Closed Bug 262626 Opened 20 years ago Closed 19 years ago

add UI to open about:config

Categories

(Thunderbird :: Preferences, enhancement)

enhancement
Not set
normal

Tracking

(Not tracked)

RESOLVED FIXED
Thunderbird1.1

People

(Reporter: raccettura, Assigned: mscott)

Details

Attachments

(2 files, 3 obsolete files)

Many users like to really get down and tweak their mail client.  Firefox has
about:config for doing som.  Thunderbird doesn't.  

I'm proposing to add a button to the Advanced category in the preferences to
bring up such a window.  That way a user can do some editing of their
preferences within a nice little structured editor.

Gerv brought this up on his blog:
http://weblogs.mozillazine.org/gerv/archives/006581.html

Since I haven't been hacking tbird in a while I had to download a tree, and I am
(it seems eternally) unable to build.... ugh... anyway, a rough patch forthcoming.
Attached patch Patch v1 Untested (obsolete) — Splinter Review
Attached patch Patch v1.1 Untested (obsolete) — Splinter Review
Small typo fix
Attachment #160864 - Attachment is obsolete: true
mscott:  Is this something we can persue?  I think it would be helpful for
advanced users.  If we tuck it away in the advanced prefs, it will be ignored by
the casual user (no more bloat), and be accessible to the geeks who want it.

I know it's not possible to have a UI pref for everything you can customize...
this gives everything a semi-easily-accessible-ui.

Status: NEW → ASSIGNED
no this should really be an extension and not in the core UI IMHO.
mscott: in the past, about:config has come in handy for Firefox to allow people
to immediately protect themselves from security issues (e.g. the shell:
problem). If we get some measurements of bloat and it comes in small enough,
would you consider including this (perhaps with a better accessor UI) on that
sort of contingency basis?

Gerv
If it's UI bloat:

That's why I put it in advanced prefs.  So that it's out of the casaual users
way.  I agree UI bloat is bad.  But this is 1 button  unleashing a gateway for
an advanced user to tweek to their hearts content.

As Gerv said, it's also a workaround for security issues should one arise.

If it's codesize... I think it should be rather miminal.  Especially considering
the benefit.  I know many people's complains about Thunderbird over SeaMonkey is
that it "lost" the ability to do ____... when it's all there if you edit the
prefs.  This just makes it easy for them.
Flags: blocking-aviary1.0?
Flags: blocking-aviary1.0? → blocking-aviary1.0-
(In reply to comment #7)
> Created an attachment (id=165374) [edit]
> Fixed typo, changed the path for pref-advanced.dtd
> 

Is this patch ready for review? If so, you need to request one.
mscott shot this down in comment 4.

Hoping he launches a rescue mission.
An extension that adds a toolbar button and a menu item is available at
http://aboutconfig.mozdev.org/ - but of course, that does in now way indicate
that it shouldn't be included in the default build. In fact, I'd prefer a button
in the advanced prefs...
Summary: Add advanced pref via about:config → add UI to open about:config
Version: unspecified → Trunk
i changed my mind on this. 
Assignee: robert → mscott
Status: ASSIGNED → NEW
Attachment #160866 - Attachment is obsolete: true
Attachment #165374 - Attachment is obsolete: true
Attachment #179338 - Flags: review?(darin)
I knew you'd come around. ;-)
Attachment #179338 - Flags: review?(darin) → review+
Attached patch rest of the fixSplinter Review
am open to better wording suggestions.

fix is in.
Status: NEW → RESOLVED
Closed: 19 years ago
Resolution: --- → FIXED
Target Milestone: --- → Thunderbird1.1
+<!ENTITY configEditDesc.label          "&brandShortName;'s Configuration File">

I'd personally go with "Advanced Configuration"

and put in small text near it "advanced users only"


Is that another patch you merged in there?  Looks like an aweful lot of files
for adding viewconfig. :-/
I like "Advanced Configuration". What would you label the button as?
Either leave it as
Config Editor...

or some alternatives:
Launch Editor...
Configs...


Personally I think  'Config Editor...' isn't bad.  'Launch Editor' is about the
only other way to word it I can think of (and like).
ok let's leave it as is for now
With the Windows installer version for 0406, the window that opens when the 
"Config Editor" button is pressed has zero height and, on resizing, never 
refreshes any content that might be in it; the interior of the window is filled 
with images of the dragged border and bleed-thru from whatever's behind it.
i probably forgot to commit the packaging changes for release builds.
(In reply to comment #21)
> i probably forgot to commit the packaging changes for release builds.

Well, could you commit them, then?
Firefox's release notes call it the "Configuration Console" - I'd go with that.
This feature is working now in the Zip build of TB 1.0+0414 -- thanks, Scott!
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