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Change new message color

  • 7 replies
  • 1 has this problem
  • 436 views
  • Last reply by TBguy

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For my work email I HAVE to use Outlook 2016 - boo, but I don't have a choice.

For my personal email I use Thunderbird (now 60.4.0). My work Outlook allows me to make new inbound messages that have not been read yet appear in BOLD and in a different colour.

I've researched trying to accomplish this in ThunderBird, and thought I could do it with Filtering. Filtering allows me to change the colour of a new message to RED in my inbox with by applying a "tag of 1" on an un-read message. The snag is that I cannot un-do the filtering once the message is read. If it would allow me to create a filter that would apply a tag of ZERO (remove all tags) when a message is read it would be dandy - but only tag options 1-5 appear, no ZERO.

I also read that by creating a "chrome" folder in the profile folder, and a file called userChrome.css would do the trick for un-read messages until they are read. I tried copying/pasting numerous different configurations in notepad and saving as userChrome.css, but it doesn't change a single thing.

I've spent several hours reading on how to do this, but most posts I find are quite dated, and I cannot find anything around the userChrome.css file for Thunderbird 60.4

Any ideas would be most appreciated.


Regards,

TBguy :)

For my work email I HAVE to use Outlook 2016 - boo, but I don't have a choice. For my personal email I use Thunderbird (now 60.4.0). My work Outlook allows me to make new inbound messages that have not been read yet appear in BOLD and in a different colour. I've researched trying to accomplish this in ThunderBird, and thought I could do it with Filtering. Filtering allows me to change the colour of a new message to RED in my inbox with by applying a "tag of 1" on an un-read message. The snag is that I cannot un-do the filtering once the message is read. If it would allow me to create a filter that would apply a tag of ZERO (remove all tags) when a message is read it would be dandy - but only tag options 1-5 appear, no ZERO. I also read that by creating a "chrome" folder in the profile folder, and a file called userChrome.css would do the trick for un-read messages until they are read. I tried copying/pasting numerous different configurations in notepad and saving as userChrome.css, but it doesn't change a single thing. I've spent several hours reading on how to do this, but most posts I find are quite dated, and I cannot find anything around the userChrome.css file for Thunderbird 60.4 Any ideas would be most appreciated. Regards, TBguy :)

Chosen solution

The color of the text for unread messages in the Threads Pane can be set by adding this to a userChrome.css file: #threadTree treechildren::-moz-tree-cell-text(unread) { -moz-appearance: none !important; color: #CC0000 !important; }

Other styles can be included such as: font-style: italic !important; font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif !important; font-size: 10px !important; font-weight: bold !important;

Read this answer in context 👍 0

All Replies (7)

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Remove Tag is an available filter action if you have FiltaQuilla installed (see picture).

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/filtaquilla/

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Wow, super quick response - thank you.

OK, I grabbed the FiltaQuilla Add-On, Thunderbird says it is installed (TB re-started right after installing it). How do you initiate it or make it work? I cannot see anything in TB related to FiltaQuilla at all. I created my colour change filter rule for new messages again, and went to create a rule that removes the tag once a message is read, but do not see anything like the screenshot you posted. I'm going to have to research this a bit more. The write-up for this Add-On makes it sound that it will do what I need it to do - I just need to figure out how to make this Add-On work.

Will post back once I get a chance to try and get FiltaQuilla working.

Regards,

TBguy :)

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Select Tools/Add-on Options for FiltaQuilla to show the window in my first reply, and check the items, such as Remove Tag, that you want as filter actions. Restart TB, and the additional actions should be available in the filter window (see picture).

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UPDATE - I had to snoop a bit. I found it by going to Tools/Add-On Options/FiltaQuilla. Now I'll test and hopefully make it sing. Thanks for the speedy response to my question!


Regards,

TBguy :)

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OK, I actually had the filter thingy functioning with FiltqQuilla, but the problem I ran into is that you had to re-run the filters again to change the new message back to normal after it has been read - this became somewhat of a pain, as sometimes I forgot to re-run the filters before exiting, and then had to rely on memory work to go through messages again - this is on a VERY busy, VERY active inbox with numerous folders and filters.

Back to my original post with regards to the "chrome" folder, and css. It would be best if there were a way to have the colour changed automatically until the message is read - just like my Outlook does on my work computer.

Is there an easy way to make a new and un-read message show bold (I guess it already does this by default), but a different colour and perhaps different font until the message is read? How would you accomplish this using css? or any other method for that matter?

Any knowledge would be most appreciated, thanks in advance :)

TBguy

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Chosen Solution

The color of the text for unread messages in the Threads Pane can be set by adding this to a userChrome.css file: #threadTree treechildren::-moz-tree-cell-text(unread) { -moz-appearance: none !important; color: #CC0000 !important; }

Other styles can be included such as: font-style: italic !important; font-family: "Century Gothic", sans-serif !important; font-size: 10px !important; font-weight: bold !important;

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Sfhowes :)

You rock!!!!! This works perfectly and does exactly what I needed it to do. Thank you VERY much! If our paths ever cross, I'll buy you a coffee, beer, soda, a nice glass of milk, or your beverage of choice.

I'm using #04B404 green highlight, and #0000A0 earth blue text - it's as ugly as sin, but I guarantee that I will never overlook an unread message again - it really grabs your attention. As soon as you click a message to read it, the funky highlight disappears just as I needed. Again, thank you so much, you rock!


Regards,

TBguy :)