(unread,selected) {
background-color: #660000 !important;
}

/* Change colors of replied messages */
treechildren::-moz-tree-cell(replied) {
background-color: #003300 !important;
}
treechildren::-moz-tree-cell(replied,selected) {
background-color: #006600 !important;
}
treechildren::-moz-tree-cell(replied,current) {
background-color: #009900 !important;
}
treechildren:-moz-tree-cell-text(replied,current) {
color: #FFFFFF !important;
}

/* Change color of deleted messages */
treechildren::-moz-tree-cell(imapdeleted) {
background-color: #999999 !important;
}
treechildren:-moz-tree-cell-text(imapdeleted) {
color: #FFFFFF !important;
text-decoration: line-through !important;
}
treechildren::-moz-tree-cell(imapdeleted,selected) {
background-color: #333333 !important;
}
treechildren::-moz-tree-cell(imapdeleted,current) {
background-color: #666666 !important;
}
treechildren:-moz-tree-cell-text(imapdeleted,selected) {
color: #DDDDFF !important;
}
treechildren:-moz-tree-cell-text(imapdeleted,current) {
color: #DDDDFF !important;
}
treechildren::-moz-tree-cell-text(imapdeleted, offline) {
background-color: #DDDDDD !important;
text-decoration: line-through !important;
}
/*changed here - this is the background you were looking for, but not the calendar background*/

/* Folder pane(color/text) and Message pane(color) */
treechildren {
background-color: #000000 !important;
}

/* change Message Pane text */
treechildren:-moz-tree-cell-text(unread) {
font-size: 10px !important;
font-family: "Times New Roman" !important;
font-weight: bold !important;
color: #D50000 !important
}
treechildren:-moz-tree-cell-text(read) {
font-size: 10px !important;
font-family: "Times New Roman" !important;
font-weight: bold !important;
}

/* Set no-label (default) bottom border */
treechildren::-moz-tree-cell {
border-bottom: 1px solid #FFFFFF !important;
}
You Wouldn't Believe How Hard I Have to Work to be Lazy
User avatar
Mike R
Site Admin
Posts: 64
Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2020 3:40 am

Re: Thunderbird - Profiles & userChrome.css

Post by Mike R »

A few extra snippets here.

/* trying new things here */

/* Where it says Events and Tasks on RIght Side */
sidebarheader {
background-color:#093D97 !important;
color: #F3F3F5 !important;
}
/* Day window below Events */
#mini-day-box {
background-color: #DAEAFD !important; }
You Wouldn't Believe How Hard I Have to Work to be Lazy
User avatar
Mike R
Site Admin
Posts: 64
Joined: Fri Jan 24, 2020 3:40 am

Re: Thunderbird - Profiles & userChrome.css

Post by Mike R »

This has progressed:
Improvements with highlighting selected mail, alternating colors, and others.

Full CSS below:

@namespace url("http://www.mozilla.org/keymaster/gateke ... s.only.xul");
/* set default namespace to XUL */

/* Background color CSS for mail list */
treechildren::-moz-tree-row(odd) {

border: 1px solid transparent !important;
background-color: #000000 !important;
min-height: 18px !important;
height: 1.3em !important;
}
treechildren::-moz-tree-row(odd,selected) {

border: 1px solid transparent !important;
background-color: #333333 !important;
min-height: 18px !important;
height: 1.3em !important;
}

treechildren::-moz-tree-row(even) {

border: 1px solid transparent !important;
background-color: #080930 !important;
min-height: 18px !important;
height: 1.3em !important;
}
treechildren::-moz-tree-row(even,selected) {

border: 1px solid transparent !important;
background-color: #161883 !important;
min-height: 18px !important;
height: 1.3em !important;
}

/* Change menu and dialog font sizes */
menupopup > * {
font-size: 12px !important
}

/* Change font-size of email list */
.tree-rows {
font-size: 14px !important;
}

/* Change all fonts to Century Gothic */
* {
font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif !important;
}

/* Hide status bar */
#status-bar {
display: none !important;
}

/* Get rid of the throbber */
#throbber-box {
display: none !important;
}

/* Make Sidebar header big and bold */
#folderpane-title {
font-size: 1.2em !important;
font-weight: bold !important;
}

/* Hide Menus: menu_File, menu_Edit, menu_View, messageMenu, ltnCalendarMenu, tasksMenu */
#menu_File, #menu_Edit, #menu_View {
display: none !important;
}

/* Remove disabled toolbar buttons until enabled */
toolbarbutton[disabled="true"] {
display: none !important;
}

/* Make unread messages blue and italic */
treechildren:-moz-tree-cell-text(unread) {
color: #CCCCFF !important;
font-style: italic !important;
}

/* Change background color of unread messages to slightly red 330000 & #660000*/
treechildren::-moz-tree-cell(unread) {
background-color: #440000 !important;
}
treechildren::-moz-tree-cell(unread,selected) {
background-color: #660000 !important;
}

/* Change colors of replied messages */
treechildren::-moz-tree-cell(replied) {
background-color: #003300 !important;
}
treechildren::-moz-tree-cell(replied,selected) {
background-color: #006600 !important;
}
treechildren::-moz-tree-cell(replied,current) {
background-color: #009900 !important;
}
treechildren:-moz-tree-cell-text(replied,current) {
color: #FFFFFF !important;
}

/* Change color of deleted messages */
treechildren::-moz-tree-cell(imapdeleted) {
background-color: #999999 !important;
}
treechildren:-moz-tree-cell-text(imapdeleted) {
color: #FFFFFF !important;
text-decoration: line-through !important;
}
treechildren::-moz-tree-cell(imapdeleted,selected) {
background-color: #333333 !important;
}
treechildren::-moz-tree-cell(imapdeleted,current) {
background-color: #666666 !important;
}
treechildren:-moz-tree-cell-text(imapdeleted,selected) {
color: #DDDDFF !important;
}
treechildren:-moz-tree-cell-text(imapdeleted,current) {
color: #DDDDFF !important;
}
treechildren::-moz-tree-cell-text(imapdeleted, offline) {
background-color: #DDDDDD !important;
text-decoration: line-through !important;
}
/*changed here - this is the background you were looking for, but not the calendar background*/

/* Folder pane(color/text) and Message pane(color) was #000000 */

treechildren {
background-color: #080930 !important;
}


/* change Message Pane text */
treechildren:-moz-tree-cell-text(unread) {
font-size: 10px !important;
font-family: "Times New Roman" !important;
font-weight: bold !important;
color: #D50000 !important
}
treechildren:-moz-tree-cell-text(read) {
font-size: 10px !important;
font-family: "Times New Roman" !important;
font-weight: bold !important;
}

/* Set no-label (default) bottom border #FFFFFF*/
treechildren::-moz-tree-cell {
border-bottom: 1px solid #004D1A !important;
}
/* trying new things here

/* Where it says Events and Tasks on RIght Side header */
sidebarheader {
background-color:#080930 !important;
color: #F3F3F5 !important;
}
/* Day window below Events
#mini-day-box {
background-color: #DAEAFD !important; } */
You Wouldn't Believe How Hard I Have to Work to be Lazy
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