Having no luck adjusting "chrome": help!
David Nebenzahl
change the fonts used in my message list in Thunderbird. I tried some
suggestions given in an earlier thread on the subject here, but nothing
seems to work.
So I finally tried to see if my userChrome.css was having *any* effect
at all. I put this in there:
/* Global UI font */
* { font-size: 11pt !important;
font-family: Verdana !important;
font-color: red;
}
which was pretty much copied verbatim from a page in Mozillazine
(http://kb.mozillazine.org/Pane_and_menu_fonts), except that I added the
"color: red" line so I could see if it was having any effect.
Nada. Zilch. No change in any font rendering whatsoever.
I *think* this is in the right folder (Windoze 2000, so I'm in
C:\Documents and Settings\[my user ID]\Application
Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\[profile]. Actually, I'm pretty sure it's the
right place, because when I modified my user.js in this same folder, it
had the intended effect.
What's going on here? Can anyone suggest the simplest test to determine
if things are working? like a .css file that just turns all my text a
certain color, or something?
Tony Mechelynck
> I'm trying to do the simplest thing in the world, one would think:
> change the fonts used in my message list in Thunderbird. I tried some
> suggestions given in an earlier thread on the subject here, but nothing
> seems to work.
>
> So I finally tried to see if my userChrome.css was having *any* effect
> at all. I put this in there:
>
> /* Global UI font */
> * { font-size: 11pt !important;
> font-family: Verdana !important;
> font-color: red;
> }
>
> which was pretty much copied verbatim from a page in Mozillazine
> (http://kb.mozillazine.org/Pane_and_menu_fonts), except that I added the
> "color: red" line so I could see if it was having any effect.
>
> Nada. Zilch. No change in any font rendering whatsoever.
>
> I *think* this is in the right folder (Windoze 2000, so I'm in
> C:\Documents and Settings\[my user ID]\Application
> Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\[profile]. Actually, I'm pretty sure it's the
> right place, because when I modified my user.js in this same folder, it
> had the intended effect.
Nope. That is indeed your profile folder, but userChrome.css (like
userContent.css, but unlike user.js and prefs.js) should be in its "chrome"
subfolder.
>
> What's going on here? Can anyone suggest the simplest test to determine
> if things are working? like a .css file that just turns all my text a
> certain color, or something?
move the CSS sheet to the chrome subfolder of where it is now. With "color:
red" it should turn all "chrome" text to red, including pretty much everything
in the Main window (except maybe the Preview pane).
userChrome.css should also, I am told, have the following line near the top:
@namespace url("http://www.mozilla.org/keymaster/gatekeeper/there.is.only.xul");
(it's one line, even if your mailer or mine "beautified" it by adding a
spurious linebreak).
Best regards,
Tony.
--
I wouldn't mind dying -- it's that business of having to stay dead that
scares the shit out of me.
-- R. Geis
David Nebenzahl
> David Nebenzahl wrote:
>> I'm trying to do the simplest thing in the world, one would think:
>> change the fonts used in my message list in Thunderbird. I tried some
>> suggestions given in an earlier thread on the subject here, but nothing
>> seems to work.
>>
>> So I finally tried to see if my userChrome.css was having *any* effect
>> at all. I put this in there:
>>
>> /* Global UI font */
>> * { font-size: 11pt !important;
>> font-family: Verdana !important;
>> font-color: red;
>> }
>>
>> which was pretty much copied verbatim from a page in Mozillazine
>> (http://kb.mozillazine.org/Pane_and_menu_fonts), except that I added the
>> "color: red" line so I could see if it was having any effect.
>>
>> Nada. Zilch. No change in any font rendering whatsoever.
>>
>> I *think* this is in the right folder (Windoze 2000, so I'm in
>> C:\Documents and Settings\[my user ID]\Application
>> Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\[profile]. Actually, I'm pretty sure it's the
>> right place, because when I modified my user.js in this same folder, it
>> had the intended effect.
>
> Nope. That is indeed your profile folder, but userChrome.css (like
> userContent.css, but unlike user.js and prefs.js) should be in its "chrome"
> subfolder.
That was the problem. Now why didn't anyone else say that? I guess they
all *assumed* I knew that ... but thanks.
David Nebenzahl
Just a follow-up:
1. For those who like a serif as opposed to a sans-serif face, Georgia
is actually kinda nice.
2. Is this stuff (all the CSS elements in the Moz interface) documented
anywhere that mere mortals, as opposed to godlike developers, can get
their hands on it? I've hunted around, and unfortunately, the best that
Mozallazine can seem to do is to link to a few threads of discussion,
rather than any comprehensive collection of information.
> userChrome.css should also, I am told, have the following line near the top:
>
> @namespace url("http://www.mozilla.org/keymaster/gatekeeper/there.is.only.xul");
>
> (it's one line, even if your mailer or mine "beautified" it by adding a
> spurious linebreak).
I left this out and things seem to work just fine. Why would I want to
include this line? Does it make Thunderbird "call home" to that URL?
Tony Mechelynck
You'll find additional examples (mostly for Firefox, but maybe some of them
can be applied to Thunderbird too) at
http://www.mozilla.org/unix/customizing.html -- and it does say that user*.css
reside in the chrome subdirectory of your folder. Of course, the problem is:
how do you find that page? One way is the grapevine, which is not very
reliable; another way is from a comment in the Firefox (not Thunderbird)
userChrome-example.css -- which is in the same directory where you would place
userChrome.css -- a chicken-and-egg problem.
Good luck with your CSS customizations!
Best regards,
Tony.
--
Yesterday is history.
Tomorrow is a mystery.
Today is a gift.
That's why it is called 'present'.
Tony Mechelynck
I don't know, I've never seen it explained anywhere, and that's why I just
opened a bug report: https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=390011
I guess -- but it's only a guess - that that line protects against some rare
kind of Mozilla-directed malware exploit. But I damn would like to hear from
the people (if any) who are really in the know.
The Firefox userChrome-example.css only says "Don't remove the @namespace
line, it's required for correct functioning".
Best regards,
Tony.
--
The study of non-linear physics is like the study of non-elephant
biology.
Tony Mechelynck
> On 7/28/2007 10:00 PM Tony Mechelynck spake thus:
>
> Just a follow-up:
>
> 1. For those who like a serif as opposed to a sans-serif face, Georgia
> is actually kinda nice.
...if, of course, it's installed on your computer. I personally favour Times
New Roman, which is fairly standard, but I don't forget to list alternatives, e.g.
body
{ font-family: "Times New Roman"
, "Adobe Times"
, Times
, serif !important
}
>
> 2. Is this stuff (all the CSS elements in the Moz interface) documented
> anywhere that mere mortals, as opposed to godlike developers, can get
> their hands on it? I've hunted around, and unfortunately, the best that
> Mozallazine can seem to do is to link to a few threads of discussion,
> rather than any comprehensive collection of information.
[...]
1) userChrome-example.css in the chrome subfolder of a _browser_ (Firefox or
SeaMonkey) profile
2) http://www.mozilla.org/unix/customizing.html
3) To find element types, classes and IDs: use the DOM inspector tool, an
optional component, distributed with some (or all?) Mozilla products. If you
have it installed, it appears (in Tb 1.5 and later, Fx 1.5 and later, Sm 2.0a1
"suiterunner" and later) among your Extensions in your addons manager, and in
that case it can be launched from the Tools menu).
Best regards,
Tony.
--
The other night I was having sex, but the girl hung up on me.
Alex K.
No it does not.
See my reply to Tony's userChrome question in the FF group.
--
Alex K.
David Nebenzahl
> David Nebenzahl wrote:
>> On 7/28/2007 10:00 PM Tony Mechelynck spake thus:
>>
>> Just a follow-up:
>>
>> 1. For those who like a serif as opposed to a sans-serif face, Georgia
>> is actually kinda nice.
>
> ...if, of course, it's installed on your computer. I personally favour Times
> New Roman, which is fairly standard, but I don't forget to list alternatives, e.g.
>
> body
> { font-family: "Times New Roman"
> , "Adobe Times"
> , Times
> , serif !important
> }
Why on Earth would I want to do that?
Remember, this is *my* computer in *my* home, not a work computer at my
employer's place. I know exactly what fonts are installed on my
computer, and it's not as if any of them are going to mysteriously fly
away from their font folder.
By the way, I think Georgia is one of the standard fonts installed on
all Windoze boxes.
Phillip M. Jones, C.E.T
The most compatible font family for PC to Mac or Mac to PC is Ariel,
Next best Helvetica. Helvetica started out as a Mac only Font. So MS
came up with a knock off substitute that ended up as substitute for
Helvetica The Apple decided to a use a version of it because it looked
like the MS version. Its not the prettiest font, and tends to make your
eyes glaze over looking at it. But if you need something that one break
line breaks and such the use it (Ariel).
--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Phillip M. Jones, CET http://www.vpea.org
If it's "fixed", don't "break it"! mailto:pjo...@kimbanet.com
http://www.kimbanet.com/~pjones/default.htm
Mac G4-500, OSX.3.9 Mac 17" PowerBook G4-1.67 Gb, OSX.4.10
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tony Mechelynck
Why on Earth? So the file becomes more portable, for one thing, for the time
when you'll install it on another computer, maybe one running Linux or even on
a Mac. (And don't try to tell me you're wedded to Micro$$$$$oft Windows till
death do you part.) Also, the lookup is done character-by-character, not
font-by-font: by using fonts which "marry" well together but have different
ranges of "defined characters", you can have them fill each other's gaps. (The
CSS standard mandates that the last font in the list SHOULD be a generic font,
i.e., one of serif, sans-serif, monospace, cursive or fantasy.)
Finally, it's a good habit to teach yourself for the day when you'll be
writing CSS for the web pages you'll publish on the web, even if only for your
"home site": you won't know then with certainty which fonts are or aren't
installed on all your visitors' computers.
Best regards,
Tony.
--
MESKIMEN'S LAW
There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over.
Tony Mechelynck
Ariel and Helvetica are quite common, but they are sans-serif fonts. We were
talking about serif fonts.
My rule-of-thumb is to list first the one I find prettiest, then add a few
ones which are common on various platforms, and end with a generic font.
Best regards,
Tony.
--
Gordon's first law:
If a research project is not worth doing, it is not worth doing
well.
David Nebenzahl
> 3) To find element types, classes and IDs: use the DOM inspector tool, an
> optional component, distributed with some (or all?) Mozilla products. If you
> have it installed, it appears (in Tb 1.5 and later, Fx 1.5 and later, Sm 2.0a1
> "suiterunner" and later) among your Extensions in your addons manager, and in
> that case it can be launched from the Tools menu).
I'm interested in this, but don't have it installed and can't find it (I
looked in the list of Mozilla extensions but no joy). Can you tell me
where this can be gotten?
Ron K.
announced:
It should be available at the Thunderbird Add-on site. I got the older
version for Tb 1.5 from a link in the version for Tb 2.0.
https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/1806
Link to the Tb 2.0 version.
--
Ron K.
Don't be a fonted, it's just type casting