TIP Integrate Thunderbird and Firefox

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[edit] Problem

This page is aimed at integrating Thunderbird and Firefox at a certain level. By default, Firefox will not automatically open mailto's in Thunderbird, and Thunderbird will not automatically open URLs in Firefox. Of course this guide can be used to set another browser (i.e. konqueror) or mail client as well.

[edit] Installation

Just install Thunderbird and Firefox on your system when not already present. 

 # emerge -av mozilla-firefox mozilla-thunderbird

[edit] Open URLs in Firefox from Thunderbird

You should create your own preferences file if it does not exist already:

File: ~/.thunderbird/<random_string>/prefs.js 
user_pref("network.protocol-handler.app.ftp","/usr/bin/firefox");
user_pref("network.protocol-handler.app.http","/usr/bin/firefox");
user_pref("network.protocol-handler.app.https","/usr/bin/firefox");

Other handlers can be added there, if needed.

Note: Remember to exit all Thunderbird instances before making these changes since the prefs.js file is overwritten on program quit.

By default, Firefox opens an external link in the current opened tab, overwriting your current page. This behaviour can be changed in Edit » Preferences » Advanced » Tabbed Browsing.

[edit] Graphical frontend

If you are likely to tweak Thunderbird settings often, you might want to use the Thunderbird Extension AboutConfig.

In Thunderbird 1.5 you can find these settings in Edit » Preferences » Advanced » Config Editor.

Right click to create three new strings (if they don't already exist):

  • Name: network.protocol-handler.app.ftp ; Value: /usr/bin/firefox
  • Name: network.protocol-handler.app.http ;Value: /usr/bin/firefox
  • Name: network.protocol-handler.app.https ; Value: /usr/bin/firefox

[edit] Troubleshooting

If you cannot get the above method to work, you should:

  • make sure you got the latest versions of Firefox, Thunderbird and mozilla-launcher
  • check your typing
  • make sure the path to Firefox is correct (with which firefox for example)
  • double check your typing

[edit] Open mailto's in Thunderbird from Firefox

To automatically open Thunderbird when we click on a mail link, we have to set in Firefox the mailto protocol handler.

Note: Remember to exit all Firefox instances before making these changes since the prefs.js file is overwritten on program quit.

You should create your own prefs.js file if it does not exist yet:

File: ~/.mozilla/firefox/<random_string>/prefs.js

If you are using the binary version of Thunderbird, add the following line: 

user_pref("network.protocol-handler.app.mailto","/usr/bin/thunderbird-bin");

Otherwise, add this line: 

user_pref("network.protocol-handler.app.mailto","/usr/bin/thunderbird");

Alternatively, we can set Firefox to do the same thing within the browser. This is done through about:config. This way you don't have to close your browser, and the changes take effect immediately. In the address bar, enter in about:config and push enter. A big list of entries will show up, along with a filter bar at the top. Using the filter bar, first make sure the preference isn't already set by entering in "network.protocol-handler.app.mailto". If it exists, you can just double click and change it to "/usr/bin/thunderbird"; if not, right click, go to new, and create a new string. Name it "network.protocol-handler.app.mailto" and input the full path to your Thunderbird binary.

[edit] Troubleshooting

If you cannot get the above method to work, you should:

  • make sure you got the latest versions of Firefox, Thunderbird and mozilla-launcher
  • check your typing
  • make sure the path to Thunderbird is correct (with which thunderbird for example)
  • double check your typing
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