Thunderbird - tabs

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smaragdus
Posts: 2120
Joined: Sat Jun 22, 2013 3:24 am
Location: Aeaea

Thunderbird - tabs

#1 Post by smaragdus »

One can use userChrome.css to modify the abominable rounded tabs in Thunderbird:

Image

and make them square:

Image

Code: Select all

* {
font-size: 8pt !important;
font-family: "Verdana" !important;
/*font-size: 10pt !important;
font-family: "Segoe UI Semibold" !important; */
}
/*
* the following deals with tabs:
*
* 1. make them square
* 2. Blend the active tab with the toolbar background
* 3. Subtle background highlight for the hovered tab
* 4. Slightly reduce the hight
* --------------------------------------------------------------------
*/
#tabs-toolbar .tab-background{
margin: 0 !important;
background: transparent !important;
}
#tabs-toolbar .tab-background-start,
#tabs-toolbar .tab-background-end{
display: none !important;
}
#tabs-toolbar .tab-background-middle{
margin: -4px -2px !important;
background: transparent !important;
}
#tabs-toolbar .tabmail-arrowscrollbox {
margin: 0px !important;
}
#mail-toolbox{
box-shadow: 0px -1px 0px threedshadow inset !important;
}
#tabs-toolbar .tabmail-tab {
padding: 2px !important;
max-height: 26px !important;
height:26px !important;
}
#tabs-toolbar .tabmail-tab:not([first-tab]) {
padding: 2px !important;
}
#tabs-toolbar .tab-text {
font-size: 8pt !important;
font-weight: bold !important;
}
#tabs-toolbar .tab-text:not([selected]):-moz-window-inactive {
color: rgba(0,0,0,0.5) !important;
}
#tabs-toolbar .tabmail-tab:hover:not([selected]) {
background: #d7d8da !important;
}
#tabs-toolbar .tabmail-tab[selected]{
background: -moz-dialog !important;
/*border-style: none !important;*/
border: 1px solid threedshadow !important;
border-bottom: none !important;
}
/*
Source 1
Source 2

I have not found a better method to change Thunderbird tabs shape from rounded to square.

Specular
Posts: 443
Joined: Sun Feb 16, 2014 10:54 pm

Re: Thunderbird - tabs

#2 Post by Specular »

Looks like there's an addon that similarly modifies the tab appearance, for those that prefer it.

User avatar
smaragdus
Posts: 2120
Joined: Sat Jun 22, 2013 3:24 am
Location: Aeaea

Re: Thunderbird - tabs

#3 Post by smaragdus »

@Specular
Thank you very much for the add-on, I saved the link for possible future usage. For POP3 I am still using an ancient version of Thunderbird (2.0.0.24), I have tested the PortableApps version of Thunderbird several times but I cannot get past the GUI changes I dislike. For me no great new features can be an adequate compensation for an interface which repels me.

User avatar
FileHandler
Posts: 137
Joined: Sat Aug 15, 2015 7:11 pm

Re: Thunderbird - tabs

#4 Post by FileHandler »

I downloaded userChrome.css. It can customize other GUI elements as well, not just tabs. Been tinkering with font sizes for the folder list and list spacing etc - et voila - I finally managed to get the sidebar look the way I always wanted.
Many thanks. :)

User avatar
JohnTHaller
Posts: 714
Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2010 4:44 pm
Location: New York, NY
Contact:

Re: Thunderbird - tabs

#5 Post by JohnTHaller »

For Thunderbird Portable, you'd place the userChrome.css file within X:\PortableApps\ThunderbirdPortable\Data\profile\chrome

For a version of the above without the font changes, you can use this:

Code: Select all

/*
* the following deals with tabs:
*
* 1. make them square
* 2. Blend the active tab with the toolbar background
* 3. Subtle background highlight for the hovered tab
* 4. Slightly reduce the hight
* --------------------------------------------------------------------
*/
#tabs-toolbar .tab-background{
margin: 0 !important;
background: transparent !important;
}
#tabs-toolbar .tab-background-start,
#tabs-toolbar .tab-background-end{
display: none !important;
}
#tabs-toolbar .tab-background-middle{
margin: -4px -2px !important;
background: transparent !important;
}
#tabs-toolbar .tabmail-arrowscrollbox {
margin: 0px !important;
}
#mail-toolbox{
box-shadow: 0px -1px 0px threedshadow inset !important;
}
#tabs-toolbar .tabmail-tab {
padding: 2px !important;
max-height: 26px !important;
height:26px !important;
}
#tabs-toolbar .tabmail-tab:not([first-tab]) {
padding: 2px !important;
}
#tabs-toolbar .tab-text:not([selected]):-moz-window-inactive {
color: rgba(0,0,0,0.5) !important;
}
#tabs-toolbar .tabmail-tab:hover:not([selected]) {
background: #d7d8da !important;
}
#tabs-toolbar .tabmail-tab[selected]{
background: -moz-dialog !important;
/*border-style: none !important;*/
border: 1px solid threedshadow !important;
border-bottom: none !important;
}
/*
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TheFormatter
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Aug 17, 2018 8:27 am

Re: Thunderbird - tabs

#6 Post by TheFormatter »

Could you possibly advise me please on settings that would, er, make the abominable square tabs in TB60 rounded?! I have tried using modified versions of the settings you've given but without success.
Another source relating to FF rather than TB had something like
.tabbrowser-tab {
border-radius: 10px 10px 0px 0px / 15px 15px 0px 0px !important;
but this didn't seem to work on TB (perhaps unsurprisingly!)

Thanks

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