454931 - [calendar integration] Add Calendar and Task mode to folder pane

Status: NEW

(Calendar :: General, enhancement)

Description

[Bryan Clark (DevTools PM) [:clarkbw]]

Part of the calendar integration lightning needs to remove the mode buttons in favor of using the folder pane to open the calendar.  Description in the wiki page link provided.  This change would depend on the new folder pane, bug 446306

Comment 1

[Philipp Kewisch [:Fallen][📱📆]]

Duplicate of bug 341230 ?

Comment 3

[Pete Riley]

I understand that changing modes (Mail/Calendar/Tasks) will simply open new tabs in Thunderbird 3.0 instead of changing modes like in TB 2.  In general that seems like a good idea, but I see some problems with this and with removing the Mode Toolbar:

Appearance:
I think that abandoning the graphical buttons of the Mode Toolbar is wrong.  If you really don't like it, at least please consider using Outlook-style horizontal bars in the left pane, or there must be some nice graphical way to switch modes with real buttons without using the wiki's cheap-looking text hyperlinks like a web app uses.  (i.e. If I wanted Gmail's non-graphical, web-based UI then I would use Gmail instead of Thunderbird+Lightning.)

Functionality:
Another problem with the wiki proposal is that it doesn't seem to consider people who have dozens of folders/mailboxes always expanded in the folder pane (so there's a scrollbar).  I think the buttons for Calendar/Tasks/Contacts should always be visible without scrolling.

A third problem is that when we're in Calendar Mode (i.e. looking at month view), we need to see the minimonth and calendar list in the left pane, but there won't be enough room if the mail folders are always in the left pane.

Comment 4

[Heribert Wettels]

I support Pete's comments, especially the functionality argument. Can't see any functional advantages in removing the graphical mode switcher.

Comment 5

[Fabi]

I also support Pete's comments. Users with many mail accounts will have serious problems. Also the appearance is much nicer with buttons instead of links.

Comment 6

[Bryan Clark (DevTools PM) [:clarkbw]]

bug 218999  Comment #89 has notes about a "tab shortcuts" area that will give constant access (similar to the mode buttons) for opening the calendar, task, and address book in a new tab.  Graphical only buttons with tooltips, these be available as well as the entries in the folder pane.

Comment 7

[Bryan Clark (DevTools PM) [:clarkbw]]

bug 402365 has a screenshot in attachment 341996 [details] showing the tab shortcuts.  This is working code from the patch in attachment 341994 [details] [diff] [review]

Comment 8

[Philipp Kewisch [:Fallen][📱📆]]

Can we close this bug in favor of bug 402365 ? In the current nightlies, the mode buttons are now in the tab row.

All that may be left for this bug is to discuss if the buttons should rather be placed on the right or on the left.

Comment 9

[Bryan Clark (DevTools PM) [:clarkbw]]

lets leave this bug for calendar integration into the folder pane (bug 446306), I think that will likely have a different outcome than the earlier mockups now that the tab shortcuts have been implemented.  However I still think there is room for the calendar to appear in the Folder Pane in a useful way.

But I'm going to take this off the calendar integration list because as you mention we have the mode buttons in the tab shortcut area.  Assuming that's good enough, and I think it is, then we're already secured this integration point down.

Comment 10

[Philipp Kewisch [:Fallen][📱📆]]

Ah yes, forgot about that part. Updating summary.