Linux Workshop

Modding Mozilla - Themes & extensions can enhance Firefox and Thunderbird

June 29, 2005

Firefox

  • Extensions
  • Themes
  • RSS feeds
    • Left-click on status bar (creates bookmark)
    • NY Times
  • Opening Thunderbird on mailto: links
    • Use the program gconf-editor
    • desktop->gnome->url-handelers->mailto
    • Set the key command to mozilla-thunderbird %s
  • Adding search engines
  • Configurations
    • Enter about:config in the Location text box
    • Automatically search for text string- set accessibility.typeaheadfind to true (or Edit -> Preferences -> Advanced -> Accessibility -> Begin finding when you begin typing)

Adding protocol support

If you want to add an unsupported protocol (i.e. rtsp://), edit your ~/.mozilla/firefox/<gibberish>.default/prefs.js file and add the following line:
user_pref("network.protocol-handler.app.<protocol>", "<program>");

For example:
user_pref("network.protocol-handler.app.rtsp", "/usr/local/bin/mplayer");
tells Firefox to open mplayer to handle the rtsp:// protocol.

ALERT! Make sure you close Firefox before you change the prefs.js file, as Firefox will delete your changes if it is open.

Thunderbird

  • Actions for attachment file types
  • Getting Thunderbird to use Firefox for links in messages
    • Stop Thunderbird.
    • Find your Thunderbird profile directory (it will be something like /home/vunetid/.mozilla-thunderbird/d2dn4kj6.default/) and cd to that location
    • Create or edit the file "user.js" to contain the following two lines:
      • pref("network.protocol-handler.app.http","mozilla-firefox");
      • pref("network.protocol-handler.app.https","mozilla-firefox");
    • In Firefox (Edit menu...Preferences...Advanced...Tabbed Browsing): set desired behavior for links being opened from Thunderbird
  • Configure junk mail controls
    • Tools -> Junk Mail Controls...
    • Enable the Adaptive Filter

  • Configure Thunderbird to use Vanderbilt LDAP
    • Edit menu ... Preferences item
    • In Options window, click on the Composition item
    • Define the directory server like this:
      • Name: VUdirectory
      • Hostname: vudirectory.vanderbilt.edu
      • Base DN: dc=vanderbilt, dc=edu
      • Port number: 389
      • Bind DN: blank
      • Use secure connection (SSL) can be checked or unchecked (I like checked)

  • Extensions
    • Extensions are small add-ons that add new functionality
    • https://addons.mozilla.org/extensions/?application=thunderbird
    • Install an extension
      1. Right-Click the link above and choose "Save Link As..." to Download and save the file to your hard disk.
      2. In Mozilla Thunderbird, open the extension manager (Tools Menu/Extensions)
      3. Click the Install button, and locate/select the file you downloaded and click "OK"
    • Representative extentions
      • DictionarySearch
      • QuickNote
      • Quote Colors
      • Delete Junk Context Menu

  • Themes
    • Themes are skins for Thunderbird. They allow you to change the look and feel of the user interface.
    • https://addons.mozilla.org/themes/?application=thunderbird
    • Install a theme
      1. Right-Click the link above and choose "Save Link As..." to Download and save the file to your hard disk.
      2. In Mozilla Thunderbird, open the theme manager (Tools Menu/Themes)
      3. Click the Install button, and locate/select the file you downloaded and click "OK"
    • Representative extentions
      • Winstripe
      • CrossOver

Topic attachments
I Attachment ActionSorted ascending Size Date Who Comment
adblockEXT adblock manage 3.5 K 29 Jun 2005 - 15:33 WillGray Some Adblock Filters...
vanderbilt.pngpng vanderbilt.png manage 0.7 K 27 Jul 2006 - 11:05 JeremyStephens vanderbilt firefox search engine image
vanderbilt.srcsrc vanderbilt.src manage 0.4 K 27 Jul 2006 - 11:05 JeremyStephens vanderbilt firefox search engine source
wiktionary.pngpng wiktionary.png manage 1.1 K 27 Jul 2006 - 11:07 JeremyStephens wiktionary firefox search engine image
wiktionary.srcsrc wiktionary.src manage 0.2 K 27 Jul 2006 - 11:07 JeremyStephens wiktionary firefox search engine source
Topic revision: r14 - 24 Aug 2006, JeremyStephens
 

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