I'm so tired of, frustrated with, and annoyed by the reduced and very cramped text viewing area display in the new Thunderbird version as of July 223!!
I'm so tired of, frustrated with, and annoyed by the reduced and very cramped text viewing area display in the new Thunderbird version as of July 223!! This is because the minimum line item display of emails is now three times the previous minimum of only 3 email lines!! And there appears to be no way to reduce that minimum!!
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I completely understand your frustration with the reduced text viewing area in the new Thunderbird version. It can indeed be bothersome when the display feels cramped. To address this, you can try adjusting the email list view settings. In Thunderbird, click on "View" in the top menu, then select "Message Pane" and choose "Vertical" or "None." This should provide more space for reading your emails.
To be as clear as I can, the "new Thunderbird version" I am referring to is "115.1.0 (64-bit) SuperNova". In that version, I tried every menu I could find. I could not find the label "the email list view settings". I also could not find any sequence of labels, "View", "Message Pane", "Vertical" or "None" in any of the menus I accessed. I also don't understand the term "top menu". And I could not find or access in any way a menu at the very top of the Thunderbird app window (if that's what the term "top menu" means).
I did find the option 'Layout' under the regular menu bar's 'View' section. Under "Layout" I found and chose the "Vertical View" which I had found before and did not like. But I guess you are right that it is the only other option that is slightly better for viewing more of an email while still staying with the 'email list view' of things.
I do think that this annoyance is one of the first things that the Thunderbird powers that be should fix.
Thank you very much for the help. And thank you very much for all your other hard work and effort.
It seems you have chosen to install and download the supernova 115.1.0 version. Currently Thunderbird is not updating to the new supernova, so if you got a mention of an update to Supernova it means you have some Update Software running on your computer and it located that particular version.
You say "very cramped text viewing area display". I'm presuming you are talking about the 'Message Pane' - the area which shows the content of a selected open email.
I'm not seeing any difference so this has to be due to some settings which may have been set up by default.
The new supernova design offers two ways of viewing the 'Message List' otherwise known as the 'Thread Pane'. One is 'Table View' (old method as used in 102*) and the other is 'Card View' which is new. At this point you have not mentioned which one you are using. You will see a new header toolbar above the Message List. It contains the name of the folder and number of messages. On the right will be the 'Quick Filter' button and a new icon - that new icon allows you to choose 'Table View' or 'Card View'.
If you are using 'Card View' then each email in the list will use more vertical space. So to see more of the list you end up with less height for the Message Pane. Note you can still drag the splitter upwards to reveal more of the Message Pane, but then you have a very short Message List. The 'Card View' is really designed to be used when using 'View' > 'Layout > 'Vertical View'. This means you see a lot more emails in the Card View list and get a full length Message Pane. Perfectly ideal for people with wide screens.
If you prefer the old method as used in version 102*, then you need to use 'Table View'. This means you can raise the Message Pane height and still see more of the list of emails. The 'View' > 'Layout' > 'Classic View' works best when using 'Table View'.
As in 102*, you can also control the Density - space between items in lists such as 'Folder Pane' ,'Message List' and Menus. Menu app icon > Density > three options available. This is also available on the Menu Bar under 'View'. To enable the 'Menu Bar' - 'Menu app icon' > 'View' > 'Toolbars' > 'Menu Bar'
some links to info:
Hello. Yes, I have this problem too, although I only just received the invitation to upgrade to Supernova 115.2 today (27 September, 2023), and I otherwise like the new appearance and functions very much. The problem appears to be that when using the 'classic' horizontal view with the preview pane below the message list pane (and regardless whether you have the folder pane open at all, or the message (preview) pane in wide or classic view), there is a control slider if you hover over the dividing line between 'message list' and the 'message (preview) pane. Whilst in previous Thunderbirds (and the 152 version), the control (with a 2-direction arrow) will slide up and down to a minimum of about a tenth of the total pane vertical height, but on supernova 115.2 it will only go to a minimum of about one-third of the height being dedicated to the message list. I am thinking that adjusting the settings of the computer screen settings, rather than the internal thunderbird/supernova settings, will alter the screen geography somewhat, and enable a larger area of the message to be read in the message (preview) pane, this is something that most people will not want to do. I think the best option, and it looks like it might make a number of disgruntled users very much happier, would be for the limits on the extent of this slider control to be adjusted, and would suggest a minimum of about 10% of available space. Now, I know that developers may be using different screen resolutions, and so to quote that distance in pixels might not be terribly helpful, so maybe this will help: In my previous version, I could reduce the message list pane (horizontal view) to a minimum of 3 lines of text, or 3 message items. (and increase it to 20 or 30, depending on resolution and screen size). In Supernova, the smallest I can make this message list pane section is 10 lines of 'dense' messsages, or 5 items of 'relaxed' messages (I like the dense and relaxed options, this is really good). If we could reduce it to a limit of 3 dense lines, or possibly even 1 relaxed line, I think this would satisfy people who do not like the current limit. Obviously, if it were possible to reduce it to zero, people would be at risk of accidentally hiding it completely and possibly unable to find it again. Would this be possible for next update perhaps?
re :This is because the minimum line item display of emails is now three times the previous minimum of only 3 email lines!!
re :The problem appears to be that when using the 'classic' horizontal view with the preview pane below the message list pane
You are talking about the 'Message Pane' which is not and never was a preview of anything. It displays the contents of an opened email.
I understand your issue - you cannot raise the splitter located at the top of the Message Header pane to a level that is satisfactory in order to show less items in the 'Message List' and increase the 'Message Pane area to show more email content.
Please see the information I posted at this link to instantly fix the problem.
In my example I'm happy with 150px, but I know many others who prefer 100px.
I would like less header Info, in the message pane Sender, date and subject would be ample and more space for the message preview. I would also like to be able to reduce the number of lines in the list of messages.
WHCHoare said
I would like less header Info, in the message pane Sender, date and subject would be ample
Maybe you are seeing the full headers. Check you have these settings:
- 'View' > 'Headers' > 'Normal'
In addition you can customise this area to a certain degree. In the opened email header area - click on 'More' and at the bottom select 'Customise' to see options that are available.
I would also like to be able to reduce the number of lines in the list of messages.
Maybe you are viewing the 'Cards View' as that view shows each message over two lines minimum. Perhaps you would prefer one line per email and see the column headers. Above the list of messages is the 'Message List Header' where you see 'Quick Filters' button - to the right of that is an icon - click on that icon to see drop down and select 'Table View'.
Note: 'Cards View' usually has Folder Pane on left, List of Messages in the middle and Message Pane on the right. When you enable the 'Table View' you may find it's not ideal to have Message Pane on the right. View > Layout > select 'Classic View' and the Message Pane will appear below the list of messages.
and more space for the message preview.
As a heads up it's not a preview, it is the 'Message Pane' and it displays the contents of a selected opened email. The developers for some unknown reason have increased the minimum height allowed for the Message List. This means the Message Pane cannot be raised higher than a spcified amount. If this is a problem for you there is a way to get around this. You need to follow the instructions at the following link to reduce the minimum height thus allowing you to drag the Message Pane further up.
If anyone is interested....I've put up some code which can be used to reduce the amount of space between the headers in the Message Pane header area. eg: between From and TO and TO and Subject. It makes it a bit more compact. https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/questions/1429674