12 September 2024

Coming soon: Clippings 7.0

The next version of Clippings, the extension from AE Creations that lets you save frequently-entered text for pasting into web page forms in Firefox and email messages in Thunderbird, is coming soon!

Some of the new features and improvements coming to Clippings 7.0 are:

  • Ability to add separators to organize your clippings and folders in the Clippings menu
  • Copy clipping text from Clippings Manager or the new Clippings Sidebar (this feature available for Firefox only)
  • New option to show the shortcut key of a clipping in the Clippings menu
  • New placeholder for embedding a clipping in a clipping
  • Compressed sync data, allowing you to sync more of your clippings
  • And many more improvements!

Get Ready For Clippings 7.0

Clippings 7.0 will require Firefox 128 or newer, while Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 will require Thunderbird 128 or newer. If you're still on Firefox 115 ESR or Thunderbird 115, upgrade to the newest version to take advantage of all the new features in Clippings 7.0 when it's released.

The Sync Clippings enhancements that's coming to Clippings 7.0 will require an upgrade of the Sync Clippings Helper app. More information will be posted here when Sync Clippings Helper 2.0 is released.

Help Wanted!

Clippings 7.0 is currently in beta, and testers are needed to try out the new features and improvements and look for any bugs. For instructions on how to get the beta releases and things you should know about, see the earlier posts on this blog. If you find a bug, report it using the issue tracker in the GitHub project for Clippings or Clippings for Thunderbird.

Translators are also needed to update the UI strings that have been added for this release. If you're fluent in English and another world language and would like to help, get started by joining the Crowdin project for Clippings!

This is a great opportunity to contribute to the development of Clippings and make it better for yourself and hundreds of thousands of users around the world. Contributors to Clippings 7.0 will have their efforts recognized and credited on this blog in the official release post.

06 September 2024

Monthly update: September 2024

After months of work, the official release of Clippings 7.0, an upcoming version of the extension for Firefox and Thunderbird that lets you save frequently-entered text for later pasting into web page forms and email messages, is now in sight! The latest beta releases of Clippings 7.0 and Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 are expected to be the last ones before the eventual release candidate builds. With Clippings now feature complete, I'm now focused on fixing the remaining minor bugs and making several improvements to the UI to give it an updated look and feel.

Testers are still needed to try out the new features and improvements and look for any bugs. If you find a bug, report it using the issue tracker in the GitHub project for Clippings or Clippings for Thunderbird.

Translators are also needed to update the UI strings that have been added for this release. If you're fluent in English and another world language and would like to help, get started by joining the Crowdin project for Clippings!

This is a great opportunity to contribute to the development of Clippings and make it better for yourself and hundreds of thousands of users around the world. Contributors to Clippings 7.0 will have their efforts recognized and credited on this blog in the official release post.

Other Projects

Some of the UI updates found in Clippings 7.0 will be ported over to Panic Button, so watch for a minor update for this Firefox extension later this month.

04 September 2024

Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 beta 5 released!

This fifth beta release of Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 is released to fix an upgrade bug that is occurring in version 7.0 beta 4. It is being made available for testers and early adopters craving the latest and greatest, and while it's the most stable beta release yet, expect to run into the occasional bug.

Read on to learn more about what's new in Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0, and how to get it!

What's New


  • The Clippings toolbar button in the message compose window has moved from the status bar to the Composition Toolbar. The Clippings toolbar button no longer appears in the main Thunderbird window
  • You can now add separators to organize your clippings in the Clippings menu. Separators can be added in Clippings Manager by right-clicking on a clipping or folder and then selecting Insert Separator from the context menu
  • New option to show the shortcut key of a clipping in the Clippings menu. Turn on this setting from the redesigned extension preferences page
  • New placeholder for embedding a clipping in a clipping. Placeholder syntax: $[CLIPPING(Name of clipping)].
  • Sync Clippings enhancements: sync data is now compressed, allowing you to sync more of your clippings; also, improved handling of read-only sync files
  • On macOS, automatic positioning of windows and dialogs, and saving of the Clippings Manager window position and size, are now fully supported
  • On Linux, the option to minimize the Clippings Manager window when it's inactive has been removed, since the window is no longer always on top in recent versions of Thunderbird
  • When new users install Clippings for Thunderbird, it will only ask for the extension permissions it needs for basic functionality, and will ask for additional permissions if turning on Sync Clippings or creating a new clipping from the clipboard for the first time. This is a change from previous versions, where Clippings for Thunderbird requested full, unrestricted access to Thunderbird and your system
  • Many behind-the-scenes improvements to ensure compatibility with future versions of Thunderbird
  •  Fixed in 7.0b5  Incorrect setting for enabling the keyboard shortcut to invoke keyboard paste mode after updating to version 7.0b4 (issue #189). This issue will correct itself when updating to this beta release unless the setting was changed
  •  Fixed in 7.0b5  Pasting a clipping into the message composer stops working immediately after upgrade (issue #192)
Things You Should Know About
  • Users of Clippings for Thunderbird version 5.7 or earlier should take note: Clippings will no longer automatically import your legacy clippings data when upgrading from those old versions. Export your clippings now (select the "Clippings 6" data format) so that you can import them when you're ready to upgrade Clippings to version 7.0 or newer.
  • Additional extension permissions are now required for some features. When turning on Sync Clippings or performing clipboard actions for the first time, a message box will appear, indicating the extension permission requested and how to grant it. If you're upgrading from an earlier version of Clippings, the necessary permission for Sync Clippings will already be enabled.

Compatibility

Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 is compatible with Thunderbird 128 and newer. It is not compatible with Thunderbird 115.x.

The Sync Clippings enhancements require an upgrade of the Sync Clippings Helper app. Read this blog post for details about Sync Clippings 2.0 and how to install the beta release.

How to Get It

IMPORTANT! If you're already using Clippings and want to try the beta release, back up your clippings first before upgrading.

To install this beta release, head over to the Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 beta 5 page on GitHub. Look for the link to clippings-tb-7.0b5.xpi, then right-click on it and select Save Link As, then choose a folder location on your system (for example, the Desktop). Then follow these step-by-step instructions from the Mozilla Support website to install Clippings in Thunderbird.

Current beta users will be automatically updated to the latest beta release if automatic extension updates are turned on in Add-ons Manager.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Clippings should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, now hosted on Groups.io.

If you find a bug, you may file a bug report on GitHub. Please search the issues list first to confirm that your issue has not already been reported.

02 September 2024

Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 beta 4 released!

This is the fourth beta release of the next version of Clippings for Thunderbird. It is being made available for testers and early adopters craving the latest and greatest, and while it's the most stable beta release yet, expect to run into the occasional bug.

Read on to learn more about what's new in Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0, and how to get it!

What's New


  • The Clippings toolbar button in the message compose window has moved from the status bar to the Composition Toolbar. The Clippings toolbar button no longer appears in the main Thunderbird window
  • You can now add separators to organize your clippings in the Clippings menu. Separators can be added in Clippings Manager by right-clicking on a clipping or folder and then selecting Insert Separator from the context menu
  • New option to show the shortcut key of a clipping in the Clippings menu. Turn on this setting from the redesigned extension preferences page
  • New placeholder for embedding a clipping in a clipping. Placeholder syntax: $[CLIPPING(Name of clipping)].
  • Sync Clippings enhancements: sync data is now compressed, allowing you to sync more of your clippings; also, improved handling of read-only sync files
  • On macOS, automatic positioning of windows and dialogs, and saving of the Clippings Manager window position and size, are now fully supported
  • On Linux, the option to minimize the Clippings Manager window when it's inactive has been removed, since the window is no longer always on top in recent versions of Thunderbird
  • When new users install Clippings for Thunderbird, it will only ask for the extension permissions it needs for basic functionality, and will ask for additional permissions if turning on Sync Clippings or creating a new clipping from the clipboard for the first time. This is a change from previous versions, where Clippings for Thunderbird requested full, unrestricted access to Thunderbird and your system
  • Many behind-the-scenes improvements to ensure compatibility with future versions of Thunderbird
  •  New in 7.0b4  New "Organize Clippings" menu item in the Tools menu of the main Thunderbird menu bar. If updating from a previous beta release, you can enable this in extension preferences
  •  New in 7.0b4  The correct keyboard shortcut for invoking shortcut key mode is now displayed if it was changed in Manage Extension Shortcuts in Add-ons Manager (issue #189) 
  •  Fixed in 7.0b4  Improved appearance of the label menu (issue #190)

 Things You Should Know About

  • Users of Clippings for Thunderbird version 5.7 or earlier should take note: Clippings will no longer automatically import your legacy clippings data when upgrading from those old versions. Export your clippings now (select the "Clippings 6" data format) so that you can import them when you're ready to upgrade Clippings to version 7.0 or newer.
  • Additional extension permissions are now required for some features. When turning on Sync Clippings or performing clipboard actions for the first time, a message box will appear, indicating the extension permission requested and how to grant it. If you're upgrading from an earlier version of Clippings, the necessary permission for Sync Clippings will already be enabled.

Compatibility

Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 is compatible with Thunderbird 128 and newer. It is not compatible with Thunderbird 115.x.

The Sync Clippings enhancements require an upgrade of the Sync Clippings Helper app. Read this blog post for details about Sync Clippings 2.0 and how to install the beta release.

How to Get It

IMPORTANT! If you're already using Clippings and want to try the beta release, back up your clippings first before upgrading.

To install this beta release, head over to the Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 beta 4 page on GitHub. Look for the link to clippings-tb-7.0b4.xpi, then right-click on it and select Save Link As, then choose a folder location on your system (for example, the Desktop). Then follow these step-by-step instructions from the Mozilla Support website to install Clippings in Thunderbird.

Current beta users will be automatically updated to the latest beta release if automatic extension updates are turned on in Add-ons Manager.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Clippings should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, now hosted on Groups.io.

If you find a bug, you may file a bug report on GitHub. Please search the issues list first to confirm that your issue has not already been reported.

26 August 2024

Clippings 7.0 beta 3 released!

This is the third beta release of the next version of Clippings. It is being made available for testers and early adopters craving the latest and greatest, and while it is the most stable beta release yet, expected to run into the occasional bug.

Read on to learn more about what's new in Clippings 7.0, and how to get it!

What's New

  • Copy clipping text to the clipboard from Clippings Manager or in the new Clippings Sidebar
  • Brought back the ability to create a clipping from the contents of the clipboard in Clippings Manager (Tools → New From Clipboard). This finally brings back a feature that existed in Clippings for Firefox prior to version 6.0
  • You can now add separators to organize your clippings in the Clippings menu. Separators can be added in Clippings Manager by right-clicking on a clipping or folder and then selecting Insert Separator from the context menu
  • New option to show the shortcut key of a clipping in the Clippings menu. Turn on this setting from the redesigned extension preferences page
  • New placeholder for embedding a clipping in a clipping. Placeholder syntax: $[CLIPPING(Name of clipping)].
  • On Linux, the option to minimize the Clippings Manager window when it's inactive is now turned off by default. Quickly turn it on or off from the icon on the status bar
  • Sync Clippings enhancements: sync data is now compressed, allowing you to sync more of your clippings; also, improved handling of read-only sync files
  •  New in 7.0b3  New keyboard shortcut CTRL+C for copying clipping text in Clippings Manager and Clippings Sidebar if a clipping is selected
  •  New in 7.0b3  Automatic positioning of windows and dialogs, and saving of the Clippings Manager window position and size, are now fully supported on macOS (issue #462)
  •  Fixed in 7.0b3  Error when creating or editing a clipping or folder in the Synced Clippings folder (issue #481)
  •  Fixed in 7.0b3  Separators incorrectly appearing in the auto-complete search results in the keyboard paste dialog (issue #477)
  •  Fixed in 7.0b3  Should not be able to move items out of the Synced Clippings folder when the sync file is read-only (issue #478)

Things You Should Know About

  • The version number of this beta release will appear as 6.99.3 in Add-ons Manager.
  • Additional extension permissions are now required for some features. When turning on Sync Clippings or performing actions involving the clipboard for the first time, a message box will appear, indicating the extension permission requested and how to grant it. If you're upgrading from an earlier version of Clippings, the necessary permission for this feature will already be enabled.

Compatibility

Clippings 7.0 is compatible with Firefox 128 or newer, as well as Firefox 128 ESR.

The Sync Clippings enhancements require an upgrade of the Sync Clippings Helper app. Read this blog post for details about Sync Clippings 2.0 and how to install the beta release.

How to Get It

IMPORTANT! If you're already using Clippings and want to try the beta release, back up your clippings first before upgrading.

To install this beta release, head over to the Clippings 7.0 beta 3 page on GitHub. Look for the link to clippings-7.0b3.xpi, then click on it and follow the prompts to add it to Firefox.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Clippings should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, now hosted on Groups.io.

If you find a bug, you may file a bug report on GitHub. Please search the issues list first to confirm that your issue has not already been reported.

16 August 2024

Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 beta 3 released!

This is the third beta release of the next version of Clippings for Thunderbird. It is being made available for testers and early adopters craving the latest and greatest, and while it's the most stable beta release yet, expect to run into the occasional bug.

Read on to learn more about what's new in Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0, and how to get it!

What's New


  • The Clippings toolbar button in the message compose window has moved from the status bar to the Composition Toolbar. The Clippings toolbar button no longer appears in the main Thunderbird window
  • You can now add separators to organize your clippings in the Clippings menu. Separators can be added in Clippings Manager by right-clicking on a clipping or folder and then selecting Insert Separator from the context menu
  • New option to show the shortcut key of a clipping in the Clippings menu. Turn on this setting from the redesigned extension preferences page
  • New placeholder for embedding a clipping in a clipping. Placeholder syntax: $[CLIPPING(Name of clipping)].
  • Sync Clippings enhancements: sync data is now compressed, allowing you to sync more of your clippings; also, improved handling of read-only sync files
  • When new users install Clippings for Thunderbird, it will only ask for the extension permissions it needs for basic functionality, and will ask for additional permissions if turning on Sync Clippings or creating a new clipping from the clipboard for the first time. This is a change from previous versions, where Clippings for Thunderbird requested full, unrestricted access to Thunderbird and your system
  • Many behind-the-scenes improvements to ensure compatibility with future versions of Thunderbird
  •  New in 7.0b3  If the sync file is read-only, the New Clipping dialog won't show the Synced Clippings folder in the folder list to prevent adding a new clipping to it. In Clippings Manager, the Move/Copy dialog also won't show the Synced Clippings folder to prevent moving or copying a clipping or folder to it
  •  New in 7.0b3  New keyboard shortcut SHIFT+F10 for opening the context menu in Clippings Manager
  •  New in 7.0b3  Automatic positioning of windows and dialogs, and saving of the Clippings Manager window position and size, are now fully supported on macOS
  •  Fixed in 7.0b3  Should not be able to move items out of read-only Synced Clippings folder (issue #185) 
  •  Fixed in 7.0b3  Separators appearing in search results in the keyboard paste dialog (issue #184)

Things You Should Know About

  • Users of Clippings for Thunderbird version 5.7 or earlier should take note: Clippings will no longer automatically import your legacy clippings data when upgrading from those old versions. Export your clippings now (select the "Clippings 6" data format) so that you can import them when you're ready to upgrade Clippings to version 7.0 or newer.
  • Additional extension permissions are now required for some features. When turning on Sync Clippings or performing clipboard actions for the first time, a message box will appear, indicating the extension permission requested and how to grant it. If you're upgrading from an earlier version of Clippings and had Sync Clippings turned on, the necessary permission for this feature will already be enabled.

Compatibility

Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 is compatible with Thunderbird 128 and newer. It is not compatible with Thunderbird 115.x.

The Sync Clippings enhancements require an upgrade of the Sync Clippings Helper app. Read this blog post for details about Sync Clippings 2.0 and how to install the beta release.

How to Get It

IMPORTANT! If you're already using Clippings and want to try the beta release, back up your clippings first before upgrading.

To install this beta release, head over to the Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 beta 3 page on GitHub. Look for the link to clippings-tb-7.0b3.xpi, then right-click on it and select Save Link As, then choose a folder location on your system (for example, the Desktop). Then follow these step-by-step instructions from the Mozilla Support website to install Clippings in Thunderbird.

Current beta users will be automatically updated to the latest beta release if automatic extension updates are turned on in Add-ons Manager.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Clippings should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, now hosted on Groups.io.

If you find a bug, you may file a bug report on GitHub. Please search the issues list first to confirm that your issue has not already been reported.

07 August 2024

Monthly update: August 2024

It's summer time, and the 2024 Summer Olympics are also in full swing. I'm spending some time to enjoy the nice weather while it's still around, as well as catching my favourite Olympic sports. But I'm making time to work on my extensions for Firefox and Thunderbird.

The second beta release of Clippings 7.0 was just released, and work is in progress on the third beta release of Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0. Testers are welcome to try out the new features and look for bugs. I'm also finalizing the UI strings before uploading them to Crowdin for translation.

There are quite a number of minor fixes needed before these extensions are ready for general availability, and the goal is to release in September, depending on readiness of translations.

05 August 2024

Clippings 7.0 beta 2 released!

This is the second beta release of the next version of Clippings. It is being made available for testers and early adopters craving the latest and greatest, and are willing to tolerate a few inevitable bugs.

Read on to learn more about what's new in Clippings 7.0, and how to get it!

What's New

  • Copy clipping text to the clipboard from Clippings Manager or in the new Clippings Sidebar
  • Brought back the ability to create a clipping from the contents of the clipboard in Clippings Manager (Tools → New From Clipboard). This finally brings back a feature that existed in Clippings for Firefox prior to version 6.0
  • You can now add separators to organize your clippings in the Clippings menu. Separators can be added in Clippings Manager by right-clicking on a clipping or folder and then selecting Insert Separator from the context menu
  • New option to show the shortcut key of a clipping in the Clippings menu. Turn on this setting from the redesigned extension preferences page
  • New placeholder for embedding a clipping in a clipping. Placeholder syntax: $[CLIPPING(Name of clipping)].
  • On Linux, the option to minimize the Clippings Manager window when it's inactive is now turned off by default
  • Sync Clippings enhancements: sync data is now compressed, allowing you to sync more of your clippings; also, improved handling of read-only sync files
  •  New in 7.0b2  If the sync file is read-only, the New Clipping dialog won't show the Synced Clippings folder in the folder list to prevent adding a new clipping to it. In Clippings Manager, the Move/Copy dialog also won't show the Synced Clippings folder to prevent moving or copying a clipping or folder to it
  •  New in 7.0b2  New keyboard shortcut SHIFT+F10 for opening the context menu in Clippings Manager and Clippings Sidebar
  •  Fixed in 7.0b2  The Reset Numeric Placeholders menu is sometimes disabled and not populated even when a clipping with a numeric placeholder was pasted (issue #473)
  •  Fixed in 7.0b2  Many cosmetic improvements for Clippings Manager, Clippings Sidebar, the What's New page, and the extension preferences page

Things You Should Know About

  • The version number of this beta release will appear as 6.99.2 in Add-ons Manager.
  • Additional extension permissions are now required for some features. When turning on Sync Clippings or performing actions involving the clipboard for the first time, a message box will appear, indicating the extension permission requested and how to grant it. If you're upgrading from an earlier version of Clippings and had Sync Clippings turned on, the necessary permission for this feature will already be enabled.

Compatibility

Clippings 7.0 is compatible with Firefox 128 or newer, as well as Firefox 128 ESR.

The Sync Clippings enhancements require an upgrade of the Sync Clippings Helper app. Read this blog post for details about Sync Clippings 2.0 and how to install the beta release.

How to Get It

IMPORTANT! If you're already using Clippings and want to try the beta release, back up your clippings first before upgrading.

To install this beta release, head over to the Clippings 7.0 beta 2 page on GitHub. Look for the link to clippings-7.0b2.xpi, then click on it and follow the prompts to add it to Firefox.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Clippings should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, now hosted on Groups.io.

If you find a bug, you may file a bug report on GitHub. Please search the issues list first to confirm that your issue has not already been reported.

01 August 2024

Read Next 1.1.6 released!

An update to Read Next 1.1, the reading list extension for Firefox from AE Creations, has been released and is now available from Firefox Add-ons and the AE Creations website. Read Next 1.1 requires Firefox 102 or newer.

If you already have an older version of Read Next installed, it will be updated for you if automatic extension updates are enabled. Otherwise, open Add-ons Manager (Tools → Add-ons), click on the entry for Read Next in the list of installed extensions, and then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Check for Updates.

What's New

  • Bug fix: Missing and invisible icons in the sidebar message bars and the Dropbox reconnection page on Firefox 128 and 129 (issue #83)

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Read Next should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, now hosted on Groups.io.

25 July 2024

Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 beta 2 released!

This is the second beta release of the next version of Clippings for Thunderbird. It is being made available for testers and early adopters craving the latest and greatest, and are willing to tolerate a few inevitable bugs.

Read on to learn more about what's new in Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0, and how to get it!

What's New

  • The Clippings toolbar button in the message compose window has moved from the status bar to the Composition Toolbar. The Clippings toolbar button no longer appears in the main Thunderbird window
  • You can now add separators to organize your clippings in the Clippings menu. Separators can be added from Clippings Manager -- right-click on the list of clippings and select Insert Separator from the context menu
  • New option to show the shortcut key of a clipping in the Clippings menu. Turn on this setting from the redesigned extension preferences page
  • Sync Clippings enhancements: sync data is now compressed, allowing you to sync more of your clippings; also, improved handling of read-only sync files
  • When new users install Clippings for Thunderbird, it will only ask for the extension permissions it needs for basic functionality, and will ask to grant additional permissions if turning on Sync Clippings or creating a new clipping from the clipboard for the first time. This is a change from previous versions, where Clippings for Thunderbird requested full, unrestricted access to Thunderbird and your system
  • Many behind-the-scenes improvements to ensure compatibility with future versions of Thunderbird
  •  New in 7.0b2  New placeholder for embedding a clipping in a clipping. Placeholder syntax: $[CLIPPING(Name of clipping)]
  •  New in 7.0b2  On Linux, the option to minimize the Clippings Manager window when it's inactive has been removed, since the window is no longer always on top in recent versions of Thunderbird  

Things You Should Know About

  • Users of Clippings for Thunderbird version 5.7 or earlier should take note: Clippings will no longer automatically import your legacy clippings data when upgrading from those old versions. Export your clippings now (select the "Clippings 6" data format) so that you can import them when you're ready to upgrade Clippings to version 7.0 or newer.
  • Additional extension permissions are now required for some features. When turning on Sync Clippings or performing clipboard actions for the first time, a message box will appear, indicating the extension permission requested and how to grant it. If you're upgrading from an earlier version of Clippings and had Sync Clippings turned on, the necessary permission for this feature will already be enabled.

Compatibility

Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 is compatible with Thunderbird 128 and newer. It is not compatible with Thunderbird 115.x.

The Sync Clippings enhancements require an upgrade of the Sync Clippings Helper app. Read this blog post for details about Sync Clippings 2.0 and how to install the beta release.

How to Get It

IMPORTANT! If you're already using Clippings and want to try the beta release, back up your clippings first before upgrading.

To install this beta release, head over to the Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 beta 2 page on GitHub. Look for the link to clippings-tb-7.0b2.xpi, then right-click on it and select Save Link As, then choose a folder location on your system (for example, the Desktop). Then follow these step-by-step instructions from the Mozilla Support website to install Clippings in Thunderbird.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Clippings should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, now hosted on Groups.io.

If you find a bug, you may file a bug report on GitHub. Please search the issues list first to confirm that your issue has not already been reported.

23 July 2024

Clippings 7.0 beta 1 released!

This is the first beta release of the next version of Clippings. It is being made available for testers and early adopters craving the latest and greatest, and are willing to tolerate a few inevitable bugs.

Read on to learn more about what's new in Clippings 7.0, and how to get it!

What's New

  • Copy clipping text to the clipboard by right-clicking on a clipping in Clippings Manager or in the new Clippings Sidebar
  • Create a clipping from the contents of the clipboard in Clippings Manager (Tools → New From Clipboard). This enhancement finally brings back a feature that existed in Clippings for Firefox prior to version 6.0
  • You can now add separators to organize your clippings in the Clippings menu. Separators can be added from Clippings Manager -- right-click on the list of clippings and select Insert Separator from the context menu
  • New option to show the shortcut key of a clipping in the Clippings menu. Turn on this setting from the redesigned extension preferences page
  • New placeholder for embedding a clipping in a clipping. Placeholder syntax: $[CLIPPING(Name of clipping)].
  • On Linux, the option to minimize the Clippings Manager window when it's inactive is now turned off by default
  • Sync Clippings enhancements: sync data is now compressed, allowing you to sync more of your clippings; also, improved handling of read-only sync files
  • Many behind-the-scenes improvements to ensure compatibility with future versions of Firefox

Things You Should Know About

  • The version number of this beta release will appear as 6.99.1 in Add-ons Manager.
  • Additional extension permissions are now required for some features. When turning on Sync Clippings or performing actions involving the clipboard for the first time, a message box will appear, indicating the extension permission requested and how to grant it. If you're upgrading from an earlier version of Clippings and had Sync Clippings turned on, the necessary permission for this feature will already be enabled.

Compatibility

Clippings 7.0 is compatible with Firefox 128 or newer, as well as Firefox 128 ESR.

The Sync Clippings enhancements require an upgrade of the Sync Clippings Helper app. Read this blog post for details about Sync Clippings 2.0 and how to install the beta release.

How to Get It

IMPORTANT! If you're already using Clippings and want to try the beta release, back up your clippings first before upgrading.

To install this beta release, head over to the Clippings 7.0 beta 1 page on GitHub. Look for the link to clippings-7.0b1.xpi, then click on it and follow the prompts to add it to Firefox.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Clippings should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, now hosted on Groups.io.

If you find a bug, you may file a bug report on GitHub. Please search the issues list first to confirm that your issue has not already been reported.

19 July 2024

Clippings 6.5.7 released!

Another update to Clippings 6.5, the Firefox extension from AE Creations that lets you save frequently-entered text for later pasting into web page forms, has been released, and is now available from Firefox Add-ons and the AE Creations website. Clippings 6.5 requires Firefox 102 or newer.

If you already have Clippings installed, it will be upgraded for you if automatic extension updates are enabled. Otherwise, open Add-ons Manager (Tools → Add-ons), click on the entry for Clippings in the list of installed extensions, and then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Check for Updates.

What's New

  • Bug fix: Message bar icons in Clippings Manager are almost invisible in Firefox 128 when using dark mode color themes (issue #474)
  • Other fixes and improvements

Things You Should Know About

  • Thunderbird Users: This version of Clippings is designed for Firefox and is not compatible with Thunderbird. Get Clippings for Thunderbird, which is compatible with Thunderbird 115.
  • Some features may not be available when Firefox is in Private Browsing mode, or if the browser privacy settings are too restrictive.
  • If you want to use Sync Clippings, download and install the Sync Clippings helper app. More information and download links can be found on the Sync Clippings page on the AE Creations website.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Clippings should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, now hosted on Groups.io.

09 July 2024

Clippings for Thunderbird 6.3.6 released!

Another minor update to Clippings for Thunderbird 6.3 has been released, and is now available from Add-ons for Thunderbird and the AE Creations website. This update introduces compatibility with Thunderbird version 128, the next major release of the popular email client which is currently in beta.

If you already have an older version of Clippings for Thunderbird installed, it will be updated for you if automatic extension updates are enabled. Otherwise, open Add-ons Manager (from the Thunderbird menu, click Add-ons), click on the entry for Clippings for Thunderbird in the list of installed extensions, and then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Check for Updates.

What's New

  • Compatible with Thunderbird 128

Things You Should Know About

  • If you want to use Sync Clippings, download and install the Sync Clippings helper app. More information and download links can be found on the Sync Clippings page on the AE Creations website.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Clippings for Thunderbird should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, now hosted on Groups.io.

08 July 2024

Sync Clippings Helper 2.0 beta 1 released!

A beta release of the next version of the Sync Clippings Helper application is now available for testers and early adopters trying out the new Sync Clippings features found in Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 (and soon, Clippings 7.0 for Firefox). Read on to learn more about how to get it, things you should know about, and how to report a bug.

(If you've just stumbled upon this blog post and don't know what Sync Clippings is, you can learn more about this feature of the Clippings add-on for Firefox and Thunderbird on the AE Creations website.)

What's New

  • Supports sync data compression, allowing you to sync more of your clippings. The option to compress sync data is turned on by default in Clippings preferences
  • Proper handling of read-only sync files. Creating or modifying a clipping or folder in the Synced Clippings folder is not permitted if the sync file is read-only

 Things You Should Know About

  • Sync Clippings Helper 2.0 is backwards compatible with older versions of Clippings. Or rather, it should be -- testers are welcome to verify this!
  • The macOS installer package is not available for this beta release; it will be available at a later date. Until then, see the next section, "How to Get It," for instructions on installing this beta release on macOS
  • If you're installing Sync Clippings Helper using the setup shell script, make sure that Python 3 and the Tkinter package (python3-tk) is installed on your system. The setup script will check for those dependencies and will inform you if they aren't found.

How to Get It

Sync Clippings Helper is available as a Windows setup program (requires Windows 7 or newer) and a shell script for Linux and macOS that can be run from the command line. Get them from the Sync Clippings Helper 2.0 beta 1 page on GitHub.

To install on macOS, run the Linux setup shell script, which works on both Intel and Apple Silicon systems.

If you're already running Sync Clippings Helper on Windows, you can install this beta release over your current version. On macOS and Linux, the setup script will automatically detect and prompt you to upgrade a previous version of Sync Clippings Helper.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Sync Clippings Helper should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, now hosted on Groups.io.

If you find a bug with the Sync Clippings Helper app or its installers, you may file a bug report on GitHub. Please search the issues list first to confirm that your issue has not already been reported.

06 July 2024

Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 beta 1 released!

This is the first beta release of the next version of Clippings for Thunderbird. It is being made available for testers and early adopters craving the latest and greatest, and are willing to tolerate a few inevitable bugs.

Read on to learn more about what's new in Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0, and how to get it!

What's New

  • The Clippings toolbar button in the message compose window has moved from the status bar to the Composition Toolbar. The Clippings toolbar button is no longer available in the main Thunderbird window
  • You can now add separators to organize your clippings in the Clippings menu. Separators can be added from Clippings Manager -- right-click on the list of clippings and select Insert Separator from the context menu
  • New option to show the shortcut key of a clipping in the Clippings menu. Turn on this setting from the redesigned extension preferences page
  • On Linux, the option to minimize the Clippings Manager window when it's inactive is now turned off by default
  • Sync Clippings enhancements: sync data is now compressed, allowing you to sync more of your clippings; also, improved handling of read-only sync files
  • Many behind-the-scenes improvements to ensure compatibility with future versions of Thunderbird

Compatibility

Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 is compatible with the latest beta release of Thunderbird 128. It is not compatible with Thunderbird 115.x.

The Sync Clippings enhancements require an upgrade of the Sync Clippings Helper app. An announcement of a beta release of the next version of Sync Clippings Helper will be posted here shortly.

How to Get It

IMPORTANT! If you're already using Clippings and want to try the beta release, back up your clippings first before upgrading.

To install this beta release, head over to the Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 beta 1 page on GitHub. Look for the link to clippings-tb-7.0b1.xpi, then right-click on it and select Save Link As, then choose a folder location on your system (for example, the Desktop). Then follow these step-by-step instructions from the Mozilla Support website to install Clippings in Thunderbird.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Clippings should be posted to the AE Creations Help and Support forums, now hosted on Groups.io.

If you find a bug, you may file a bug report on GitHub. Please search the issues list first to confirm that your issue has not already been reported.

04 July 2024

Monthly update: July 2024

I've been repeatedly postponing the release of the first beta build of Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 due to some additional work that I wanted to get done, and I admit that I've fallen victim to scope creep. But it is now in a state where it's almost ready for release; there are still parts where it feels like it's half finished, but at least it's usable enough for testing. There's just some minor tweaks I'm making to the folder icon that appears in the Clippings menu and Clippings Manager, but that should be it....

Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 will require an upcoming version of the Thunderbird email client. Thunderbird 128 is currently in beta testing (it's available from the Thunderbird website) and a public release is expected very soon.

What about Clippings for Firefox? Work on the next version of Clippings for the Firefox web browser is currently in progress. This new version of the Firefox extension will have most of the same features found in Clippings for Thunderbird 7.0 but with a few additional enhancements, including a new Clippings sidebar in the browser window. The first beta build of Clippings 7.0 for Firefox is planned for release in a few weeks -- keep an eye on this blog for the beta release announcement!

The improvements to Sync Clippings that are coming in Clippings 7.0 will require upgrading to a new version of Sync Clippings Helper, so also watch for an announcement of a beta release of this background helper application.