158706 - [mozTXTToHTMLConv] Allow /*bold and italics*/ etc. (not just /bold *and* italics/ )

Status: NEW

(MailNews Core :: Backend, enhancement)

Description

[Stephan Slabihoud (:slabbi)]

Well, I like the text effects very much and would like to suggest to improve
them a little bit.

First it would be nice if you could combine text effects like
*/bold and italics/* or _*underlined and bold*_

Second it would be nice when text effects like
*bold* or shown without the stars.
Perhaps this could be switchable with a hotkey.

I have enclosed some pictures of a message reader I have written some years ago
for the Fidonet (anyone remember, there was a live before Internet :-)) that
shows my suggestion in action. ;-)

Comment 1

[Stephan Slabihoud (:slabbi)]

Attachment: picture with texteffects off

Comment 2

[Stephan Slabihoud (:slabbi)]

Attachment: picture with texteffects on

Comment 3

[alge]

Why don't you just use HTML instead of creating a new quasi-markup language?
IMHO, I don't think this would do any good as long as it's not used by other
major muas.

Comment 4

[R.K.Aa.]

Regarding comment 3: text decoration that is NOT HTML is a neat feature for
those who still see email and the WWW as two completely different things.

CC BenB for an opinion - he's been involved in many of these text-bugs earlyer.

Comment 5

[Wesha]

Mmm, I see where _this_ stuff comes from... /Good old times of 8086 and
*FIDO*net over 1200 bps lines.../ ;)

I'd raise my paw FOR some support of these nostalgic features. =^.^=

Comment 6

[Ben Bucksch (:BenB)]

> Second it would be nice when text effects like
> *bold* or shown without the stars.

You can do that with a user stylesheet. Basic, but a bit outdated information at
<http://www.bucksch.org/1/projects/mozilla/16507>. The */_ etc. are each wrapped
in <span class="moz-txt-tag">. You can use the > selector in CSS together with
e.g. class=moz-txt-star to hide some specific ones.

> I have enclosed some pictures of a message reader I have written some years
> ago for the Fidonet

Nice :-)

Feel free to hack the Mozilla code :-). Search bugzilla for "mozTXTToHTMLConv"
in the summary to get more info.

Comment 7

[Ben Bucksch (:BenB)]

-> Network, nobody

Comment 8

[benc]

mass assignment of text->HTML bugs to MailNews w/ esther as QA.

Comment 9

[Mirek]

> Second it would be nice when text effects like
> *bold* or shown without the stars.
> Perhaps this could be switchable with a hotkey.

The / , _ , and * should stay diplayed by default, these characters are used in
mathematic formulae!
Just imagine that the formula is
A _i = b_i *d_j /K_i + c_i* d_j/ K_ j 
(exaggerated but just A= b *d /K + c* d/ K is enough to be incomprehensible
without the / *)

I already had enough problems with the /'s being ALWAYS interpreted as italics
(terminal fonts do not have always italics - the text is then unreadable, just
try Windows fith FIXEDSYS font selected as monospaced font!). 

Comment 10

[Ben Bucksch (:BenB)]

> The / , _ , and * should stay diplayed by default

offtopic [my own comments suspended, because it's offtopic]

Comment 11

[Serge Gautherie (:sgautherie)]

Filter on "Nobody_NScomTLD_20080620"