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Replying to HTML email: text and background color settings not working properly

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As installed, TB would automatically choose a contrasting color for text when replying to an email with a dark or light background. But at some point I changed the text color for a given email. After that I am unable to restore the default behavior no matter what I do. I have gone through all the settings that pertain to text and background color and even after setting them all to the default it still doesn't work.

For example, now when I try to reply to an HTML email that has a white background, TB is defaulting to white text, which of course renders the text invisible. Using the compose toolbar I manually select black text and make it the default, but as soon as I type the first character, it switches itself back to white on white.

At the moment, the only way I can reply to an HTML email with a white background is to select the invisible text after the fact and change it to black. Not very practical.

As installed, TB would automatically choose a contrasting color for text when replying to an email with a dark or light background. But at some point I changed the text color for a given email. After that I am unable to restore the default behavior no matter what I do. I have gone through all the settings that pertain to text and background color and even after setting them all to the default it still doesn't work. For example, now when I try to reply to an HTML email that has a white background, TB is defaulting to white text, which of course renders the text invisible. Using the compose toolbar I manually select black text and make it the default, but as soon as I type the first character, it switches itself back to white on white. At the moment, the only way I can reply to an HTML email with a white background is to select the invisible text after the fact and change it to black. Not very practical.

Modified by biz10

All Replies (11)

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In Options/Composition/HTML Style, what are the Text and Background Colors settings?

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Text black, background transparent.

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Do the app or Windows modes in W10 Settings, Personalization, Colors, have any effect? Are you using the Default TB theme?

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No changes to the Windows environment, personalization settings, etc. They are the same as they were before the trouble started. I did try out the TB dark theme at one point. I ended up switching back to the default. The theme change wasn't the trigger. The trigger was when I changed the text color to white (using the toolbar) for a specific message that had a black background, and it has been broken ever since. No matter what text or background color I choose, as soon as I start typing it switches back to white on white.

Modified by biz10

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Does the problem persist in safe mode (hold Shift when launching TB)? This will test for a broken layout, among other factors. If it isn't present in safe mode, you could launch again in safe mode, 'Reset toolbars & controls', 'Make changes & restart'. Also, see if hardware acceleration is enabled in normal mode, in Options/General/Indexing (acceleration is disabled in safe mode).

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The problem persists in safe mode even after disabling all extensions and resetting toolbars & controls.

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I wonder if the setting in Config. editor is not changing according to the Text Color setting. Check the value of msgcompose.text_color in Options/General/Indexing/Config. editor. If it's not #000000 (black), right-click, Reset.

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It looks correct.

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One other place to check is in the Options/General/Language & Appearance, Colors section (see picture). Note the override setting.

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Mine are the same.

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Under "Tools" select "Preferences" Drop down to the "Language & Appearance" section and click on "Colors" by the "Fonts' & Colors" section You should get a pop-up like the image attached.

At the bottom, select "Never" in the section labeled:

"Override the colors specified by the content with my selections above:"

The text colors will change once you make this change.