1051638 - Compose : Email address boxes "blued out"

Status: RESOLVED DUPLICATE of bug 1042780

(Thunderbird :: Message Compose Window, defect)

Description

[Brian S. Craigie]

Attachment: Thunderbird broken colours.jpg

User Agent: Mozilla/5.0 (Windows NT 6.1; WOW64; rv:31.0) Gecko/20100101 Firefox/31.0 (Beta/Release)
Build ID: 20140716183446

Steps to reproduce:

Start to compose a new email


Actual results:

The email address fields apart from the one you are currently typing in appear in blue (same colour as the background), making it not at all obvious that you can type in the other boxes.  See screenshot.


Expected results:

Input fields should all be white, not just the one you are currently typing in.

Comment 1

[Thomas D. (:thomas8)]

Yeah, Brian, point taken... As you will have guessed, it's by design... so what can I say...
- it wasn't my idea
- I'm still sceptical about it, although the "less edges and boundaries" aspect which makes a smoother header pane looks good to me
- your concerns concerning discoverability of inputs and breaking OS color conventions were raised and dismissed/ignored in the process

Personally, I'm more bothered that the new design is not even consistent within itself, compare the From dropdown vs. the recipient type selector dropdowns and their color behaviour...

Otoh, if you actually want to set a subject, suppose you'll hover your mouse over subject to get there, which is when the input characteristics show up as the field turns white... So I think it's not totally undiscoverable and perhaps we'll get used to the new design...?

Comment 2

[Brian S. Craigie]

Hmmm... I see.  It really looks broken now.  It seems there was no consultation with the users on this one, and I find it hard to read the text now, black on blue, and I am sure I am not alone on this one.  Probably breaks Accessibility guidelines.

Seems a strange choice of design.  Please can we either revert this, or make an option to turn it off?

Thanks :-)

Brian

Comment 3

[Anje]

I'm voting for a reversal to the better original design of leaving all FROM/TO/Cc/Bcc/Subject in clear white background offering full and clear visibility.
This would also be more intuitive to the user so that they instantly know can edit those lines.

In fact it would do everyone a favour if the entire code for the Write window was put back to the 24.6 version as the number of bugs in this Write window is more like an untested beta.

Comment 4

[Ed]

I'm also voting for the old behavior! 

1. Gray fields (To: CC: etc) assume that they are not editable. In TB they are! Very misleading!

2. In this new design those gray "fields" even do not look like fields, but like some horizontal lines! Make them look like fields/boxes!

3. The argument that "it's by design" does not mean it is good. Such design is simply bad and should be changed back. The guy, who suggested/implemented such a design should be kept far away from the development. Seriously. I know, there are a lot of people who have extra time and change something just because they can. Then millions of users suffer. 

4. Thomas, I totally disagree with the concept of "less edges and boundaries" and with the argument that the user CAN discover something by moving mouse. The user should see WITHOUT MOUSE what is what. The user does NOT want to play the "discover me" game to see what it is there and how it works. The user is here to write e-mail. Period. Remove all obstacles, discovery games, etc. Make it obvious! If someone wants to implement fancy interfaces, let them do it in separate product (games) or as add-on.

5. Thomas, we'll get used to the new design, but why should we? It is computers who are created to help/suit us, and not the other way around. In addition, during many years the users used to certain conventions. They spent time learning this. Now someone wants to change the rules of the game and compel ALL USERS to invest they time and efforts (to re-train reflexes) to learn this new interface, which, in addition, in not universal -- Tb uses this one, but all other applications use other conventions. Who needs this???? Make all controls with default look and basta. Everybody are happy! If somebody has time for design experiments let them do this in as add-ons. 

Please, undo all this interface changes!

Comment 6

[prr0616]

I vote for reversal as well.  Very hard to see unless you hover...pita

Comment 7

[Fabian Rodriguez:MagicFab]

This forum thread includes a possible workaround:
http://forums.mozillazine.org/viewtopic.php?f=39&t=2858087

Can someone confirm it brings back the previous look?

Comment 8

[Anje]

Tested using windows Vista.
Thunderbird version 31.0
This does bring back the white background for all headers - FROM, TO, SUBJECT fields.

Close Thunderbird before doing this.
In Profile folder create 'chrome' folder.
Open Notepad
Copy paste the following and then save the file as userChrome.css in the chrome folder in the Thunderbird Profile folder name.

/*
 
* Do not remove the @namespace line -- it's required for correct functioning
 */

@namespace url("http://www.mozilla.org/keymaster/gatekeeper/there.is.only.xul"); 


/*Changes Write window look after v31 update*/

/* ::::: From: msgIdentity box ::::: */
#msgIdentity {
background-color: -moz-Field !important;
transition: border .0s, background-color .0s !important;
border-radius: 2px !important;
}

@media not all and (-moz-windows-default-theme) {
#msgIdentity {
border-width: 0px !important;
}

#msgIdentity:hover,
#msgIdentity[focused="true"] {
background-color: -moz-Field !important;
border-width: 0px !important;
}
}


/* ::::: To, Cc, Bcc button ::::: */

@media not all and (-moz-windows-default-theme) {
.aw-menulist {
margin-top: 0px !important;
-moz-margin-end: 4px !important;
border-width: 0px !important;
background-color: rgba(128, 128, 128, .15) !important;
transition: background-color .05s ease-in !important;
}

.aw-menulist:hover {
background-color: rgba(128, 128, 128, .3) !important;
}

.aw-menulist[open="true"] {
background-color: rgba(128, 128, 128, .05) !important;
}

.aw-menulist:-moz-window-inactive {
opacity: .7 !important;
}
}

.aw-menulist > .menulist-label-box {
margin: 1px 0 -1px 0 !important;
}


/* ::::: addressing widget ::::: */

#textcol-addressingWidget {
background-color: -moz-Field !important;
border-width: 0px !important;
}

.textbox-addressingWidget {
margin-bottom: 0px !important;
margin-bottom: 0px !important;
transition: border .0s, background-color .0s !important;
}

.dummy-row-cell:not(:first-child) {
margin-bottom: 0px !important;
}

@media not all and (-moz-windows-default-theme) {
.textbox-addressingWidget {
background-color: transparent !important;
border-width: 0px !important;
}

.dummy-row-cell:not(:first-child) {
background-color: transparent !important;
border-width: 0px !important;
}

.textbox-addressingWidget:hover,
.textbox-addressingWidget[focused="true"] {
background-color: transparent !important;
border-width: 0px !important;
}
}


/* ::::: subject box ::::: */

#subject-box {
margin-top: 1px !important;
}

#msgSubject {
background-color: -moz-Field !important;
transition: border .0s, background-color .0s !important;
border-width: 0px !important;
}

@media not all and (-moz-windows-default-theme) {
#msgSubject {
border-width: 0px !important;
}

#msgSubject:hover,
#msgSubject[focused="true"] {
background-color: -moz-Field !important;
border-width: 0px !important;
}
}

Comment 9

[prr0616]

I tried this work around, but there must be some setting I am missing.  When I use the 'chrome' profile, I see no change at all.  

I edited profiles.ini to allow for the chrome profile
then I set up an existing email, to test for the change...nothing.  What am I missing?

Comment 10

[Anje]

'Close Thunderbird before doing this.
In Profile folder create 'chrome' folder.'

You do not create a new chrome profile and you do not edited profiles.ini.

You open your current Profile folder.
Where you see eg: 'Mail' folder, this is where you create a folder called 'chrome' using lowercase 'c'.

Open Notepad
Copy paste all the info as described in comment8  and then save the file as userChrome.css 
note the spelling, lowercase 'u' and uppercase 'C'. 
Save the file in the 'chrome' folder.

Comment 11

[prr0616]

Bingo!  I misunderstood the first time, and put the chrome folder in the mail folder.  It goes into whatever profile you want to use it with.  Works perfectly!

Comment 12

[Ed]

I do not get the point -- why the status is still "UNCONFIRMED"? I think everybody see the behavior. In which release will we see a fix?

To have a workaround is good, but it is NOT a permanent solution. Who is going to fix it every time by hand? In general, the whole situation around this bug looks rather crazy. First, some guy decides to change something which was working without problems before. Then the users complain and have to convince developers that this was a wrong move. Then, the users are told that they can fix it manually tweaking some files. And if they do, they stop complaining and the situation looks like solved, but actually it is not. 

Can't TB developers just make it working in a usual way, i.e. in the way and style typical for ALL applications in a given OS? And without any manual tweaking, please! 

Also, this unnecessary GUI "enhancements" always mean extra code. TB already occupies more than 100MB in RAM. If the development continues the way it goes, TB will become as useless as FF on my old PC with 1 GB of RAM. Developers, can you deliver a lightweight products? If somebody wants extra features (and ready to spend resources), there are add-ons.

Comment 13

[Ed]

20 days passed...Status is still unconfirmed. 
Today I have got an announcement of new update of TB where this bug is not mentioned. Probably we have to wait forever...

Is this how open source development works? One guy changed something and nobody is able to do anything!

Comment 14

[Michael]

Well i rolled back to an older version and it was all working ok but Thunderbird just updated AND its still blue.  WTF   Please see the feedback and fix this stupid problem !

Comment 15

[Thomas D. (:thomas8)]

We are not alone with ux-scepticism about the current design of the recipient area...

Looks like Bug 1042780, in the wake of similar user complaints, is headed for a scaled reversal/improvement of some of these problems. I believe we ought to watch that bug closely if it actually solves the usability issues but also be sympathetic with new design approaches. Forever exactly the same might eventually look outdated. :JosiahOne who introduced the new design is still very young so he comes with a lot of creative energy ;) But breaking all conventions at once doesn't work well with existing users; UX/design conventions certainly have their purpose and benefit especially in a desktop email application which in itself is probably a more traditional and conservative thing.
Thanks everyone for their feedback.

Comment 16

[rocnarmood]

IT IS NOT REALLY RESOLVED, when it was unnecessary & the fix is complex.  I don't even understand what you're saying to do to fix it.  I have no sympathy for new design approaches that change the colors scheme which has been long established.  I sincerely doubt anyone was complaining saying, "I can't stand the easy visibility of black text on white fields, MAKE THEM BLUE NOW!!"  If it isn't broken, don't fix it.  I could suggest useful improvements if you wanted to change something.  Please, I beg you, change it back in the next update without me having to implement the above workaround.  I'm terrified I will do something wrong & crash my email or lose some.  That's why I switched from Outlook, because I was sick of useless changes & crashes.  I have loved Thunderbird for years until this & now it's like when google added the stupid black bar.  https://productforums.google.com/forum/#!topic/websearch/PNzkRMU8Oqo   I hate even writing messages with it.  Is this change going to happen or do I have to implement this fix which I don't want to do?

Comment 17

[Michael]

I am also not confident to "code" I just want it to work the way it used to !!!

Coding might be ok for you geeks but for the rest of us we cant even understand the first lines so have no hope with the rest of it....   How about you make an Add-on called Thunderbird Classic or something if you want to persist with these really awkward new style that, lets face it, nobody really likes. An Add On is simple for people like me, coding isn't !

Or solve everyones issues and just revert it back to the way it was PLEASE.

Comment 18

[Michael]

PS....  I rolled back my office machine to version 24.6.0 and just put up with the problem looks at home and my laptop but i wonder if i am leaving myself open to security issues ?

Comment 19

[rocnarmood]

I can find no bug thread for the other negative result of this update, which is that I no longer have the simple Show Blocked Content button.  It's been changed so I have to hit two things to make it show now.  How is that an improvement?  It was easy before.  I just gave up & decided to show all content now.  So it's left anyone rolling back to a previous version to get away from these changes open for threats & now myself as well because I refuse to take the time to hit two buttons now on every email just to stay safe.  Why these useless changes?  If you want to change something, why not make "Search Messages" available as an icon in the toolbar & not just by CTRL SHIFT F?

Comment 20

[Anje]

(In reply to Michael from comment #17)
> I am also not confident to "code" I just want it to work the way it used to !!!
> Coding might be ok for you geeks but for the rest of us we cant even
> understand the first lines so have no hope with the rest of it....  

Michael and all others who realise that the new design is a poor design which makes reading difficult and does not use generic thunderbird feel eg: Text input fields appear as greyed out options instead of text input fields. Designers should be aware that maintaining a generic intuitive feel for all abilities is important. Hopefully, the developers will soon just erase the design and replace with original. 

The current option offered in comment 8 does not require you to create or understand any code.
It requires you to be able to follow basic instructions and the ability to copy paste. 

This is not a solution to this bug, but it is a means of continuing to use up to date releases which include security updates whilst getting back the old correct generic look. 

So, do not be daunted by creating folders and copy pasting.

Comment 21

[Michael]

ok... did it and it works !  YEAH.   Thanks so much, now a look i like and am familiar with.  Thanks

Comment 22

[REZA GANJAVI]

(In reply to Anje from comment #8)

Thank you Anje - works like a charm. TB made a mistake of graying out those fields - makes them so hard to read - please campaign for them to set it back like it was which was even cleaner than the solution you have because your solution makes everything just white - even field separators... but it's better than the standard.