Thunderbird Portable 1.5.0.7 Pre-Release 3 - Testers Urgently Needed

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September 18, 2006 - 1:49pm

John T. Haller

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Thunderbird Portable 1.5.0.7 Pre-Release 3 - Testers Urgently Needed

I've posted a pre-release of 1.5.0.7 for testers. Despite this being an incremental upgrade of Thunderbird, the portable version is seeing a number of changes. If we could get some folks giving these another once-over before they're released to the world, that would be great...

Unicode Command Lines - This release now supports unicode paths passed on the commandline.
Win 95/98 Live Support - There was an issue affecting Live mode under Win 9x that has been fixed.
Alternate Directory Structures Dropped - All alternate directory structures have been dropped. This allows for a more simplified launcher and increases startup time a bit. You can always use an INI to setup your own structure. the readme.txt is now linked to right in the help file.
Intelligent Startup - The launcher now keeps track of what path you're launching from. That way, if you launch a second time from the same location... or move to another PC that happens to give you the same drive letter... the launcher won't re-process the chrome.rdf (if any) and it won't make Thunderbird rebuild the compreg.dat file. The result is faster startups when the path doesn't change. One note on this new ability... you'll need to delete the Thunderbird Portable\Data\settings\Thunderbird PortableSettings.ini file if you copy your own local profile into Thunderbird Portable (or just set the only parameter in it to blank or NONE). This is where TBP keeps track of the paths changing. If you copy a profile in without altering this... TBP won't fix your paths correctly. This ONLY affects when you manually copy a profile in from somewhere else. Not when you move it around, switch computers, etc.
Crash in Registry.dll Fixed - Thunderbird Portable will no longer crash on exit occasionally on some PCs.
Missing iconv.dll - When using GPG/Enigmail, there is no longer an error about missing iconv.dll on some systems.

As mentioned, the more folks that can test these new bits out, the better. Grab the Thunderbird Portable 1.5.0.7 Pre-Release 3 and try it out.

UPDATE (Sept 22): I've posted Pre-Release 2. It adds in the ability for the launcher to setup a default profile even when an INI is in use (as long as you're using the standard directories). And an old entry in the readme was removed.

UPDATE (Sept 22): I've posted PR3. It adds the ability to disable the intelligent start routine. And I've started adding the PR version to the help.html, so you'll know which package is which once installed.

Thanks,
John

September 18, 2006 - 2:51pm

yehoni

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Looks good to me.

The Intelligent Startup is a big hit with me on both FFP and TBP.

September 18, 2006 - 3:12pm

wsm23

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Works great so far.

I was having trouble with 1.5.0.5 updating.

Just coppied profile over and works great.

The intelligent startup is usless to me though. I use portable apps as truly portable apps. 3 PC's at home, next door neighbor, and 3 PC's at work. I'm sure it it is a great feature for others though.

Thanks John.

Life is about the journey not the destination!

The Kazoo Spartan

September 18, 2006 - 3:14pm

(Reply to #3) #4

John T. Haller

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It's still useful

If you start up TB or FF... use em... close em... then a few minutes later you're still at the same PC and you start it again... it uses Intelligent Startup and starts up much quicker.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

September 18, 2006 - 3:27pm

(Reply to #4) #5

wsm23

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Soooo....

....All I have to do is delete the \ThunderbirdPortable\Data\settings\ThunderbirdPortableSettings file?

Life is about the journey not the destination!

The Kazoo Spartan

September 18, 2006 - 3:31pm

(Reply to #5) #6

John T. Haller

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Evertying is totally automatic. UNLESS you manually copy in a profile from somewhere else. That's the ONLY time you need to delete that file. And you only need to do it ONCE... right after you copy it in.

The whole quick second launch on the same PC is automatic. Plugging into another PC that happens to give you the same drive letter quick launch is also automatic.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

September 18, 2006 - 3:34pm

(Reply to #6) #7

wsm23

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I did copy profile from 1.5.0.5

And, I have launched and restarted a couple of times now. Should I start over with a fresh copy?

Life is about the journey not the destination!

The Kazoo Spartan

September 18, 2006 - 3:40pm

(Reply to #7) #8

John T. Haller

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No no

If you copied it in before you run it... it handles it automatically (which is why it works fine for you). It also handles in-place upgrades. It's totally hands-off in normal usage. You'd know if you had an issue... TB wouldn't start.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

September 18, 2006 - 4:42pm

mosquito

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works so far ...

No problems for the last hour. Started it and stopped it, switched the PC, started it from a read-only device, created a 'ThunderbirdPortable.ini'. Everything is fine till now ...

Only discovered a few typos in the readme file in the ThunderbirdPortableSource directory:

-> By default, the program expects one of these directory structures ...

but the alternate structure was dropped ...

and in line 85 of the readme the word 'ProfileDrectory' ...

Both not really worth to mention!

From my side, thanks for the great work, it's always cool to download the new version from the homepage ...

mosquito

September 18, 2006 - 4:53pm

(Reply to #9) #10

mosquito

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to fast ... one error discovered ...

When you have no 'ThunderbirdPortable.ini' in the folder of the 'ThunderbirdPortable.exe' file and you have an empty data\profile folder, then it creates a profile with the extension 'Enigmail'.

When you have a default 'ThunderbirdPortable.ini' (like described in the readme) in the folder of the 'ThunderbirdPortable.exe' file and you have an empty data\profile folder, then it creates a profile with no extension 'Enigmail'.

Do I miss something?

September 18, 2006 - 4:56pm

(Reply to #10) #11

John T. Haller

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Nope

That's the way it is. TBP only correctly creates a default profile when you have no INI. Same as FFP.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

September 18, 2006 - 5:34pm

(Reply to #11) #12

mosquito

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Any reason?

Or did I miss something in the forum?

September 18, 2006 - 5:41pm

(Reply to #12) #13

John T. Haller

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Advanced User

Generally anyone that wants to use an INI is an advanced user that's copying in their own profile. And I'd have to add extra code to do the whole defaults thing in non-standard directory structures (cluttering up the launcher code more). The whole reason for the default directory structures is so you can do in-place upgrades... which you can't do with non-standard layouts anyway.

I think I'll add a note to the readme on this.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

September 18, 2006 - 5:59pm

(Reply to #13) #14

mosquito

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that's true ...

Till now I never played around with an empty profile. And I did not miss it. But today I thought I will try it once ...

John, once again, thanks for the work you do to us ...

September 18, 2006 - 6:29pm

(Reply to #14) #15

John T. Haller

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Just wait

Just wait and see what I "do to" you next!

*mwwwwahahahaha*

... sorry, one of those days

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

September 18, 2006 - 6:49pm

(Reply to #15) #16

mosquito

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:-)

September 20, 2006 - 12:07am

#17

twnty3svn

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works great

tested it on USB and on my HD, worked without a hitch. Keep up the fantastic work.

September 22, 2006 - 2:00am

#18

John T. Haller

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Pre-Release 2

I added in the ability for the launcher to auto-generate the default profile even if you are using an INI (as long as you're using the default directories). I also fixed the error in the readme that said it supported multiple directory layouts. Please give it a try and post any feedback. Thanks!

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

September 22, 2006 - 6:08am

(Reply to #18) #19

mosquito

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I tested the pre-release 2 ...

and it works like a charm!

I discovered one thing, but I think it has nothing to do with TBP directly.

What is the difference if the profile folder is 'write protected' (-> properties -> common -> attribute 'write protect') or if the user has no right to write to the folder (-> properties -> security -> only 'read, list and execute' is allowed).

In the first case, TBP is starting and Thunderbird gives an alert-message, in the second case TBP is asking if it should copy the profile to a temporary place.

September 22, 2006 - 9:37am

(Reply to #19) #20

John T. Haller

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Write Access Required

Thunderbird has to have write access to the profile and application folders to work correctly. The launcher attempts to detect read-only (meaning a CD drive) and offer to copy the profile locally to run it.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

September 22, 2006 - 2:11pm

(Reply to #20) #21

mosquito

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write access <> write access

But it seems that 'write protected' is not equal to 'write protected'. The first and second case are not the same 'write protection'.

In the first case I select the folder, do a right click on it and select properties. In the window showing up, I select the checkbox 'write protect' (I hope that's the correct labeling, because at the moment I have no english system in front of me).

In the second case I select the folder, do a right click on it and select properties. In the window showing up, I switch to the security tab and remove for the user the permission to write to the folder (only 'read, list and execute' is allowed).

In the first case the launcher starts Thunderbird normally (no offer to copy the profile) and Tunderbird gives an alert message. In the second case the launcher offers to copy the profile locally and then starts Thunderbird.

I hope I have explained it now a little bit more precise.

September 22, 2006 - 2:16pm

(Reply to #21) #22

John T. Haller

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Doesn't matter

The only thing the launcher is supposed to detect correctly is if you are running from CD and didn't set live mode or if you are using a USB flash drive and have set the write-protection switch on. It does both of these correctly.

Randomly setting read-only bits on the profile or app folder or on individual files within TB's profile or app directoy can cause all sorts of random problems and should never be done.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

September 22, 2006 - 2:33pm

(Reply to #22) #23

mosquito

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correct ...

Randomly setting files or folders to 'read-only' produces random problems. Thats true, I know this from my own programmings.

I was only setting the folder, where my mails are in (the profile folder) to 'read-only' to simulate a CD or a flash drive, which has a write-protection, because I neither want to spend the time to burn CD's nor I have a USB device with an read-only switch.

p.s. pre-release 3 is now on my USB device and as Seal8 has allready written everything is working fine ...

September 22, 2006 - 2:45pm

(Reply to #23) #24

John T. Haller

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Not the same

Setting a folder or files as read-only doesn't correctly simulate a CDROM or a USB flash drive in read-only mode, unfortunately, so they can't be used to test that. I test by throwing it on my digital camera's SD card with the lock switch on and placing that in my multi-reader. That's the same as a USB flash drive in read-only mode.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

September 23, 2006 - 6:20am

(Reply to #24) #25

mosquito

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thanks ...

Thanks for the info!

September 22, 2006 - 12:19pm

#26

John T. Haller

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Pre-Release 3

I've posted Pre-Release 3 which adds in the ability to disable the intelligent starter.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

September 26, 2006 - 5:02pm

(Reply to #26) #27

Jonathan

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Your plugins-readme.txt has

Your plugins-readme.txt has 'firefox' in it when it tell what plugins to put.

Also, I was wondering what plugins even work for Thunderbird

September 22, 2006 - 1:00pm

#28

Seal8

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Installed Thunderbird Portable 1.5.0.7 Pre-Release 3

Installed and all extensions, addresses, and profile were listed correctly and worked.
Took a while to update, just be patient.
Copied my profile from hard drive Thunderbird 1.5.0.7 and pasted in Thunderbird Portable 1.5.0.6. Then installed and updated. Updated smoothly and correctly.
Thanks for all your work JH.

Jeff Balliett

September 24, 2006 - 10:45pm

#29

tmm0f5

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John, I updated to this

John,

I updated to this version and have this listed in my .ini file:

DisableSplashScreen=true

But it has now started showing the splash screen.

Any thoughts on what I need to do? With the previous version (1.5.0.5) it was perfectly not showing the splash screen.

Thanks,
Timothy
AIM: TimothyDMB
http://www.mollyandtim.com/

Timothy

September 24, 2006 - 10:48pm

(Reply to #29) #30

John T. Haller

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New INI

It's a new INI file format and it HAS to be in the same directory as ThunderbirdPortable.exe (all other locations have been dropped as stated in the main post). Grab the example from the Other\ThunderbirdSource directory and use that.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

September 25, 2006 - 1:32pm

(Reply to #30) #31

tmm0f5

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It WAS in the same

It WAS in the same directory.

But I simply recopied the INI and it worked.

Oh well...

Thanks,
Timothy
AIM: TimothyDMB
http://www.mollyandtim.com/

Timothy

September 25, 2006 - 1:44pm

(Reply to #31) #32

John T. Haller

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New Format

Like I said, the INI format changed. So your old one would be missing fields and wouldn't load correctly.

(I really hate supporting INIs)

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

September 26, 2006 - 8:22am

#33

ping79

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Works fine for me

First of all, thank you very much.
The bug with the registry.dll is fixed.
- The only thing now is that on some computers TBP continues to ask me if I want to use it as a default browser.
- Another thing is that (but here I'm not 100% sure) in my IMAP account TBP still downloads the old mails I want read again, even if the folder is marked for offline use.

September 26, 2006 - 10:25am

(Reply to #33) #34

John T. Haller

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Offline Unsupported

Offline IMAP doesn't work completely when portable at the moment. I'm going to add it to known issues. Basically, it forgets what email you downloaded when you switch to another location. There is currently no workaround.

Sometimes, the impossible can become possible, if you're awesome!

October 11, 2006 - 3:30am

#35

mosquito

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I know the fomous words ...

I know the famous words (see here) but I still have a little question.

The prerelease 3 is working like a charm on my USB-stick! On the above comments I see no problem indicated, which should hold back the release of TBP 1.5.0.7.

John are you adding some new features to TBP 1.5.0.7? Or why the delay?

Thanks
mosquito

October 11, 2006 - 3:56am

(Reply to #35) #36

Ryan McCue

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Well

I think John is trying to get some more PR ATM.
----
R McCue
PortaBlog Home and My Website
People who didn't need people needed people around to know that they were
the kind of people who didn't need people.
(Maskerade)

"If you're not part of the solution, you're part of the precipitate."

October 12, 2006 - 6:47am

#37

hfelton

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newb question? nevermind...

edit - please disregard below - SORRY - i mustve made a user-error and left the checkbox ticked...

everything is working fine after several retries/confirms...

---------

FOR HISTORICAL PURPOSE ONLY...

long-time ffp-user, first-time tbp-user so pardon if this is obvious.

i just-downloaded/ran normal-tb1507 onto hdd and set up a single-acct for gmail which was NOT supposed to go into local-folders (and it indeed set up a separate directory/folder inside the program).

next i downloaded/ran portable-apps-tbp1507rc3 onto hdd and set up a single-acct for gmail which was also NOT supposed to go into local-folders (and this did not work). i did this manually - i did NOT copy the profile from the previous setup.

ive been looking thru the prefs.js thinking a clue to the issue might be there. i do not think i found the answer, but noticed several-differences between the versions. obviously, the primary-diffs have to do with the pgp-stuff.

the operative-difference from a normal click-click-click user is that in the initial setup-screens on that first-email-acct, i UNchecked the box making this first account go into the local-folder area.

im ignorant regarding this pgp-stuff, but was hoping to start using it soon.

basically - i wanted to setup a single-gmail acct as a NON local-folder - and am not successful. the reason being that i will end up using several email-accounts, some with pgp (once i figure it out) and most without. i will probably not have ANY account be the local-folder acct, if possible.

question - have i found a bug? or should i be pointed-somewhere to lesson my newbieness? tia, h.

October 31, 2006 - 7:48pm

#38

arqbrulo

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John: FYI

the "ThunderbirdPORTABLE.INI CONFIGURATION" section of the readme file says "The SkipCompregFix entry allows.......to skip chrome.rdf processing". I think it should be compreg.dat instead of chrome.rdf, same on the FFP readme. Just thought I'd let you know before your next big release.

---------------
Teen1: Oh, here comes that cannonball guy. He's cool.
Teen2: Are you being sarcastic, dude?
Teen1: I don't even know anymore.

"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: it goes on." -- Robert Frost
"In three words I can sum up everything I've learned about life: baby ain't mine." -- Adam Holguin

November 18, 2006 - 10:56am

#39

Jasonh

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Works Great

Hi,
I have been using this for a few weeks and everything works great.

Thanks very much!

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