On-screen notification of new Thunderbird email

[soze]

This is a silent (but effective) and quite cool way to get notified of your new Thunderbird email using an "on-screen" display.

(see attached screenshot for an example)

First, some prerequistites:

• You need to install the xosd-bin package.
• You need to download and install the Mailbox Alert Thunderbird extension. This can be found here.

Next create a file called ~/bin/newmail with the following:

#!/bin/bash
echo "You have new mail" | osd_cat -d 10 -i460 -o500 -f lucidasans-bold-24 -c green

Note: depending on the resolution of your monitor and your preference for the message position, you may want/need to tweek the -i and -o parameters.

After you save the file:

chmod a+x ~/bin/newmail

Now, go into Thunderbird, right-click on your inbox and select "Mailbox Alert".
Check "Execute a Command" and in the textbox to the right enter:

~/bin/newmail

Click ok and you are done!

As configured above, the message will appear on the screen for 10 seconds. You can adjust this time by tweeking the -d option in your ~/bin/newmail file.

Enjoy!

[SaadN]

Is it possible if you can post screenshot?

[aysiu]

I just use this Thunderbird extension:
http://moztraybiff.mozdev.org/

But that's cool to know another way to do it.

[soze]

Is it possible if you can post screenshot?

Done!

[brentoboy]

aysiu,
is there a way to get that icon to persist after I close thunderbird?
I hate having thunderbird minimized all the time, I close it on accident, and then I have no notification.

[aysiu]

aysiu,
is there a way to get that icon to persist after I close thunderbird?
I hate having thunderbird minimized all the time, I close it on accident, and then I have no notification.

I don't think so--since the notification comes from Thunderbird itself. If the program is closed, it, by definition, can't operate.

I do think there are some notification programs that will notify you in the system tray (or through gDesklets) whether certain POP or IMAP folders have new messages (regardless of whether or not your email client is open). I'm not sure exactly how to use these, though, or which to recommend.

I'm not sure if this extension works for Linux, but you can also try MinimizeToTray.

[toorima]

GKrellM if you use it can check mail and open your mailclient when you click on the notification part of gkrellm

[Denta]

kubuntu users can try the following:

kdialog  --msgbox 'You got new mail' -nograb --caption Thunderbird -title Information

kDialog is a very neat way of delivering information through scripts.

[wh0rd]

aysiu,
is there a way to get that icon to persist after I close thunderbird?
I hate having thunderbird minimized all the time, I close it on accident, and then I have no notification.

You can actually do this using the extension posted by aysiu:

I just use this Thunderbird extension:
http://moztraybiff.mozdev.org/

After installing the extension select the following in the New Mail Icon extension Preferences:
1. Show tray icon when new messages arrive
2. Always show tray icon (providing quick access to Thunderbird )

Then just right click on the icon in the notificaiton area and click Hide window. It should stay in the notification area without being in the windows list.

[snipe122]

I just use Ubuntus build-in email-notification... its simple and displays all necessary details of incoming mails in the tray...

greets
snipe