Thunderbird:Message Signatures

The current Thunderbird signature system is lacking some simple improvements that could make it useful to most people.

Goals

These are the set of goals we need to achieve, a single primary goal of making things simpler and easier and some secondary goals to improve the system for extending beyond our primary goal.

Primary

Improve the Thunderbird signature editor enough that any person could create a single default signature per account and easily have that signature inserted into their compose window.

Secondary

Encourage signature extensions which create a greater signature editing and inserting experience for users.

What we have

On a per account basis a person can choose to attach a signature file to each email. This file is inserted inline at the end of each email sent with the "--[space]" delimiter (see bug 58406).

+------------------------------------------------------+
|  <account settings main page>                        |
|  ...                                                 |
|  [ ] Attach this signature:                          |
|  [___________________________________] [ /Browse/ ]  |
|  ...                                                 |  
+------------------------------------------------------+

Screenshot of Signature inserted at end of Compose window

Screenshot of account window with Signature area highlighted

Where we could go

Ideas on the table

• Improving the Current Account Settings Selection
• Signatures management in Preferences instead of Account Settings (similar to mac)
  • A Per-account settings would likely be all that remains in the account window
• Single, simple, per-account editor included

Improving the Current Account Settings Selection

Instead of only offering a file browse button where people have to create a signature file, place it somewhere safe, then find it from Thunderbird to use we could offer to store the signatures ourselves.

With no signature selected the combobox choice is insensitive. See related mockup

+------------------------------------------------------+
|  <account settings main page>                        |
|  ...                                                 |
|  [ ] Use this signature:                             |
|  [ /Default Signature/     | v ]                     |
|  ...                                                 |  
+------------------------------------------------------+

With the checkbox selected the combobox becomes sensitive. See related mockup

+------------------------------------------------------+
|  <account settings main page>                        |
|  ...                                                 |
|  [x] Use this signature:                             |
|  [ Default Signature     | v ]                       |
|  ...                                                 |  
+------------------------------------------------------+

Clicking on the combobox drop down offers a selection of defined signatures with a separator at the bottom offering to "Add or Edit Signatures..." which opens up a signature manager window. See related mockup

+------------------------------------------------------+
|  <account settings main page>                        |
|  ...                                                 |
|  [x] Use this signature:                             |
|  [ /Default Signature/     | v ]                     |
|   |                            |                     |
|   |Default Signature           |                     |  
|   |----------------------------|                     |  
|   |Add or Edit Signatures...   |                     |  
|   +----------------------------+                     |
|  ...                                                 |  
+------------------------------------------------------+

Signature Manager

Many other mail systems use the Preferences window for managing different signatures. This could be a direction for Thunderbird to take, it makes signatures a bit more centralized and avoids having another dialog for a manager.

Simple, Plain Text Editor

An easy step forward would be to create a simple, plain text signature editor. With the addition of an inline editor we can offer a default signature remove the need for saving/opening files.

Here's an example of an existing simple signature editor available from an extension.

Further Ideas

With an icon beside the signature we could represent HTML vs. Plain Text signatures. This icon could also represent script signatures that create sigs on the fly. Check out this concept mockup

Relevant Links

• Thunderbird:Collected_User_Requests#Better_signature_management
  • Good suggestions for signature management
• Signature Block
  • Some recommendations and info on sig blocks, not written very well
• Thunderbird Signature FAQs
  • Howtos for plain-text and html sigs
• Creating a Signature in Thunderbird
  • Nice step through which details a number of the gotchas

Relevant Extensions

• QuickText
• Signature Switch
• Tagzilla

Relevant Bugs

These bugs are for creating, editing, and using signatures in Thunderbird and MailNews

Thunderbird

• bug 324495 — put signature editing in UI (rather than select a file)
  • contains patch waiting for review of reading sig from prefs
  • has a number of screenshot of other signature editors from other apps

MailNews

• bug 58406 — [RFE] let user choose signature separator
  • Lengthy bug, can people choose '-- ' to be at their signature heading
• bug 219197 — Put signature in UI textarea rather than selecting file
  • asking for a simple editing window for signature creation
• bug 73567 — Ability to select from multiple signatures (global / per account?)
  • Many mockups of signature managers and buttons for insertion
• bug 37644 — Show signature in collapsible pane for editing/switching
  • ASCII mockups of a bottom pane for signatures