v 4.1 ENHANCEMENT - missed issue regarding closed issue 75 - missed custom date on page footer

[artofit]

Hi,

I noticed that the custom date format (issue 75) is not applied onto the page footer PDF print.

Would you be so kind enough to fix it.

Thanks

[cleidigh]

@artofit it's been a while, hope all is well.

Clarification: For the PDF page footer I assume you would want the day of printing to be the date using the custom format if not empty? BTW I'm trying to stay away from enhancements for this Release just for time issues. I should be able to do this one. Christopher

[artofit]

Well, 2 things: 1/ indeed the printed date ought to be in the same format, I do like iso yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm(:ss) [optional time zime]

2/ the custom date format applying to the index.html file https://github.com/thundernest/import-export-tools-ng/issues/75#issuecomment-596050374

I fail to have format yyyy-mm-dd hh:mm:ss on both on the list of emails and the header title, I get for example "26-04-2019 8.00" and not "2019-04-26 08:00"

Thanks

[artofit]

BTW I'm trying to stay away from enhancements for this Release just for time issues. Clear and understood, but should you have time for https://github.com/thundernest/import-export-tools-ng/issues/128

[cleidigh]

@artofit I was feeling charitable again, except this time I need to extract a quid pro quo ;-) study testing help, especially anything for PDF/index

for the index you use the following preference (use the config editor ) - already exists extensions.importexporttoolsng.export.index_date_custom_format

I did the custom date for the PDF header/footer use the custom option in the print options and set the header/footer %d will be replaced by the custom date format note the lowercase this will be in b5

Currently for the PDF export just the status bar shows progress, there is no dialog what am I missing? Christopher

[cleidigh]

@artofit check out b5

[cleidigh]

@artofit feedback?

[artofit]

@cleidigh Well, I tested with 10.beta11, date format %Y%m%d%H%M

CASE1 : Export all messages as HTML with attachments. The produced index file does not apply the custom date format in 3 occurrences: 1/ header title, 2/ in the date column in the emails list 3/ footer Notice for header & footer, one speaks of the date of the export action, while for the email list one speaks about the email date itself.

CASE2: Export all messages as pdf the date format is not the custom one in the footer of each pdf

Thanks

[cleidigh]

@artofit I think it sounds like you do not have the index date format preference set: extensions.importexporttoolsng.export.index_date_custom_format = Y%m%d%H%M the footer is a different tissue, only relevant for printing to PDF have to set one is the headers or footers using custom with "%d" which will be replaced the custom date format (not the index format) Christopher

[artofit]

@cleidigh

it sounds like you do not have the index date format preference set Maybe, what should I do? Can't you reproduce the same result as I do???

the footer is a different tissue, only relevant for printing to PDF Possibly, but I would have had imagined the design in preparing an input which will be converted and dumped into a format such as pdf or html

have to set one is the headers or footers using custom with "%d" which will be replaced the custom date format (not the index format) Don't understand if you ask me to do something or it's a personal note.

Phil

[artofit]

I tested beta12, exactly same issues

P.S. Personnaly, in the futur, I would find find name the beta1, beta2, etc. as beta01, beta02 clearer due to alpha-numeric sort into https://github.com/thundernest/import-export-tools-ng/tree/v10.0.0/xpi

Thanks

[cleidigh]

@artofit |it sounds like you do not have the index date format preference set |Maybe, what should I do? Can't you reproduce the same result as I do???

I think my poor dictation maybe was an issue. let's make sure we are on the same page.

• The v10.0.0 implementation remains unchanged from v4.1.0 as far as the functionality is concerned with dates on the index
• The date format for filenames can be set on the filenames tab within the options page. The is set separately and has to be done by setting the preference using Thunderbird's config editor because I have not had the time to change the UI.

extensions.importexporttoolsng.export.index_date_custom_format

• The logic for this is very simple. If the preference is not an empty string then use the format in the string for the date on the index.
• the default for this preference is the empty string so you set it using the same format as for the filenames. I am including two screenshots one of the editor with preferences as well as a example of the resulting index.

Part of my confusion is when you ask about reproducing, I cannot reproduce a problem my setup follows the format correctly. If you have things set up as described above, then I will have to add Debug output to try and see what's different for you than me. I used a slightly different format for affect, you can see me doing change in the first shot. you can also do two things for troubleshooting : check the debug output for problems and also to a screenshot of your preferences no there are more than one page of preferences I'm just interested in the index date custom format. RE - there are tooling limitations on the name so I continue to use b#

Christopher

[artofit]

@cleidigh If I understand you correctly: 1/ Setting a custom date format with the filenames tab within the options page, applies strictly to filenames format itself.

2/ Regarding custom date format for any produced results(aka anywhere else than the file name itself), such as index.html or printed date on the footer of a printed email, it must be set with about:config via a parameter referenced as: extensions.importexporttoolsng.export.index_date_custom_format

OK. But how do you get access to about:config tab???

By default my Thunderbird has no menu toolbar, so I found Display>Toolbars>menu toolbar I didn't find a menu to create a new tab, I also tried to open a new tab (empty??) in order to try to type "about:config" as url to force access to it, but with CRTL+N CRTL+SHIFT+N CRTL+T CRTL+SHIFT+T but no success

Therefore, my present issue is how you access to this configuration tab??

Thanks

[cleidigh]

@artofit When I found a way to have the index format in the UI without too much effort (localization) you can now view and set the index date format within the filename's options tab I will post tonight b13

just for future reference you get to the config editor: Tools/Options/Advanced (Config Editor button at bottom)

[artofit]

@cleidigh Getting there First I installed b13 Now, I can get the index.html with custom date format.

But is it me or a feature, but 1/ export as pdf does NOT have the custom format.

2/ if custom date can apply to both index.html or .csv and to pdf printed date, then maybe it should be under the 1st general tab and not "filename". My confusion comes from the fact that if you use a custom date it ought to be applied everywhere, but I do understand one might wants custom filename with a date in another format, eventhough I(=me) would find it odd.

3/ even if there could be some translation issue, I do not see "Tools/Options/Advanced (Config Editor button at bottom)"

[cleidigh]

@artofit I agree about moving the index format setting to the miscellaneous tab Generally the UI needs an overhaul

Finally, I want to make sure you are set with how to use the custom date(not index format) for PDFs You just have to place %d within any of the headers or footers using custom option under File/Page Setup let me know if that works Christopher

[cleidigh]

I think this is much better

[artofit]

I think this is much better: Date index, sounds a bit confusing to me, date (format) in index

Regarding the custom date onto pdfs, to be sure we do not misunderstand each other, I speak about bulk email export as pdf I do not see where to configure the pdf output, with margins, footer, etc.

[artofit]

And in TB menu: File>Page Setup looks at such

[cleidigh]

@artofit no wonder we have had some confusion, your page setup dialog is different than mine! my high school French is sufficient to see there is no reference to headers and footers!?? do you have something that is changing the look/dialogues? this is clearly why I have not seen the footers!

[artofit]

@cleidigh Running TB68.12 under Manjaro XFCE 20.1 with latest updates. Are you running win10?

my high school French is sufficient to see there is no reference to headers and footers!??

Indeed, but now I understand you are passing to TB printer and import-export-tools-ng is not doing the actual print job. Now it's also getting clearer to me!

do you have something that is changing the look/dialogues?

Default so, and I do not see how I can change this, it might then be a TB linux specific bug.

[cleidigh]

much better! sorry we missed these clarifications earlier ;-) I will check what my Mint VM looks like there has to be somewhere to set the headers and footers that is what we need for the PDF so that you can have whatever normal hazards footers and margins you want since those things are outside of the content ,6Thunderbird needs to manage them Christopher

[cleidigh]

I found it, definitely different than Windows I don't know how I missed you are using Linux you have to go to File/Print... then the options Tab where you can set the headers and footers you choose custom , enter the string you want with %d that will be replaced provides a custom date format

[artofit]

you have to go to File/Print... then the options Tab

But, 1/ If I do a single mail print, with CRTL+P I see %d as footer 2/ I see it does not store the custom date format, as if I go to the menu, it's back to default (bug?) 3/ Provided that I repeated your instruction, I do not havecustom date format with export all with IE ng.

I found it, definitely different than Windows

Which TB version are you using? Why the heck there is a (totally?) different UI in TB according to the OS!!!

@cleidigh : "I don't know how I missed you are using Linux" Indeed you are very much to blame :-)

[cleidigh]

@artofit I was able to check to reproduce what you see I am thinking it is a platform issue no reason it should not save the option not sure what I can do about that

[artofit]

@cleidigh

I was able to check to reproduce what you see Which TB version? 68 and 78?

I am thinking it is a platform issue You mean Linux vs Win10 or sthg else?

Seems a TB specific bug then => need to raise it so, and I believe as add-on developper you'll have more weight than I

[cleidigh]

dialogues like open,save and print are usually OS components each with little idiosyncrasies unfortunately I already know OSx has issues with PDFs just as another example I would have to do more formal experiments to be clear on the problem right now I am in recovery mode ;-)

[artofit]

@cleidigh Tried:

• TB 78.8.0
• importexporttools_ng-10.0.4-tb
• Manjaro XFCE 20.2.1 (latest)

Still same issue https://github.com/thundernest/import-export-tools-ng/issues/129#issuecomment-699732697

Quid: Not possible to set default date printing as: %Y%m%d%H%M ??

Thanks