CharlieFarley said

Is there anyone out there who can advise the best course of action and how to achieve it?

If it is working, that you have achieved the outcome you need to.

The Font Changer adon has once again disappeared as it did in January but then reappeared miraculously. Can we expect that to happen again or is it a goner tis time.

There must be a SIMPLE fix for this?

Hello

I hadn't noticed this as my font sizes have not reverted to 9 but yes, it has more or less gone from my system too (not in menu again and only part of it working in add-ons).

Probably due to another "I'll f***k up all your add-ons update from Mozilla Thunderbird"

I am tired of the small fonts in Thunderbird and I think it's time they fixed it or I am going to have to look for a new email program. A lot of the answers (links) I have seen here do not work so if someone has a link that does work could you please post if for the rest of.

I applied this fix yesterday with Thunderbird 52.5 on my iMac. I assume it will also work for Windows and Linux too. I found this solution in another thread/forum. So far it so good.......

+ Download the "xpi" file for the latest TFSC release. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/theme-font-size-changer-for-tb/ + select [Download Now]

+ Change the file suffix from xpi to zip

+ Unpack the zip file into a work directory

+I n your work directory there will be a file called "bootstrap.js". In that file, search for a function called "compile:function()". Comment out the line that begins with "if(new Date().getTime()".

+ Save your changed bootstrap.js

+ Zip the contents of your work directory into a new .zip file. Note that you need to zip the contents of the work directory, not the directory itself.

+ Change the suffix of your new zip file to xpi.

+ Install your xpi file as a thunderbird add-on.

+ Set automatic updates to off for your new version

SafeTex said

Probably due to another "I'll f***k up all your add-ons update from Mozilla Thunderbird"

As the comments in first pages stated https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1198318#answer-1066778. The extension author is doing this by using a timebomb for it to stop working at a set date if you do not get a new extension update from the author before said date.

Neither Mozilla, the Thunderbird community that makes Thunderbird or Thunderbird updates are doing this.

The disappearance of the font changer AGAIN must have a cause, is it not possible for Mozilla to make a formal statement on this issue and offer solutions.

Do they not wish to engage with the author of the various addons for the benefit of all users or alternatively consider a redesign of the buttons and tool bar with a larger font say 14 so we can all see it, as a default version.

The fix offered on this thread needs some tech help and assumedly would be based around doing away with auto updates, once installed, which would leave the user locked in to a single version..

Will the addon reappear like last time, how did that occur?

I am so puzzled by all of this.

The author put up a new extension version update six days after the old one expired due to timebomb. That is why it may have seemed to suddenly work again.

If that's the case, why can't we just re-install it and have it work. I have tried 4 times to do that and it still doesn't work.

CharlieFarley said

The disappearance of the font changer AGAIN must have a cause, is it not possible for Mozilla to make a formal statement on this issue and offer solutions.

Given Mozilla do not make Thunderbird, the Thunderbird council and volunteer community do. Asking or expecting Mozilla for a formal anything is rather like asking Microsoft to comment. Mozilla allow us to continue to use the name, they allow the council to operate under their banner. They do not contribute to the development effort.

Do they not wish to engage with the author of the various addons for the benefit of all users or alternatively consider a redesign of the buttons and tool bar with a larger font say 14 so we can all see it, as a default version.

No we do not. We are having enough trouble keeping Thunderbird code in a build ready state given all the change that Firefox Quantum has brought to the code base in the past 12 months and will continue to do for the next year. There is not much new anything being done, most of the work is to keep what we alreasdy have functioning.

The fix offered on this thread needs some tech help and assumedly would be based around doing away with auto updates, once installed, which would leave the user locked in to a single version..

Perhaps, perhaps not. It depends on how the add-on is modified from the original. but there is no reason to tun off updates as that will guarantee that a new fixed version will not install.

Will the addon reappear like last time, how did that occur?

The author posted a fixed version of the add-on and it automatically updated.

I am so puzzled by all of this.

Unless there is significant work done to the add-on, It will not work with Thunderbird V60 (the next major release) when it is released. What to do is being discussed, but the decisions will not be posted here. Pert of the issue is a lot the add-on support functionality has been pulled from the Thunderbird source tree by the Firefox quantum project. (they use web extension technology now in Firefox). The impacts of the changes in version 60 are so great that all unmodified add-ons will be marked incompatible when the update is released. I hope most add-on authors step up to the plate, but I am sure there will be some who do not. Or do it late because their paying jobs take precedence over their volunteer time in maintaining their add-on.

Thank you Matt for your comprehensive and thoughtful response to the issues I raised.

While I do not fully understand all of what you said it is clear now that unless the addon author does some modification to the font changer addon it is not going to work with Thunderbird when the next big update described is made.

We can only hope that with time the issue will correct itself and in the meantime just suck it up with the tiny font which makes the programme's use more difficult for us of the older fraternity. I would be loath to consider moving away from Thunderbird as it has served me well for a number of years so will be patient in the meantime.

Well done to the enthusiastic and knowledgeable team of volunteers who keep Thunderbird on track.

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1213520#answer-1100279

Hello Matt,

Just wondering whether there have been any developments, that you are aware of, for an easy fix so as to be able to again install the Font Changer to Thunderbird. Have seen some possible fixes but they seem horrendously complex for the average user. Do appreciate your expertise.

Try this version of the Theme Font & Size Changer extension.

https://addons.mozilla.org/thunderbird/addon/theme-font-size-changer-fixed/

I downloaded this and all I got was an XPI file which notebook opened but could do nothing with it. Am I missing something??

https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/thunderbird-add-ons-frequently-asked-questions#w_installing-add-ons-downloaded-from-outside-thunderbird-e-g-using-a-web-browser-like-firefox

Tried that and all I got was a message that Adobe could not handle it. Does seem there is now a version which works so long as we can download it successfully. Not quite there yet!

The add on site for Mozilla is now fixed. Thank you to whoever did it but I can now read my screen again.

The add on section of Mozilla now has the fixed version and it works.

Yay!!! I have cracked it and it is again a pleasure to see my Thunderbird desktop.

Thanks everybody good job.