Messaging Menu support for Thunderbird is coming

The Narwhal may have only just gotten a name but it's already going to please users of Mozilla's 'Thunderbird' e-mail client: Messaging Menu integration is coming.

For the moment users wishing to get Thunderbird messaging menu integration can manually install this admittedly ace extension. This method is hardly taxing but it would be better if the extension was automatically added when a user installs Thunderbird.

Who do we have to thank for this over-due but oh-so-welcome addition? Ubuntu ace Chris Coulson who's keen to get an extension in tip-top condition ready to go in time for 11.01, stating on IRC that "thunderbird will be in the messaging indicator for sure next cycle". 

Thanks to the bug crusher extraordinaire ;)

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How to add Thunderbird to the Ubuntu messaging menu

Many Ubuntu users don’t use the default Ubuntu mail application Evolution and prefer to swap it out with popular alternative Mozilla Thunderbird.
Sadly, for Ubuntu 10.04 users, this means that you lose functionality in the Ubuntu Messaging Menu as Thunderbird doesn’t show up there.
Thankfully x-shane-x over on the Ubuntu forums has hacked around a near-perfect working solution: you can now add Thunderbird to the Ubuntu messaging menu! Hurrah!

How to add Thunderbird to the Ubuntu Messaging Menu (version #1)

First we need to add a few things to the thunderbird.desktop file contained within /usr/share/applications.
Press ALT+F2 and in the window that pops up type the following carefully: -

• gksu nautilus /usr/share/applications

You’ll be asked to enter your password. Do so and then relevant location will then open in nautilus.
Now locate the thunderbird.desktop file, right click on it and choose ‘open with gedit’. Once open replace the contents with the following: -

[Desktop Entry]
Name=Thunderbird Mail
GenericName=Mail Client
Comment=Manage your email and contacts
Exec=thunderbird %u
Icon=evolution
Terminal=false
Type=Application
Categories=Application;Network;Email;
StartupNotify=true

X-Ayatana-Desktop-Shortcuts=Compose;Contacts

Name[en_GB]=thunderbird.desktop

[Compose Shortcut Group]
Name=Compose New Message
Exec=thunderbird mailto:
OnlyShowIn=Messaging Menu

[Contacts Shortcut Group]
Name=Contacts
Exec=thunderbird -addressbook
OnlyShowIn=Messaging Menu

Save and exit. 

Next we need to add a text file in /usr/share/indicators/messages/applications named ‘thunderbird’.
Create a text file (Applications > Accessories > Text Editor) with the following inside: -

• /usr/share/applications/thunderbird.desktop

Save the file as ‘thunderbird’ and exit the text editing application. Place this in the messages/applications folder. To get to it press ALT+F2 and enter the following carefully: -

• gksu nautilus /usr/share/indicators/messages/applications

Now log out of Ubuntu and log back in.

How to add Ubuntu to the messaging menu (version #2)

Alternatively, if you’re feeling brave, there is an experimental plug-in available for Thunderbird which does all of the above for you.

To get it you will need to use bzr – a distributed revision control system.

• sudo apt-get install bzr notify-send python-indicate
• bzr branch lp:libnotify-mozilla/experimental-indicator
• cd experimental-indicator

You can now proceed to install the add-on as per any other.

Using Thunderbird 2? You may also want to…

Sadly, as Shane points out in the forum post with this tip in, this doesn’t inform you of new messages. One way to stay notified of new messages is to install the Thunderbird Ubuntu Notification Bubble Extension (that’s not the extensions real name but it saves an extra sentence explaining that’s what it does!)

You can get that @ https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/11530

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Display Thunderbird Unread Count On Docky

'Docky Unread Count' for Thunderbird adds an unread e-mail count badge onto your Thunderbird icon in Docky. The add-on uses the Docky Dbus API to add the badge so there's nothing to install or compile in Docky itself - it works just using the Thunderbird extension and the api. Pretty awesome! Features Right now the add-on only displays an unread badge on the icon. In later releases it may also gain right-click options such as a list of unread mails (similar to the GMail addon) or quick links to compose, inbox, etc. Download https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/72199

Docky developer rtz pointed this add-on in my direction, so thanks!

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Add-on Lets Thunderbird Use Ubuntu Notification System

Earlier today (which was just a repost of an article we posted very early last year!) we mentioned a Firefox add-on for getting Firefox to use the native Ubuntu notification system and ditching its own.

One reader asked if there was something similar for Thunderbird, and as luck would have it, yes there is! Props go to reader mjamesrd for pointing this out.

The Add-on

Snappily titled ‘Libnotify for Mozilla’ the add-on is intended to work in both Firefox AND Thunderbird. Whilst it works in Thunderbird, displaying notifications of new mail, it doesn’t work in Firefox as of yet. Not-to-worry, the previous extension we mentioned sorts Firefox out! 

Screenshot taken from, obviously, Softpedia – i don’t use Thunderbird so can’t take my own.

Download/Install

Download the following .xpi, saving it somewhere accessible. THe open Thunderbird, navigate to Add-on’s and manually install it using the prompts given.

http://code.launchpad.net/libnotify-mozilla/0.1/beta/+download/libnotify-mozilla-0.1.4-beta.xpi

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