800010 - Provide user interface for Gmail labels (X-GM-LABELS)

Status: NEW

(Thunderbird :: Message Reader UI, defect)

Description

[David Lechner (:dlech)]

I have a proof of concept in an extension that I wrote. 

For TB 16, use the beta channel version or v0.5 when it is released in the near future. https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/thunderbird/addon/gmailbuttons/

For TB 17+, use this: https://github.com/dlech/gmailbuttons/tree/tb17

I am sure someone can make it much better looking.

Comment 1

[Jim Porter (:squib)]

Could you post a screenshot? That would probably help people provide feedback without having to install the extension.

Comment 2

[Atul Jangra [:atuljangra]]

Though we can see the screen-shot on https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/thunderbird/addon/gmailbuttons/ , but it would be really helpful if you provide few screen-shots here only :-)

Comment 3

[David Lechner (:dlech)]

Attachment: Screenshot of Gmail Buttons extension

This shows a message with a couple of Gmail labels - 'Important' and 'Software Development/Thunderbird'. If you click on the 'X' next to either of these, that label will be removed from the message.

Everything else that follows does not pertain directly to this bug, but I am including it just for a complete explanation of the Gmail Buttons extension:

The 'Spam' button is a shortcut for 'move message to [Gmail]/Spam folder'. Likewise, 'Trash' button is shortcut for 'move message to [Gmail]/Trash folder'. 

In the account settings, the delete model is set to 'Just mark as deleted', so the 'Delete' button (hidden) does not move messages to [Gmail]/Trash, which is why there is a new 'Trash' button.

Comment 4

[David Lechner (:dlech)]

Attachment: Gmail Buttons extension for TB 17 beta

Starting with Thunderbird 17 beta, we can also show the Gmail message id (X-GM-MSGID) and thread id (X-GM-THRID).

Comment 5

[Atul Jangra [:atuljangra]]

Does we need to get some UI approval for this Bug?

Comment 6

[Atul Jangra [:atuljangra]]

CCing Mike and bwinton for UI approvals :-)

Comment 7

[Mike Conley (:mconley) (:⚙️)]

Comment on attachment 670846 [details]
Gmail Buttons extension for TB 17 beta

I haven't tried this patch out locally; I'm just working with the screenshot here.

But it looks like the GMail labels are buttons.  Does clicking on "Important" or "Software Development/Thunderbird" do anything?  If not, then we should not paint them like buttons.

If they're what I think they are - just tags - then I think we should render them as flatter, and less "press-able". Look at the way we render tags in the message header, for example. I think that's closer to what would make sense here.

Comment 8

[Atul Jangra [:atuljangra]]

Thanks Mike for the review. I will post another screenshot or patch soon.

Comment 9

[David Lechner (:dlech)]

Attachment: Gmail Labels UI v2

I have been working on my Gmail Buttons extension and came to the same conclusion that I should 'borrow' the styling from tags. I am pretty happy with the way it looks here. We probably want to add some space between the tags. Also, I would like to replace the (x) with an icon.

Comment 10

[Jim Porter (:squib)]

Removing a tag might be rare enough that you could just add a context menu to let you remove it. At least personally, I never remove (Gmail) tags.

Comment 11

[Jim Porter (:squib)]

Oops, hit Send too fast.

You could also add a context item that opens the folder for that Gmail tag, as sort of a way to filter messages with that tag.

Comment 12

[Atul Jangra [:atuljangra]]

Please see https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=798667#c5
I wanted to discuss the further approach on what should be done here. :)

Comment 13

[David Rees]

While Gmail Labels is cool, it only works at the message detail level. Optimally we want to see the X-GM-LABELS at the list view (like GMail supports). And it would be great to filter the list using those labels. In particular the ability to filter for the Importance GM-LABEL to get the equivalent of GMail's Priority Inbox.

As an example, Postbox is halfway there on the Priority Inbox in that it shows the Importance marker in the list view. However, it doesn't support filtering the Inbox using them.

Comment 14

[David Rees]

Also see related bug #871200 for adding filtering/searches using X-GM-LABELS.

Comment 15

[WADA:World Anti-bad-Duping Agency]

(1) Column of Thread pane for X_GM_THRID, X_GM_MSGID, X_GM_LABELS can be added by;
> <?xml version="1.0"  encoding="UTF-8"?>
> <!DOCTYPE overlay SYSTEM "chrome://WinBackMyTrash/locale/overlay.dtd">
> <overlay id="WinBackMyTrash-overlay-messenger"
>          xmlns="http://www.mozilla.org/keymaster/gatekeeper/there.is.only.xul">
> <tree id="threadTree">
>   <treecols id="threadCols">
>     <splitter class="tree-splitter" />
>     <treecol id="col_X_GM_THRID" persist="hidden ordinal width"
>               currentView="unthreaded" flex="1"
>               label="X-GM-THRID"
>               tooltiptext="Click to sort by X-GM-THRID" />
>     <splitter class="tree-splitter" />
>     <treecol id="col_X_GM_MSGID" persist="hidden ordinal width"
>               currentView="unthreaded" flex="1"
>               label="X-GM-MSGID"
>               tooltiptext="Click to sort by X-GM-MSGID" />
>     <splitter class="tree-splitter" />
>     <treecol id="col_X_GM_LABELS" persist="hidden ordinal width"
>               currentView="unthreaded" flex="1"
>               label="X-GM-LABELS"
>               tooltiptext="Click to sort by X-GM-LABELS" />
>   </treecols>
> </tree>
> </overlay>
(2) X_GM_THRID, X_GM_MSGID, X_GM_LABELS of a mail can be obtained from msgDBHdr.boxFlags.
(3) Problem is;
(3-1) I don't know how to show the "X_GM_THRID, X_GM_MSGID, X_GM_LABELS value obtained from msgDBHdr.boxFlags" to above column...
(3-2) Because X_GM_THRID, X_GM_MSGID, X_GM_LABELS is fetched upon "header fetch of new mail" only,
          "Repair Folder" is needed to know current staus of X_GM_LABELS.
         As known by Tag column, if many X-GM-LABELs are added to this mail, it's pretty hard to read column value...
(3-3) Because Gmail IMAP doesn't return X-GM-LABELS for this Mbox(Mbox name of this folder==GMLABEL of this Mbox), 
         X-GM-LABELS is only for knowing "which Mbox has copy of this mail".
         I don't think X_GM_LABELS column is useless, but I don't think X_GM_LABELS colimn is so usefull.

Comment 16

[WADA:World Anti-bad-Duping Agency]

Correction.
> Wrong : (2) X_GM_THRID, X_GM_MSGID, X_GM_LABELS of a mail can be obtained from msgDBHdr.boxFlags.
(2) X_GM_THRID, X_GM_MSGID, X_GM_LABELS of a mail can be obtained from StringProperty of msgDBHdr.