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How to configure SOCKS through environment variables rather than with manual setting in preferences for ThunderBird

  • 4 replies
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  • Last reply by je-vv

je-vv
je-vv
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I'm familiar with proxy environment variables such as (both lower and upper case versions):

use_proxy soap_use_proxy http_proxy https_proxy ftp_proxy rsync_proxy no_proxy all_proxy

Thunderbird at least pays attention to some of them, and honestly, before I haven't needed anything else.

However, inside the company proxy, I need to setup manually under TB:

SOCKS Host: <...> Port: <...>

As SOCKS v5. Where the socks host is the same as the other proxy hosts, but its socks port must be different than the rest.

I don't use any DE, but I have some automation through bash+xinitrc which depends on how to set the env. vars, so that I only need to set on TB/FF "use system proxy settings".

I've tried several possible env. vars (both lower and upper case) like:

socks_proxy socks_server socks_version smtp_proxy="socks5://<proxy_host>:<port>"

So far I haven't been able to get any possitive results. BTW, I like the specific for smtp curl env. var., :-)

Are there environment variables I can use to configure socks5 on TB? And if so, how to use them?

Thanks,

I'm familiar with proxy environment variables such as (both lower and upper case versions): use_proxy soap_use_proxy http_proxy https_proxy ftp_proxy rsync_proxy no_proxy all_proxy Thunderbird at least pays attention to some of them, and honestly, before I haven't needed anything else. However, inside the company proxy, I need to setup manually under TB: SOCKS Host: <...> Port: <...> As SOCKS v5. Where the socks host is the same as the other proxy hosts, but its socks port must be different than the rest. I don't use any DE, but I have some automation through bash+xinitrc which depends on how to set the env. vars, so that I only need to set on TB/FF "use system proxy settings". I've tried several possible env. vars (both lower and upper case) like: socks_proxy socks_server socks_version smtp_proxy="socks5://<proxy_host>:<port>" So far I haven't been able to get any possitive results. BTW, I like the specific for smtp curl env. var., :-) Are there environment variables I can use to configure socks5 on TB? And if so, how to use them? Thanks,

All Replies (4)

Matt
Matt
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what is wrong with defining the proxy in Thunderbird? or using an auto config proxy URL. (based on localhost)

Those are the supported ways. The rest is up to the operating system.

je-vv
je-vv Question owner
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The idea is not to manually have to do the setting on TB... As mentioned, I avoid that through env. vars., and have TB set to use env. vars.

I didn't get the auto config proxy URL thing. Could you please elaborate more?

To me configuring through env. vars. would be the easiest. All I'm doing is telling TB what SOCKS server and port to use.

From your answer, I get there's no way to use environment variables, right?

Matt
Matt
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There probably is way, I am just not aware of it.

This is what I mean by an auto config proxy http://tektab.com/2012/09/26/setting-up-automatic-proxy-configuration-pac-file/ The article discussed Firefox, but at this point Firefox and Thunderbird are basically the same at that level under the hood.

je-vv
je-vv Question owner
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I see, the autoproxy file. Is there doc as to how to configure SOCKS for it?

As I can connect on different networks, and I don't know which one beforehand, I'd need to manually edit the autoproxy file under such situations. I'm trying to avoid editing anything, :-) But might be an option.

I would still prefer environment variables, and TB/FF seem to support most of the ones needed. It might be the SOCKS one is the exception. If someone know, please let me know as well.

Thanks,