TB 1.5.0.4 and TB 1.0.8 zip share profile

Due to my need to run current stable version of Mozilla calendar I require TB 1.0.8 on my system. But I would prefer to run my active email client with the secure version TB 1.5.0.4. So I first unistalled TB 1.0.7, installed .exe version 1.5.0.4, everything transferred fine. Then I downloaded a zip version of TB 1.0.8 and unzipped in it's own program folder called Thunderbird108. Problem is, it always shares the profile from TB 1.5.0.4
How do I make the zip version (1.0.8) create it's own profile when unzipping?
Thanks

 

Hi Dennis,

You should be able to create a separate profile for TB 1.0.8 (with a name different from that of TB 1.5.0.4's profile) with TB's Profile Manager. Then, if you don't already have one, create a shortcut icon for TB 1.0.8 and, in the Target: window of its Properties sheet, add -p profilename. Note that the profile name is case sensitive.

Do the same for TB 1.5.0.4's icon(s), so that it always uses the proper profile.

 

Good Morning Jim
When I unzip TB-108 in program folder I created, it automatically grabs active profile from TB-1504 (no prompts to user, just does it). Since TB-108 is a zip install, the only way to load program is the executable from within it's folder. Can not find an executable to startup TB108 "Profile Manager ".

 

Not a problem, Dennis. Open Start > Run, and type in the path to the TB 1.0.8 executable, followed by -p. That will open 1.0.8's Profile Manager, where you can either navigate to an already created profile, or create a new one.

In fact, it's not a bad idea to create shortcut icons for the Profile Manager and for Safe Mode for each TB or FF program you're using. I keep mine in a Start menu folder.

 

Thanks Jim

Got it done, everything working fine.
Now for a challenge ..
Can you / anyone provide a desktop shortcut syntax for a my TB108 account that automatically loads directly into Calendar (an extension in TB108).
Basically the shortcut would open TB108 and then load the calendar extension.
TB108 has no accounts set up for email, so when opening would be just dandy if it could load directly into calendar.
Thanks

 

Hi Dennis,

I can't think of a way to open your calendar extension (which one are you using, anyway?) directly from a shortcut icon, but someone else may have a suggestion.

I know that, in the past, you've used the Nightly Tools (or whatever it's called) extension, but have you tried MR Tech Local Install (which includes Nightly Tools)? It's a complete extension manager, even allowing you to run out-of-date extensions with the latest versions of FF and TB. I'm running eleven extensions with TB and fourteen with FF, and they all run properly, even those that haven't been updated since before the 1.0 versions of TB/FF.

Tell me what calendar extension you're using, and I'll see if I can get it to run properly with TB 1.5.0.4.

 

Let me get this straight. You your TB108 with no mail account, but with the calendar extention? I have never tried to do anything like this. There is always a n account which is irrelevant to make TB108 feel better. Then you can modify the shortcut Target by adding -calendar. I would expect that such shortcut would open only the calendar part. I had one like that set up for a mozilla or netscape of yore.Your Target should look like ...thunderbird.exe" -p TB108 -calendar (assuming that TB108 is the name of the unzipped program's profile.
I make these changes first, and then allow the new program to use the profile of my choice. I am using Thunderbird1.0.7, two Firefox nightlies, and one Seamonkey nighly, with profiles of their own, and no problem, at all.

 

Thanks Guys

TB 1.5.x only runs with Lighting Calendar 0.1. It's in alpha. Quote from Mozilla ...
There are KNOWN DATALOSS BUGS in the calendaring code.
* Don't trust these builds with important calendaring or mail data
* Always make backups (one possible strategy for Calendaring data backups is described at Calendar:WebDAV testing harness)
I have been working with their releases (Sunbird / Standalone 0.3a2), has a long ways to go. Stability, many basic features not yet built in.
The only stable calendar Mozilla has is Mozilla Calendar 2005011112-cal, but only runs on FF/TB 1.0.8 or lower, which is why I zip installed TB108. This allows my default Thunderbird profile to run TB1504, a more secure email client.

Your syntax nailed it Westside with the following attached to the shortcut (profile name is TB108-Calendar) ...
-P TB108-Calendar -calendar, it loads directly into calendar.
Thank you both very much. I now have a stable calendar and a secure email client.

 

Great! I may do the same thing with my old and neglected TB.

 

Dennis ...

Lightning 0.1, the calendar to which you provided the link, appears in the lower portion of TB's left pane every time I open TB 1.5.0.4. I didn't play with any of its features, as it didn't look very useful and I'm not really interested in such a calendar.

Mozilla Calendar 0.2.0, released on 18 Jan '06, runs on both TB 1.5.0.x and FF 1.5.0.x, but I couldn't get it to open from a shortcut icon using any permutation of Westside's suggested syntax (-calendar, -cal, -mozilla calendar, etc.). Instead, I could open it only by clicking on its toolbar icon. I haven't used it in the past, but it looks as though it could be very handy.

Unfortunately, according to the information on this page, work on the Mozilla Calendar has been discontinued, with further development efforts focused on Sunbird and Lightning.

 

Jim

It can get very confusing, probably because of statements like the following ...

If you follow the twist and flows, it all points back to the same ...
Sunbird ... Current version .03a2 alpha
Which is installed as a standalone. BUT, it can be installed / launched (from an extension) in FF/TB 1.5.x via Mozilla Calendar 0.2.0, but it is the same core calendar component (Sunbird).
Lighting ... Current version .01 alpha ... not compatable belowTB 1.5.x
Again is another TB extension and "will share the core calendar components and protocols" as stated as above, but will have a tighter TB integration.

ALL OF THE ABOVE is alpha, unstable, incomplete, not to be used as productive tools. Isolate, play with it, report bugs.

The version I'm using in TB108 is Mozilla Calendar 2005011112-cal
Very stable, but development stopped at FF/TB 1.0.7 compatibility.
I read somewhere development started over (Sunbird / Lighting) to adhere to the iCAL standards.

 

Dennis ...

Not true, unless I'm misunderstanding you. As I said in my last post, Mozilla Calendar 0.2.0.20060116 (MC) runs on v 1.5.x of both TB and FF, and is considered to be the last stable build.

I'm unable to get either Lightning or MC to open with TB from a shortcut icon on my system (I'm using only the 1.5.0.4 releases of both FF and TB).

Personally, I don't use a calendar/planner on my computer ... I'm old-fashioned, and prefer an 8½ x 11 paper desk calendar that I can write on. One advantage is that the previous year's calendar is included with my IRS papers each January (I still prepare my taxes the old-fashioned way, too ... I have an accountant do them ).

If I did use a computer calendar/planner, I think I'd prefer MC over Lightning, for a couple of reasons:

Stability: As you noted, Lightning is an alpha release ... it's "not yet ready for prime time ", while MC, even though it seems to have reached its final version, is stable.

Ease of use: Opening MC takes only a click on its toolbar icon, and it seems to have many more features than Lightning does at present.

Lightning has an always-present small calendar in TB's Folders pane (a "feature" I don't like, as it obscures many of my mail folders), but opening its main calendar requires at least one additional step. First, you have to click on the Calendars tab on the small calendar, and then you have to click on the name of your desired calendar, even if you have only one.​

To sum it all up, since MC will work with TB 1.5.x, it seems to me that it's completely unnecessary to run older versions of both TB and MC. Just my opinion .

 

Thanks Jim,
the MC calendar is safely in TB1.5.0.4, and beautifully available from Tools|Calendar.
I may never use it, but it is there if I want it.
I am with you about using a calendar. I got them all over the house, and a nice desk calendar which, occasionally, crashes...on the floor.

 

It's even more beautifully available if you open "Customize" and drag the Calendar icon to the toolbar.

 

Thanks Jim

You are correct with Mozilla Calendar 0.2.0.20060116. Installed it on FF1504, runs fine. My miscue was the following Version History with Changelogs for Mozilla Calendar 0.2.0.20060116 (January 16, 2006)

I had been working (testing) Sunbird standalone through .3x and was unstable and many of the previous features had not been incorporated. Will leave TB108 installed with previous MC version (appears only difference of the two releases is chrome fix) and process through with this stable version with FF/TB 1.5.x front ends. During backups will synchronize ics outputs file to match equivalent files in TB108 calendar file set. This way if future FF/TB 1.5x updates break the extension, I have a stable calendar with up to date ics files. Extensions are great, but they have a history of faulting during updates / upgrades.
Again Jim, thanks for this clarification, much appreciated!!

 

You're welcome, Dennis,

Now, I'll repeat the question I asked in post #6, as it pertains directly to rour remark that

"Extensions are great, but they have a history of faulting during updates / upgrades. "​

Since the addition of Mozilla Calendar to my TB extensions, I'm now running twelve there, and fourteen with FF. I know that some users have had difficulty with certain extensions when upgrading (I'm sure Westside will weigh in here), but Local Install has allowed me to run every one of my extensions without problems. It's the one extension I can't do without. For tips on using Local Install, see this previous post, as well as this one.

 

Hi Jim

I'm still running Nightly Tester Tools (1.0.4 current stable release) to keep my 38 extensions alive in FF. I believe they change the max version restriction of an extension to allow it to load in the latest FF/TB release. Most of the extensions provide convenience to the browsing experience , so I'm not overly concerned tricking back into compatibility. But calendar creates and maintains dynamic records, so I'm reluctant to force that extension into compliance.

 

Perhaps I'm missing something, but why would you need to force MC into compliance? It already works perfectly well with the latest official releases of both FF and TB.

I can't imagine running 38 extensions in FF. May I ask what they are? I'm running:

* Adblock Filterset.G Updater 0.3.0.4
* Adblock Plus 0.7.0.1
* Bookmark Backup 0.4.1
* Browster 1.6.8
* FlashGot 0.5.9.995
* Image Zoom 0.2.6
* Launchy 4.2.0
* McAfee SiteAdvisor Firefox Extension 21.0
* Menu Editor 1.2
* MR Tech Local Install 5.0.4
* PDF Download 0.7
* PrefBar 3.3
* SpoofStick 1.06
* Tabbrowser Extensions 2.1.2006031301
​

I'm going to uninstall PDF Download, as it doesn't do what it's supposed to do.

 

My goodness! 38 extentions? The poor thing must be dragging its tail(s)!
As for "helper" extentions, I have become a convert to the Local Install extention, which I have in all my browsers, except for FF3.0a1, where I have the Nightly Tester Tools.
I had found one recalcitrant extention, but Jim pointed out to me a new version which I did not know about.
In my experience nothing helps the Roboform extention, which will install, but, will then give me an unsupported browser message. Only Forecastfox did not work and Nightly Tester Tools told me to report it.
I still believe that Local Install is a bit overdone, but it works.
I am using now FF2.0a3, with seven extentions (addons in the new nomenclature), plus the two which come with the program, and I have everything I need.
As for the Calendar extention, it does not require any forcing in TB1.5.0.4.
Ok, I will get the calendar icon on the toolbar.
On the icon on the toolbar subject, I have been wondering why the new developing FF2.0 and 3.0 have done away with a link to mail, until I found out that IE7 has no link to mail. I have a programmable keyboard, but I still liked the little envelope on the toolbar.
By the way, I have been using alpha (or a versions) which have been as stable as rocks.

 

Just a general statement ... if a current version I was using was incompatible, I would be reluctant to force it in due to it creates and maintains dynamic information. As far as extensions, yeah I have my share. When it comes to extensions, I'm like a kid in a candy store.