Unofficial working solution for TB 102

[AlexUkr73]

Fixed to work in TB 102.

• only showing photos from Local Directory is fixed (messageheaders and compose window);
• does not include LDAP fix by Aleksey aka ferta (see https://github.com/wangvisual/ldapinfo/issues/44#issuecomment-1142052900 InfoShow_102.zip )

[defacto64]

This one works, although it's looking a bit different than it used to. It has the limitations you said above, but it's much better than nothing :) Good work, thank you! 👍

[AlexUkr73]

@defacto64 Thunderbird developers are re-designed structure of Message Header. I figured out that the best way is to place frame with photos at the bottom of Message Header. In initial and other places it looks ugly.

[Exatice72]

@AlexUkr73 It works...sometimes for me. In my local address book of Thunderbird 102, my contacts have a picture (sometimes the same one). However, some photos are displayed well but others...not at all ! And I don't understand why... Any idea ?

[AlexUkr73]

@Exatice72

Try to re-check settings manually like shown in post below

https://github.com/wangvisual/ldapinfo/issues/44#issuecomment-1033406051

Also try to play with setting "extensions.ldapinfoshow.service_priority":

• you can put first "addressbook" value and then other values, like addressbook>local_dir>ldap>....

[Exatice72]

@AlexUkr73 I have checked these settings. In fact, I think it comes from the management of the address book (and photos) of Thunderbird 102: the old contacts with a photo are well displayed but not the new ones ! For example, if I modify an old contact by deleting its photo and replacing it by a new one, it will be displayed in the address book but it will not be displayed in the extension !

[AlexUkr73]

@Exatice72 You are right! Photos for old (not modified) contacts still can be displayed because they are present in cache. After modification or new contact creation - cache is not updated by addon.

Solution is not found on this moment. Moreover, from version 106 developers will introduce another mechanism for obtaining contact photo from card.

[AlexUkr73]

@Exatice72

Unfortunately there is no any solution (after switching to vCard format in addressbook).

https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=1617490#c4

Reading photos from AddressBook will be implemented in version 106 and I'll try to adjust addon accordingly.

[Exatice72]

@AlexUkr73

Thanks for your answer.

You said that photos for not modified contacts are still present in cache.

What is the location of this cache and would it be possible to modify it ?

Or it's not even worth thinking about it !

[AlexUkr73]

I don't know, really ;o)

I see from the code, that when modifying contact it's photo is removed from cache and updated again if photo exist (this is broken).

I've already played around with beta 106 version - new function seems not available yet.

[Exatice72]

@AlexUkr73

Hi AlexUkr73,

Any news about your addon ? Will it be compatible with Thunderbird supernova ? I hope so !

In Thunderbird 114 it is now possible to display sender's profile picture, but this picture is much smaller than in the addressbook...

[AlexUkr73]

@Exatice72 Hi, good news - i've managed to make photos from addressbook to display, but only in test addon SCF (ShowContactFoto). SCF_0_1.zip

I developed it from scratch based on MailExtensions development guides from Mozilla developers to check - is it possible to pull any photos from AddressBook at all.

When I realised that photos can be pulled - I reviewed LdapInfoShow code again to find the solution, but failed:

• photos somehow cached inside addon and this cache isn't updated on AddressBook items change.

The biggest minus of SCF - delay on displaying photo icons - maybe the reason is monkey code (I'm just advanced PC user) + additional layer between addon and Thunderbird (ugly by design)

But.... it runs on TB versions 91, 102. In 115-beta it also works, but does not display AddressBook photos ;o(

Plans:

• develop Options page for new SCF addon (to provide ability to control photo icons size, spacing, popup size/font. define path selection outside TB profile directory;
• develop photos displaying in compose window for SCF.
• review from time to time LdapInfoShow code in hope to resolve it's issue too.

I can not give any ETA for plans above, as this is tons of googling and thousands of wrong steps/attempts for amateur java coder.

[Exatice72]

@AlexUkr73 Hi, Thanks for the job !

As you said, it works on TB 102 even if I see the message "To protect your privacy, TB has blocked remote content in this message". So I allow remote content frome file://name-profile-thunderbird and all is ok.

However, I noticed a surprising behavior with another user (Linux) on the same computer with TB 102 (with another profile) and SCF does not display AddressBook photos...

Good luck with the rest of job

[AlexUkr73]

@Exatice72

I use Debian-based Linux for developing and testing with different Thunderbird versions: ("MX Linux" and the only one user defined in system)

• v 91 is installed from official repository and locked from updates (and use profile by default);
• v102, v108, v115 run as "portable" and have profiles in custom places (created using --ProfileManager option on start, e.g. /home/alex/Mail_releases/thunderbird_102/./thunderbird --ProfileManager )

Thunderbird releases are taken from https://download-installer.cdn.mozilla.net/pub/thunderbird/releases/

Different TB versions run with option to load defined profile, e.g. /home/alex/Mail_releases/thunderbird_102/./thunderbird --profile '/home/alex/.thunderbird_102/luvwn0gm.Default User'

All profiles contain directory "Photos" with images (created by AddressBook to store photos from contacts setup)

Path to profile can be found in TB from "Account Setting" -> "Local Folders"

Hope this information will be useful.

[AlexUkr73]

@Exatice72 Seems issue with AddressBook photos is fixed. Please try. InfoShow_102_AB_fix.zip

[Exatice72]

@AlexUkr73 Hi,

All is ok now with AddressBook with TB 102.4 !

Next step with TB 115 Supernova ??

Thanks for the job.

[AlexUkr73]

@Exatice72

Perfect. Regarding TB 115 Supernova - no plans, until I will be forced to use it ;o)

[AlexUkr73]

I've stopped developing of my own addon SCF (ShowContactFoto). LdapInfoShow has better performance, especially on messages with tens of addresses in To, Cc, Bcc.

Any approaches to improve performance did not work (due to Mozilla's security limitations with access to local filesystem) ;o(

Addon is fully operable. Storing settings and Options page are added. Functionality in messageCompose window is not implemented.

SCF_0_4.zip

[AlexUkr73]

@Exatice72

Fix with AddressBook photos for SCF (for TB versions >106) SCF_0_5_AB.zip

According to information from developers: We just released Thunderbird 115, which is now the current version and it will be shipped to all users in a couple of weeks. Thunderbird 102 will be end-of-life in a few weeks.

So, ShowContactFotos will be the only working solution as LdapInforShow does not work in TB 115

[Exatice72]

@AlexUkr73

Fine ! Everything looks good. Thanks again for your job.

[defacto64]

It works for me too, @AlexUkr73, thank you!

Have you thought of publishing your add-on to Github?

[AlexUkr73]

@defacto64 Good.

I've already submitted addon to be added to official Thunderbird addons page. They proposed some enhancements in code which I'm trying now to implement.

https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-GB/thunderbird/addon/showcontactfoto/

please note: there is the older version 0.4 without AB fix. SCF 0.5 above is most recent.

[Exatice72]

@AlexUkr73 Hi,

Would it be possible to have an option for displaying contacts only present in the address book or in local photos directory path ? And so, no display of contacts without photos !

Regards

[AlexUkr73]

@Exatice72

I think it is possible to add an opportunity for user in addon's options page to define whether to skip contacts without photo or to display selected "noname" image for them.

[Exatice72]

@AlexUkr73

So I'm going to wait for this next version !

Regards

[AlexUkr73]

@Exatice72

Hi, could you check version below with option to skip contacts without photo, please? SCF8_skip_nophoto.zip

If it is OK, i'll submit it to official addons repository.

[Exatice72]

@AlexUkr73

All seems ok !

Thanks for your job. Regards

[AlexUkr73]

Please note - version 0.8 is already approved and added to official addon repository, but has the bug:

• photos grid does not display on new email composing

Fixed in version 0.9

SCF9_skip_bugfixes.zip

[Exatice72]

@AlexUkr73

Sorry, but in version 0.9, photo does not display correctly on new email composing...

It is correct on sent messages.

[AlexUkr73]

@Exatice72

I can not reproduce your issue in version 115.1.1 on my Linux desktop. Have you removed previous version and tried to install new from file? What is addon's behaviour on clicking "reply" / "reply all" on any existing message ? - Are photos shown? Could you share addon's settings page?

[Exatice72]

@AlexUkr73 Hi,

With Thunderbird 115.4.1 on my Linux desktop Have you removed previous version and tried to install new from file? Yes What is addon's behaviour on clicking "reply" / "reply all" on any existing message ? Addon's behaviour on clicking "reply" /Reply or Reply all is normal and photos are shown Could you share addon's settings page?

New email composing part 1

New email composing part 2