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composition and display in Thunderbird

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Microsoft Outlook composition is close to that of Microsoft Word. Shouldn't Thunderbird do the SAME?

People WRITE in their mail clients with a subset of the abilities in a full word processor. THIS is certainly an attraction OF Microsoft (though I hate to even TYPE the word!).

My thought is that INTEGRATION with a subset of LibreOffice would be IDEAL for Thunderbird.

For me, the lack of WORD WRAP is a constant irritation.

Of course, one can compose in LO and SAVE to PDF and ATTACH the result, but this is ungainly for ordinary communications.

My FAVORITE wordprocessor ever was the earlier WordPerfect that could display (and EDIT) ALL CONTROL CODES in the text (MUCH easier - and FAR less TYPING - than trying to learn HTML!).

I have been thinking of the LibreOffice integration for YEARS - ever since I began to USE LO (which, like Thunderbird, I send support to!)

THIS entry box HAS word wrap - WHY not Thunderbird?????? Don't any Thunderbird DEVELOPERS ever - WRITE?

It is being recognized that handwriting benefits the BRAIN - I suppose we may actually need to go back there again...

I abandoned MS for Linux then gave up on Linux for MacOS, because hardware vendors don't support their products fully under Linux (like Dymo address label software). And, of course, MacOS IS genuine UNIX, thanks to Steve Jobs!

Microsoft Outlook composition is close to that of Microsoft Word. Shouldn't Thunderbird do the SAME? People WRITE in their mail clients with a subset of the abilities in a full word processor. THIS is certainly an attraction OF Microsoft (though I hate to even TYPE the word!). My thought is that INTEGRATION with a subset of LibreOffice would be IDEAL for Thunderbird. For me, the lack of WORD WRAP is a constant irritation. Of course, one can compose in LO and SAVE to PDF and ATTACH the result, but this is ungainly for ordinary communications. My FAVORITE wordprocessor ever was the earlier WordPerfect that could display (and EDIT) ALL CONTROL CODES in the text (MUCH easier - and FAR less TYPING - than trying to learn HTML!). I have been thinking of the LibreOffice integration for YEARS - ever since I began to USE LO (which, like Thunderbird, I send support to!) THIS entry box HAS word wrap - WHY not Thunderbird?????? Don't any Thunderbird DEVELOPERS ever - WRITE? It is being recognized that handwriting benefits the BRAIN - I suppose we may actually need to go back there again... I abandoned MS for Linux then gave up on Linux for MacOS, because hardware vendors don't support their products fully under Linux (like Dymo address label software). And, of course, MacOS IS genuine UNIX, thanks to Steve Jobs!

Chosen solution

Thunderbird defaults to 72 on wrap, and I do not know why that wasn't working for you. The line you changed in config editor belongs to an addon. The thunderbird wrap line is mailnews.wraplength. Setting it to 0 should activate word wrap controlled by window width.

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All Replies (6)

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Puzzling. I have used Thunderbird for two decades and word wrap has always worked. Possibly knowing more about your settings may prove helpful. Word wrap is the default, so I'm surprised that it isn't working for you.

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re :Microsoft Outlook composition is close to that of Microsoft Word.

There is a common theme here - Microsoft own both and they charge users for their product, so have plenty of resources to create complex programs.

Thunderbird does not have those resources to create complex Word Processing programs and they are not related to eg: OpenOffice or LibreOffice or anything developed by Microsoft etc.

I've always found Thunderbird to be perfectly ok when it comes to composing emails and have no issues regarding Word Wrap. Thunderbird composing is designed in such a way that it should be able to be read by various OS and by people with various reading requirements and set up. Not everyone has the same fonts nor uses the same font sizes. So keeping it simple is actually a massive benefit. Believe it or not, the email you compose will look different on other peoples screens. Most of the code Microsoft insert into emails is just bloat and alot of it cannot be read by anything that's not Microsoft. It may look good to the composer using Outlook, but that doesn't mean the recipient is seeing the same.

Check settings and let us know what you are currently set up to use.

  • Settings > General
  • Scroll to bottom
  • Click on 'Config Editor'
  • In top search type: wrap
  • Post an image showing what you see.
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First, my THOUGHT was a PARTNERSHIP with the Document Foundation in order to USE pared-down LibreOffice code. I wouldn't expect Mozilla to develop their own.

Second, I changed the wrap # from 120 to 60 and, indeed, the TYPING wraps, but when I change the size of the compose window, there is no wrapping to the window size. I do NOT call this "word wrap" - or it's a very poor one.

Of course, I CAN see your point. But know this, after MANY years of use, I ABANDONED Firefox because they removed support for all the extensions I used the browser FOR - there was no point to NOT use Chrome from that time on. Chrome has been FAR more stable for me. Of course it has a commercially supported budget FOR development.

I'm ONLY concerned with MY functionality - NOT the philosophy of the developers, whether I may agree with them or not. I VERY much liked the ability to move menu items according to my USE of them, to avoid scrolling/searching down a list through things I rarely use. THAT sort of configurability makes a big timesaving difference for me. As an example of MY 'convenience', my Logitech MX Master mouse has buttons configured for Copy, Paste, Delete, Select ALL, Command-Delete for editing and file management (data management was one of my functions in IT work).

But thank you VERY much for your time in responding.

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Chosen Solution

Thunderbird defaults to 72 on wrap, and I do not know why that wasn't working for you. The line you changed in config editor belongs to an addon. The thunderbird wrap line is mailnews.wraplength. Setting it to 0 should activate word wrap controlled by window width.

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Polite request: Could you please refrain from typing using a mixture of capitals in the middle of sentences. It makes it much harder to read. I believe you are using it for emphasis rather than using it as 'shouting', but it's not helpful. You do not need to emphasis anything.

I've scanned the text you wrote and picked out the section which has relevant info for response on this wrap issue.

re :Second, I changed the wrap # from 120 to 60 and, indeed, the typing wraps, but when I change the size of the compose window, there is no wrapping to the window size.

In the image the only items in list which shows 60 is a preference set by an addon, so is not something default in Thunderbird code, which means it may be conflicting or effecting the outcome of wrap, but in your case I think is a bug which did not manifest in the previous 102* series.

As far as the issue regarding reducing window size and text not wrapping. I'm assuming you are using the latest release version. I have reported an issue which seems to be related to the Formatting Bar. I've included some links to bug reports which I believe maybe describing your issue. https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1878924 https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1867094

re :mailnews.wraplength Set this to 0 (zero) and all plain text emails will then wrap to window. If set to eg: 72, then the wrap is fixed at 72, but you should get a horizontal scrollbar indicating hidden text.

General info: The image you posted suggests you are using an extension called 'thunderHTMLEdit' which has been removed by the author from the available list of addons at https://addons.thunderbird.net. There is an alternative called HTML Source Editor: https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/addon/html-source-editor/

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To Toad-Hall - yes, that's a habit of mine. A retired English teacher friend says she does the same!! I DO treat this as speech. (see, I did it again!)

Thanks for the reference to the replacement for the older HTML editor - I use it at times even though (although I've had - one - class) I don't - know - (or - desire - to know) HTML!

My languages were RCA's IBM Assembly and the RCA/UNIVAC VS/9 EDT program - along with Stratus and Tandem (TACL) command languages. I - loathe - C-like languages (dunno why).

To David: Thanks, done.