Panic Button issue on macOS is fixed on Firefox 121 and 115.6 ESR

Back in August, I wrote about an issue affecting Panic Button on macOS that occurs if the Panic Button action is set to "Minimize All Windows" and the "Open a new window after all browser windows are minimized" option is selected. More details can be found in this blog post.

I finally have good news to share: this issue is now fixed in Firefox 121, which was released last week. Update Firefox to this new version to resolve this issue. Users on Firefox ESR should update to version 115.6.

If there are any questions, post to the AE Creations Help and Support forums.

Happy Holidays!

Monthly update: December 2023

With the holiday season approaching, and having just returned from a two-week vacation, I'm keeping my project work load fairly light.

There is still some work needed to fix up the built-in toolbar icons for Panic Button. I am contemplating the possibility of a new version of this Firefox extension, possibly numbered 4.5, to release the improved icons, since Panic Button 5.0, the version that has been migrated to Manifest V3, is unlikely to be released any time soon due to an outstanding bug with tab permissions in Firefox.

I haven't had time to do the research that I had planned for fully migrating Clippings for Thunderbird to a MailExtension. I might have time towards the end of the month to work on that, but it's likely that may get put off to the new year.

Read Next 1.1.3 released!

Another 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

• Now available in Ukrainian

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.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Crowdin contributor Каріна Крушельницька for translating Read Next into Ukrainian!

If you're fluent in English and another world language and would like to help by adding a translation, consider contributing a translation in CrowdIn. Localizations in other languages are always welcome, and will be added in future releases.

Monthly update: November 2023

November is going to be a busy month, as I'll be balancing the time I'm dedicating to AE Creations extensions with commitments relating to my day job, as well as preparation for an upcoming trip.

There is still no fix from Mozilla, the makers of the Firefox web browser, for an issue that is preventing me from releasing Panic Button 5.0, as mentioned in last month's update. I'll be releasing a Preview Release of this Firefox extension later this month; it'll be almost like a Release Candidate build -- the difference being that it may be subject to additional fixes and improvements. More details will be posted here when the Preview Release build is released.

Also look for a minor release of Read Next, which adds support for Ukrainian. Localizations in other languages are always welcome, and will be added in future releases.

I'm starting research into converting Clippings for Thunderbird into a full MailExtension. Currently, this Thunderbird extension is a hybrid of new MailExtension and legacy XUL overlay components (the latter found in the integration with the main three-pane window and the message compose window), and this has caused compatibility challenges with different versions of Thunderbird. Some users have also been scared off by the prompt that appears during installation, informing them that it requires unrestricted permissions to the system. Converting this extension to a pure MailExtension will alleviate these problems, but it's unknown if the MailExtension APIs will support all the capabilities of the legacy APIs, and this is what my research aims to find out.

Read Next 1.1.2 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

• Minor fixes and improvements
  

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.

Clippings for Thunderbird 6.3.2 released!

A minor update to Clippings for Thunderbird 6.3 has been released to fix a long-standing bug, and is now available from Add-ons for Thunderbird and the AE Creations website. Clippings for Thunderbird 6.3 requires Thunderbird version 115.

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

• Bug fix: Backup reminder notifications are appearing even if the "Skip reminder if there were no changes since last backup" option is turned on

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.

Still Using Clippings for Thunderbird 6.2?

The latest version of Clippings for Thunderbird require Thunderbird version 115, the latest stable release of the popular open source email client. If you're still using an older version of Thunderbird, upgrade now to keep Clippings up to date with bug fixes and improvements!

Check out this page on the Thunderbird website to learn more about what's new in Thunderbird 115.

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.

Monthly update: October 2023

Work on Panic Button 5.0 is gradually winding down as it gets closer to being ready for public release. However, there is one lingering issue that is giving me pause.

With Panic Button being an MV3 extension, Firefox adds a little indicator below the toolbar button icon, as well as an extra menu item in the toolbar button context menu. It's supposedly meant to tell the user that there are permissions that needs approval -- but there actually aren't any. The context menu item doesn't seem to do anything, as there isn't a way to clear the checkmark.

The little indicator appearing below the Panic Button toolbar button icon.

The toolbar button context menu item that doesn't appear to do anything.

Apparently, there is a bug reported in Bugzilla about this, but there hasn't been any activity.

This is a rather poor user experience, and for this reason, I am hesitant on releasing Panic Button 5.0 until this is resolved. I may consider releasing a so-called "technical preview" release for those that are interested in trying out the latest and greatest.

In the meantime, a minor release of Read Next is planned for later this month, which will mainly be a maintenance update. I'm also looking ahead to start working on the next major version of Clippings for Thunderbird, beginning with converting the remaining legacy XUL overlay code to make it a full MailExtension.

Panic Button 5.0 beta 2 released!

This is the second beta release of the next version of Panic Button, the Firefox extension from AE Creations that hides your browser windows from prying eyes with a click of a button. It is being made available for testers and early adopters craving the latest and greatest, and while this build is the most stable yet, users should expect to run into the occasional bug.

Read on to learn more about what's new in this release, and how to get it.

What's New

• Improvements to some of the built-in Panic Button icons
• Enhanced keyboard navigation in the extension preferences page, Change Icon dialog, and the Restore Session page
• Other behind-the-scenes improvements to ensure compatibility with future versions of Firefox
•  Fixed in 5.0b2  In the extension preferences page, resetting the keyboard shortcut doesn't appear to work if it was changed from Manage Extension Shortcuts in Add-ons Manager (issue #88)

Things You Should Know About

• Panic Button 5.0 requires Firefox 115 or newer. 
  
• The version number of this beta release will appear as 4.99.2 in Add-ons Manager.
  
• Panic Button won't work if Firefox is set to "Never remember history" in Privacy & Security settings.

How to Get It

To install this beta release, head over to the Panic Button 5.0 beta 2 page on GitHub. Look for the link to panicbutton-5.0b2.xpi, then click on it to install.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Panic Button 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.

Panic Button 4.4.5 released!

An update to Panic Button 4.4 has been released, and is now available from Firefox Add-ons and the AE Creations website.

If you already have an older version of Panic Button 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 Panic Button in the list of installed extensions, and then scroll down to the bottom of the page and click Check for Updates.

What's New

• Added Polish localization
• Bug fix: In the extension preferences page, resetting the keyboard shortcut doesn't appear to work if it was changed from Manage Extension Shortcuts in Add-ons Manager
  

Things You Should Know About

• The Hide and Replace action won't work if Firefox is set to "Never remember history" in Privacy & Security settings.
• The Hide and Replace action is unable to restore any browser tabs displaying Firefox pages such as Add-ons Manager and Firefox Settings.
  
• On Firefox 115 and newer on macOS and Linux, there is an issue with the "Minimize All Windows" action that occurs if the "Open a new window after all browser windows are minimized" option is selected. If this action is invoked, and then the browser windows are restored by clicking the Panic Button or pressing the keyboard shortcut on the temporary browser window, the restored browser window heights are shrunk down. This issue is not occurring on Windows.
• Any downloads in progress will continue in the background if clicking the Panic Button to hide or minimize all windows. If Close All Windows was selected in extension preferences as the Panic Button action, downloads in progress will be canceled.

Help and Support

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

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Crowdin contributor jeleniogorzanin for translating Panic Button into Polish!

If you are fluent in English and another world language and would like to help update or add a new translation, consider contributing a translation in Crowdin. Localizations in other languages are always welcome, and will be added in future releases.

Follow-up to Firefox issue on macOS affecting Panic Button's "Minimize All Windows" action

Back in August, I wrote about an issue affecting Panic Button on macOS that occurs if the Panic Button action is set to "Minimize All Windows" and the "Open a new window after all browser windows are minimized" option is selected. More details can be found in this blog post.

Unfortunately, the most recent version of Firefox (version 117 at the time of this post) hasn't fixed the issue. I've investigated further and discovered that this issue is also occurring on Linux (confirmed on Ubuntu 20.04 LTS). The good news is that this issue is not reproducible on Windows, even with the latest Firefox release.

I've opened a bug in Mozilla's Bugzilla database. Until this is resolved, the workaround solution remains the same: users on macOS and Linux should consider turning off the option to open the temporary browser window, or change the Panic Button action to a different selection.

Panic Button 5.0 beta 1 released!

This is a beta release of the next version of Panic Button, the Firefox extension from AE Creations that hides your browser windows from prying eyes with a click of a button. It is being made available for testers and early adopters craving the latest and greatest, and although it is fairly stable, expect to encounter a few inevitable bugs.

Read on to learn more about what's new in this release, and how to get it.

What's New

• Improvements to some of the built-in Panic Button icons
• Enhanced keyboard navigation in the extension preferences page, Change Icon dialog, and the Restore Session page
• Other behind-the-scenes improvements to ensure compatibility with future versions of Firefox
  

Things You Should Know About

• Panic Button 5.0 requires Firefox 115 or newer. 
  
• The version number of this beta release will appear as 4.99.1 in Add-ons Manager.
  
• Panic Button won't work if Firefox is set to "Never remember history" in Privacy & Security settings.

How to Get It

To install this beta release, head over to the Panic Button 5.0 beta 1 page on GitHub. Look for the link to panicbutton-5.0b1.xpi, then click on it to install.

Help and Support

Questions and comments about Panic Button 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.

Monthly update: September 2023

With summer winding down, I am getting back into my projects. For Panic Button 5.0, I'm adding a few more improvements to user interaction in the extension preferences page, the Change Icon popup window and the Restore Session page (the password prompt that appears when restoring the browser session after clicking the Panic Button to hide all browser windows). These enhancements will improve the user experience, especially for those who prefer to navigate through the UI using the keyboard, and bring it one step closer to making it feel more like a native application. If these changes are successful and are well received, I plan on bringing these enhancements to other AE Creations extensions.

The first beta release of Panic Button 5.0 should be expected very soon; keep an eye on this blog if you're interested in getting your hands on it and testing it out!

Minor updates to Clippings and Clippings for Thunderbird have just been released. I am still interested in having the Portuguese (Brazil) localization updated; if you would like to help out, head over to the Crowdin project page.

Clippings for Thunderbird 6.3.1 released!

A 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. Clippings for Thunderbird 6.3 requires Thunderbird version 115.

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

• Updated Dutch localization

Compatibility

Clippings for Thunderbird 6.3 is compatible with Thunderbird 115. It is not compatible with Thunderbird 102. If you're still on Thunderbird version 102, either upgrade to version 115 to get this new release of Clippings, or stick with Clippings for Thunderbird 6.2.6 for now.

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.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Crowdin contributor Klaas Swart for updating the Dutch localization of Clippings!

If you are fluent in English and another world language and would like to help update or add a new translation, consider contributing a translation in Crowdin. Localizations in other languages are always welcome, and will be added in future releases.

Clippings 6.5.1 released!

A minor update to Clippings 6.5 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

• Updated Dutch localization
• Minor 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 versions 102 and 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.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Crowdin contributor Klaas Swart for updating the Dutch localization of Clippings!

If you are fluent in English and another world language and would like to help update or add a new translation, consider contributing a translation in Crowdin. Localizations in other languages are always welcome, and will be added in future releases.

Monthly update: August 2023

It is now summer time here in North America, and I plan on spending most of August enjoying the sun and doing some travel. I will still keep up with the messages on the help and support forums, but work on my projects will slow down a bit.

I have made some progress on planned improvements to Panic Button, and work on that will continue to the end of this month, with the goal of getting the first beta release of Panic Button 5.0 into the hands of testers and enthusiasts by early September.

A maintenance release of Clippings and Clippings for Thunderbird is also planned for release in September, which will also include updates to the Dutch localization. Additions or updates to localizations for Clippings and other AE Creations extensions are always welcome, and will be included in future updates.

Firefox issue on macOS affecting Panic Button's "Minimize All Windows" action

Panic Button users on macOS should take note!

There is an issue with the "Minimize All Windows" action that occurs if the "Open a new window after all browser windows are minimized" option is selected. If this action is invoked, and then the browser window states are restored by clicking the Panic Button toolbar button or pressing the keyboard shortcut on the temporary browser window, the restored browser window heights are shrunk down.

 The shrunk-down browser windows after they are restored.

A similar issue happens when the Panic Button action is set to "Minimize Current Window."

This is confirmed to be occurring on Firefox versions 115 and 116 on macOS. This issue is not occurring on Windows.

The good news is that this issue is fixed in Firefox 117, which is due to be released at the end of August. Until then, consider turning off the option to open the temporary browser window, or change the Panic Button action to a different selection. This is understandably a bothersome inconvenience for many users -- indeed, Firefox 117 can't come soon enough!

Read Next 1.1.1 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

• Now available in Chinese (Simplified)
• The "Open In Current Tab" menu item in the reading list context menu has been renamed "Open"
• Other fixes and improvements
  

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.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Crowdin contributor heretic43 for providing the Chinese (Simplified) localization of Read Next!

If you're fluent in English and another world language and would like to help by adding a translation, consider contributing a translation in CrowdIn. Localizations in other languages are always welcome, and will be added in future releases.

Read Next 1.1.1 release candidate 1 released!

This is a release candidate of the next version of Read Next, the reading list extension for Firefox from AE Creations. Unless there are any last-minute showstopper bugs, this may become the official release of Read Next 1.1.1.

Read on to learn what's new in this version of Read Next, and how to get it.

What's New

• Now available in Chinese (Simplified)
  
• The "Open In Current Tab" menu item in the reading list context menu has been renamed "Open"
• Other fixes and improvements
  

How to Get It

If you've installed the previous beta release of Read Next, you'll be automatically updated to this release candidate, if automatic add-on updates are turned on in Firefox.

New users can install this release candidate build by heading over to the Read Next 1.1.1 release candidate 1 page on GitHub and then clicking the link to readnext-1.1.1rc1.xpi. Follow the prompts to complete the installation.

Read Next 1.1.1 requires Firefox 102 or newer.

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.

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.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to Crowdin contributor heretic43 for providing the Chinese (Simplified) localization of Read Next!

If you're fluent in English and another world language and would like to help by adding a translation, consider contributing a translation in CrowdIn. Localizations in other languages are always welcome, and will be added in future releases.

Read Next 1.1.1 beta 1 released!

A beta release of the next version of Read Next is now available to early adopters and enthusiasts craving the latest and greatest! Although this beta release is fairly stable, users should expect to run into the occasional bug.

Read on to learn more about what's new in this release, and how to get it.

What's New

• The "Open In Current Tab" menu item in the reading list context menu has been renamed "Open"
  

How to Get It

To install this beta release:

1. Head over to the Read Next 1.1.1 beta 1 page on GitHub.
2. Look for the link to readnext-1.1.1b1.xpi, and then right-click on it and choose Save Link As. Save the XPI file to a location on your system.
3. Open Add-ons Manager, then click on the gear icon on the top-right corner of the page and select Install Add-on From File. Locate and select the XPI file.
4. Follow the prompts to complete the installation.

Read Next 1.1 requires Firefox 102 or newer.

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.

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.

Translators Wanted!

Do you want Read Next in your language? If you're fluent in English and another world language and would like to add a translation, consider contributing a translation in CrowdIn.

Clippings 6.5 released!

Clippings 6.5 is the newest version of the Firefox extension that lets you save frequently-entered text for later pasting into web page forms and messages. It is now available from Firefox Add-ons and the AE Creations website. Clippings 6.5 is compatible with Firefox 102 and 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

• Symbols and emojis are now supported in placeholder default values
• Formatted date/time placeholder values show up correctly in languages other than English
• Placeholder prompt dialogs now display the name of the selected clipping, so that you know you've selected the right one
• 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 versions 102 and 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.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to the Crowdin contributors who provided updated localizations for this version of Clippings!

• 52fisher and YFdyh000 – Chinese (Simplified)
• kalimbra and Vollandet – French
  
• Tobias Bannert – German
• Juanma – Spanish
• Oleksiy Kashchuk – Ukrainian
  

If you are fluent in English and another world language and would like to help update or add a new translation, consider contributing a translation in Crowdin. Localizations in other languages are always welcome, and will be added in future releases.

Monthly update: July 2023

Here's what happening in the month of July!

A new version of Clippings, the extension for Firefox from AE Creations that lets you save frequently-entered text for later pasting into web page forms, will be coming out soon. It is currently under review by the Firefox Add-ons review team. An announcement will be posted here once it is released.

Clippings for Thunderbird 6.3 was just released, and is compatible with Thunderbird 115. Current users of Thunderbird who want to get this new version of Clippings for Thunderbird can wait for the new version of Thunderbird to be available to upgrade; if you don't want to wait, you can download and install Thunderbird 115 now. 

Over the next few weeks, I'll be working on some improvements to Read Next, the reading list extension for Firefox -- watch this blog for an announcement on a beta release. I'll also resume working on the next version of Panic Button which is being converted to a Manifest V3 extension.

Clippings for Thunderbird 6.3 released!

Clippings for Thunderbird 6.3 is the newest version of the Thunderbird add-on that brings the convenience of Clippings to the popular open-source email client. It is now available from Add-ons for Thunderbird and the AE Creations website.

This version of Clippings requires Thunderbird 115. If you already have an older version of Clippings for Thunderbird installed, it will be upgraded for you once Thunderbird is upgraded to version 115; make sure that automatic extension updates are turned on. For details on compatibility with Thunderbird versions, see the "Compatibility" section below.

What's New

• Symbols and emojis are now supported in placeholder default values
• Formatted date/time placeholder values show up correctly in languages other than English
• Placeholder prompt dialogs now display the name of the selected clipping, so that you know you've selected the right one
• Other fixes and improvements

Compatibility

Clippings for Thunderbird 6.3 is compatible with Thunderbird 115. It is not compatible with Thunderbird 102. If you're still on Thunderbird version 102, either upgrade to version 115 to get this new release of Clippings, or stick with Clippings for Thunderbird 6.2.6 for now.

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

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to the Crowdin contributors who provided updated localizations for this version of Clippings!

• 52fisher and YFdyh000 – Chinese (Simplified)
• kalimbra and Vollandet – French
  
• Tobias Bannert – German
• Juanma – Spanish
• Oleksiy Kashchuk – Ukrainian
  

If you are fluent in English and another world language and would like to help update or add a new translation, consider contributing a translation in Crowdin. Localizations in other languages are always welcome, and will be added in future releases.

Clippings for Thunderbird 6.2.6 released!

A minor update to Clippings for Thunderbird 6.2 has been released and is now available from Add-ons for Thunderbird and the AE Creations website. Clippings for Thunderbird 6.2 requires Thunderbird versions 91 or 102.

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

• Bug fix: Error notification doesn't appear if Sync Clippings Helper was uninstalled without turning off Sync Clippings (issue #146)

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.

Clippings for Thunderbird 6.3 release candidate 1 released!

This is a release candidate of the next version of Clippings for Thunderbird, the extension from AE Creations that lets you save frequently-entered text for later pasting into messages. Unless there are any last-minute showstopper bugs, this may become the official release of Clippings for Thunderbird 6.3.

Read on to learn more about what's new in this version of Clippings for Thunderbird, and how to get it.

What's New

• Symbols and emojis are now supported in placeholder default values
• Formatted date/time placeholder values show up correctly in languages other than English
• Placeholder prompt dialogs now display the name of the selected clipping, so that you know you've selected the right one
• Other fixes and improvements
  

Compatibility

Clippings for Thunderbird 6.3 is compatible with the latest beta release of Thunderbird 115. It is not compatible with Thunderbird 102.x.

How to Get It

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

To install this release candidate, head over to the Clippings for Thunderbird 6.3 release candidate 1 page on GitHub. Look for the link to clippings-tb-6.3rc1.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.

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to the Crowdin contributors who provided updated localizations for this version of Clippings!

• 52fisher and YFdyh000 – Chinese (Simplified)
• kalimbra and Vollandet – French
  
• Tobias Bannert – German
• Juanma – Spanish
• Oleksiy Kashchuk – Ukrainian
  

If you are fluent in English and another world language and would like to help update or add a new translation, consider contributing a translation in Crowdin. Localizations in other languages are always welcome, and will be added in future releases.

Clippings 6.5 release candidate 3 released!

This third, and hopefully final, release candidate build of Clippings 6.5 contains additional fixes for a stubborn bug that wasn't fully resolved in previous release candidates. Barring any more last-minute showstopper bugs, this may become the official build of Clippings 6.5.

Read on to learn more about what's new in this version of Clippings for Firefox, and how to get it.

What's New

• Symbols and emojis are now supported in placeholder default values
• Formatted date/time placeholder values show up correctly in languages other than English
• Placeholder prompt dialogs now display the name of the selected clipping, so that you know you've selected the right one
• 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. Watch this blog for an announcement on a release candidate build of Clippings for Thunderbird 6.3.
  
• Clippings 6.5 requires Firefox 102 or newer.
• 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.

How to Get It

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

New or current users who want to install this release candidate build should follow these steps to install:

1. Head over to the Clippings 6.5 release candidate 3 page on GitHub.
2. Look for the link to clippings-6.5rc3.xpi, and then click on it to install.
3. Follow the prompts to complete the installation.

If you had previously installed or updated to any of the previous release candidates, it will not automatically update; follow the above steps to update to this release candidate build.

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.

 

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to the Crowdin contributors who provided updated localizations for this version of Clippings!

• 52fisher and YFdyh000 – Chinese (Simplified)
• kalimbra and Vollandet – French
  
• Tobias Bannert – German
• Juanma – Spanish
• Oleksiy Kashchuk – Ukrainian
  

If you are fluent in English and another world language and would like to help update or add a new translation, consider contributing a translation in Crowdin. Localizations in other languages are always welcome, and will be added in future releases.

Clippings 6.5 release candidate 2 released!

This is the second release candidate build of the next version of Clippings, which fixes a few bugs discovered during testing. Unless there are any more last-minute showstopper bugs, this may become the official release of Clippings 6.5.

Read on to learn more about what's new in this version of Clippings for Firefox, and how to get it.

What's New

• Symbols and emojis are now supported in placeholder default values
• Formatted date/time placeholder values show up correctly in languages other than English
• Placeholder prompt dialogs now display the name of the selected clipping, so that you know you've selected the right one
• 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. Watch this blog for an announcement on a release candidate build of Clippings for Thunderbird 6.3.
  
• Clippings 6.5 requires Firefox 102 or newer.
• 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.

How to Get It

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

New or current users who want to install this release candidate build should follow these steps to install:

1. Head over to the Clippings 6.5 release candidate 2 page on GitHub.
2. Look for the link to clippings-6.5rc2.xpi, and then click on it to install.
3. Follow the prompts to complete the installation.

If you had previously installed or updated to version 6.5 release candidate 1, it will not automatically update; follow the above steps to update to this release candidate build.

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.

 

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to the Crowdin contributors who provided updated localizations for this version of Clippings!

• 52fisher and YFdyh000 – Chinese (Simplified)
• kalimbra and Vollandet – French
  
• Tobias Bannert – German
• Juanma – Spanish
• Oleksiy Kashchuk – Ukrainian
  

If you are fluent in English and another world language and would like to help update or add a new translation, consider contributing a translation in Crowdin. Localizations in other languages are always welcome, and will be added in future releases.

Clippings 6.5 release candidate 1 released!

This is a release candidate of the next version of Clippings, the extension for Firefox from AE Creations that lets you save frequently-entered text for later pasting into web page forms. Unless there are any last-minute showstopper bugs, this may become the official release of Clippings 6.5.

Read on to learn more about what's new in this version of Clippings for Firefox, and how to get it.

What's New

• Symbols and emojis are now supported in placeholder default values
• Formatted date/time placeholder values show up correctly in languages other than English
• Placeholder prompt dialogs now display the name of the selected clipping, so that you know you've selected the right one
• 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. Watch this blog for an announcement on a release candidate build of Clippings for Thunderbird 6.3.
  
• Clippings 6.5 requires Firefox 102 or newer.
• 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.

How to Get It

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

If you've installed the previous beta release of Clippings, you'll be automatically updated to this release candidate, if automatic add-on updates are turned on in Firefox.

New users can install this release candidate build by following these steps:

1. Head over to the Clippings 6.5 release candidate 1 page on GitHub.
2. Look for the link to clippings-6.5rc1.xpi, and then right-click on it and choose Save Link As. Save the XPI file to a location on your system.
3. Open Add-ons Manager, then click on the gear icon on the top-right corner of the page and select Install Add-on From File. Locate and select the XPI file.
4. Follow the prompts to complete the installation.

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.

 

Acknowledgements

Many thanks to the Crowdin contributors who provided updated localizations for this version of Clippings!

• 52fisher and YFdyh000 – Chinese (Simplified)
• kalimbra and Vollandet – French
  
• Tobias Bannert – German
• Juanma – Spanish
• Oleksiy Kashchuk – Ukrainian
  

If you are fluent in English and another world language and would like to help update or add a new translation, consider contributing a translation in Crowdin. Localizations in other languages are always welcome, and will be added in future releases. 

Read Next 1.1 released!

A new version of Read Next, the reading list extension for Firefox from AE Creations, has been released and is now available from Mozilla 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

• New option to automatically close the reading list sidebar when clicking a link
• New option to always open a reading list link in the current browser tab or a new tab
• Multiple browser tabs can be added to Read Next if they're selected in the tab bar

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.

Read Next 1.1 release candidate 1 released!

This is a release candidate of the next version of Read Next, the reading list extension for Firefox from AE Creations. Unless there are any last-minute showstopper bugs, this may become the official release of Read Next 1.1.

Read on to learn more about what's new in this version of Read Next, and how to get it.

What's New

• New option to automatically close the reading list sidebar when clicking a link
• New option to always open a reading list link in the current browser tab or a new tab
• Multiple browser tabs can be added to Read Next if they're selected in the tab bar

How to Get It

If you've installed the previous beta release of Read Next, you'll be automatically updated to this release candidate, if automatic add-on updates are turned on in Firefox.

New users can install this release candidate build by following these steps:

1. Head over to the Read Next 1.1 release candidate 1 page on GitHub.
2. Look for the link to readnext-1.1rc1.xpi, and then right-click on it and choose Save Link As. Save the XPI file to a location on your system.
3. Open Add-ons Manager, then click on the gear icon on the top-right corner of the page and select Install Add-on From File. Locate and select the XPI file.
4. Follow the prompts to complete the installation.

Read Next 1.1 requires Firefox 102 or newer.

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.

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.

Read Next 1.1 beta 2 released!

A second beta release of the next version of Read Next is now available to early adopters and enthusiasts craving the latest and greatest! This is the most stable beta release yet, but users should expect to run into the occasional bug.

Read on to learn more about what's new in this release, and how to get it.

What's New

Here are all the new features coming to Read Next 1.1:

• New option to automatically close the reading list sidebar when clicking a link
• Multiple browser tabs can be added to Read Next if they are selected in the tab bar
•  New in 1.1b2  New option to always open a reading list link in the current browser tab or a new tab when clicking on it
  

Things You Should Know About

• The ability to rename a reading list link has been removed in this beta release. This feature may be brought back in a future release.

How to Get It

If you've installed the previous beta release of Read Next, you'll be automatically updated to this release, if automatic add-on updates are turned on in Firefox.

New users can install this beta release by following these steps:

1. Head over to the Read Next 1.1 beta 2 page on GitHub.
2. Look for the link to readnext-1.1b2.xpi, and then right-click on it and choose Save Link As. Save the XPI file to a location on your system.
3. Open Add-ons Manager, then click on the gear icon on the top-right corner of the page and select Install Add-on From File. Locate and select the XPI file.
4. Follow the prompts to complete the installation.

Read Next 1.1 requires Firefox 102 or newer.

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.

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.

Clippings for Thunderbird 6.3 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 this release, and how to get it. 

What's New

• Symbols and emojis are now supported in placeholder default values
• Formatted date/time placeholder values show up correctly in languages other than English
• Placeholder prompt dialogs now display the name of the selected clipping, so that you know you've selected the right one
• Other fixes and improvements

Compatibility

Clippings for Thunderbird 6.3 is compatible with the latest beta release of Thunderbird 115. It is not compatible with Thunderbird 102.x.

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 6.3 beta 1 page on GitHub. Look for the link to clippings-tb-6.3b1.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.

Clippings 6.5 beta 1 released!

A beta release of the next version of Clippings is now available to early adopters and enthusiasts who are craving the latest and greatest! While this is a fairly stable beta release, users should expect to run into the occasional bug.

Read on to learn more about what's new in this release, and how to get it.

What's New

• Symbols and emojis are now supported in placeholder default values
• Formatted date/time placeholder values show up correctly in languages other than English
• Placeholder prompt dialogs now display the name of the selected clipping, so that you know you've selected the right one
• 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. Watch this blog for an announcement on a beta release of an upcoming new version of Clippings for Thunderbird.
  
• Clippings 6.5 requires Firefox 102 or newer.
• 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.

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:

1. Head over to the Clippings 6.5 beta 1 page on GitHub.
2. Look for the link to clippings-6.5b1.xpi, and then right-click on it and choose Save Link As. Save the XPI file to a location on your system.
3. Open Add-ons Manager, then click on the gear icon on the top-right corner of the page and select Install Add-on From File. Locate and select the XPI file.
4. Follow the prompts to complete the installation.

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.

Monthly update: June 2023

Here's an update on what's happening in June!

Read Next 1.1 beta 1 is released for testing. Check out the blog post for details on what's new. There is additional work to do, so check back here soon for an announcement on a second beta release.

I've made progress on the upcoming new versions of Clippings and Clippings for Thunderbird. I have learned that there are changes coming to the next stable release of Thunderbird which will break backward compatibility with Thunderbird 102 and older. I will make every effort to have the update for Clippings for Thunderbird released in time for Thunderbird 115.

I'm also going to return to Panic Button and continue working on this Manifest V3 extension, though how much I can get done on it this month will depend on the workload for the other extensions.

Read Next 1.1 beta 1 released!

A beta release of the next version of Read Next is now available to early adopters and enthusiasts who are craving the latest and greatest! While this is a fairly stable beta release, users should expect to run into the occasional bug.

Read on to learn more about what's new in this release, and how to get it.

What's New

• New option to automatically close the reading list sidebar when clicking a link
• You can now rename a link in the reading list
• Multiple browser tabs can be added to Read Next if they are selected in the tab bar
  

 How to Get It

To install this beta release:

1. Head over to the Read Next 1.1 beta 1 page on GitHub.
2. Look for the link to readnext-1.1b1.xpi, and then right-click on it and choose Save Link As. Save the XPI file to a location on your system.
3. Open Add-ons Manager, then click on the gear icon on the top-right corner of the page and select Install Add-on From File. Locate and select the XPI file.
4. Follow the prompts to complete the installation.

Read Next 1.1 requires Firefox 102 or newer.

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.

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. 

Monthly update: May 2023

Here's a short update on what's happening for the month of May!

Work is progressing on the next version of Clippings and Clippings for Thunderbird. I've eliminated the remaining calls in the extension pages (e.g. Clippings Manager) to get the background script, replacing them with message passing. I've also fixed a bug where formatted date placeholders were always populated in English even on non-English locales; this will definitely be a welcome fix for international users.

I've also started work on the next version of Read Next, and have implemented a new option to automatically close the reading list sidebar when clicking on a link in the reading list. Read Next 1.1 will also have the ability to add multiple selected tabs to the reading list, as well as rename a link. The new version is planned for release in June of this year.

Monthly update: April 2023

Since my last update, I changed my mind on the release plans for Clippings and Clippings for Thunderbird. There will be a new version released later this year to coincide with the next Firefox ESR version. I felt that it was better to spread out the changes to Clippings over two release cycles so that users don't have to wait too long to receive improvements and bug fixes.

With that, I've started working on improvements to the back end of Clippings, with more work planned over the next few months. The scope of the back end improvements is limited to refactoring the background script; migration to Manifest V3 is deferred to the next release.

I'm also planning on starting work on a new minor version of Read Next, which will come with small improvements. More on this will be announced soon.

Clippings 6.4.5 released!

Another minor update to Clippings 6.4 has been released, and is now available from Firefox Add-ons and the AE Creations website. Clippings 6.4 requires Firefox 91 or newer.

If you already have Clippings 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 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

• Minor 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, compatible with Thunderbird versions 91 and 102.
• 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.

Clippings for Thunderbird 6.2.5 released!

Another minor update to Clippings for Thunderbird 6.2 has been released, and is now available from Add-ons for Thunderbird and the AE Creations website. Clippings for Thunderbird 6.2 requires Thunderbird versions 91 or 102.

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

• Minor fixes and improvements
  

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.

Monthly update: March 2023

Here is a short update on what's happening in March!

A minor release of Read Next is out with minor bug fixes and improvements.

I began work on the next version of Panic Button, and completed the first milestone where it was migrated to Manifest V3. The first alpha release is now available from GitHub; if you want to try it out, be aware that the XPI redistributable file isn't signed, so you'll need Firefox Developer Edition to install. There's more work planned for Panic Button 5.0, including a feature enhancement to restore the browser session if the "Close All Windows" option is set as the Panic Button action.

This month, I'll be starting work on the next version of Clippings. The initial work will involve improvements behind the scenes, including refactoring the background script and migrating to Manifest V3. As for a target release date, that has yet to be decided. I've usually timed the releases of new versions of Clippings to match the Firefox Extended Support Release version, but it's possible that I may skip this year's ESR. In the meantime, maintenance updates for the current release version will continue to be rolled out.

Read Next 1.0.2 released!

An update to Read Next has been released, and is now available from Firefox Add-ons and the AE Creations website.

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: Search results in reading list sidebar aren't updated when adding or deleting a link (issue #43)
• Minor fixes for the extension preferences page
  

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.

Monthly update: February 2023

The dust has settled after the scramble to move the AE Creations Help and Support forums to a new host, following a breakage in Google Groups that prevented posting to the forums through the web interface, a severe issue that received no attention from Google. The forums are now hosted on Groups.io, and like Google Groups, you can post and read messages through the web interface or via your favorite email client.

I also stumbled upon a bug with the uninstallation shell script for Sync Clippings Helper for macOS. The shell script, located in the folder path /Library/SyncClippings/1.2.0, didn't properly clean up installation info due to an error. The missed cleanup step isn't serious, but fixing this bug required me to release a new macOS installer package for both Intel and Apple Silicon-based Macs. I came to the realization that uninstalling Sync Clippings on macOS is ridiculously convoluted in an OS where users normally uninstall an application simply by clicking on its icon and dragging it to the Trash. Sync Clippings Helper doesn't have an app icon to interact with, because it is launched by Firefox (not by a human user) and it runs silently in the background. So I'm now contemplating writing an uninstallation app for macOS as an alternative to running a shell script, which is something ordinary Mac users aren't used to doing.

I've experimented with creating a Manifest V3 (MV3) extension for Firefox, and have a functioning demo published in this GitHub repository (licensed under the Mozilla Public License version 2). New extension manifest keys were introduced, adding menu items to the browser context menu is performed from a new API, and event handling code defined in the background script, such as for clicking on the extension's browser toolbar button ("browser action" in WebExtension jargon), needs to be able to reload extension state when the background script restarts. While I can see the benefit of reducing memory usage by not having extension background scripts constantly running when they're not needed, I'm not thrilled about the drawback of not being able to cache data such as extension settings, since the data would be lost when the background script is killed and would need to be read again from local storage when the script is restarted.

With this knowledge, I'm ready to begin porting Panic Button to MV3, which was the plan I shared in my last update. Panic Button is the first extension chosen for this work, as it is fairly simple and it is in need of an update anyway.

Read Next 1.0.1 released!

An update to Read Next has been released, and is now available from Firefox Add-ons and the AE Creations website.

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: In the extension preferences page, the "Reconnect to Dropbox" message bar isn't dismissed when Dropbox is successfully reconnected (issue #65)
• Other fixes and improvements
  

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.

Panic Button 4.4.4 released!

An update to Panic Button 4.4 has been released, and is now available from Firefox Add-ons and the AE Creations website.

If you already have an older version of Panic Button 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 Panic Button 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: Panic Button toolbar button doesn't appear in the browser toolbar by default on Firefox 109 (issue #82)

Things You Should Know About

• The Hide and Replace action won't work if Firefox is set to "Never remember history" in Privacy & Security settings.

Help and Support

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

Clippings 6.4.4.1 released!

A follow-up revision to the recently-released Clippings 6.4.4 has been released, and is now available from Firefox Add-ons and the AE Creations website. Clippings 6.4 requires Firefox 91 or newer.

If you already have Clippings 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 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

•  Updated a third-party software library

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, compatible with Thunderbird versions 91 and 102.
• 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.

AE Creations Help and Support Forums moved to Groups.io

The AE Creations Help and Support Forums has moved to a new forum host. It is now hosted on Groups.io, and can be found at this web address:
https://groups.io/g/aecreations-help.

Anyone can browse the forum posts, but to create a new post or reply to existing posts, you must subscribe to the forum.

To get started, send an email to the subscribe email address listed in the forum home page. If you prefer to post to the forum through the web interface, you'll need to register for a Groups.io account.

Once your membership to the forum is approved, you'll receive a welcome email with instructions on how to post to the forum, change your email subscription options, set forum preferences, and more.

The old Google Groups forum is now read-only; no new posts can be created. The old forum will remain online for browsing messages prior to January 2023.

Again, apologies for the inconvenience and thanks for your patience.

Updated 12 January 2023 - Improved instructions on how to get started in the new forums, and clarified that registering with Groups.io is needed if the web interface is preferred.

Clippings for Thunderbird 6.2.4.1 released!

Another minor update to Clippings for Thunderbird 6.2 has been released, and is now available from Add-ons for Thunderbird and the AE Creations website. Clippings for Thunderbird 6.2 requires Thunderbird versions 91 or 102.

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

•  Added Spanish localization

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

Due to an issue with posting to Google Groups, it's currently not possible to post to the AE Creations Help and Support forums. But older posts are still available for browsing, so try searching the forums to see if your question has already been answered. Apologies for the inconvenience.

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Crowdin contributors Juanma, Francisco, Adrian Henestrosa Ontiveros, Gotzon, Rafael Aiquel, and Raúl Cantora for adding the Spanish localization of Clippings for Thunderbird!

If you're fluent in English and another world language and would like to help update or add a new translation, consider contributing a translation in Crowdin. Localizations in other languages are always welcome, and will be added in future releases.

Unable to post to the AE Creations Help and Support Forums

There is currently an issue with Google Groups, the forum host for the AE Creations Help and Support forums. Attempting to post a message to the forum causes an error, and is confirmed to be happening on Firefox, Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge and Safari.

Older posts can still be browsed, but since posting isn't currently possible, the forums are basically in read-only mode.

This broken functionality is a symptom of neglect of the Google Groups forum software, and it's prompted me to revisit the idea of moving the forums to a different host.

Updates will be shared here when I have them. Apologies for the inconvenience.

Clippings 6.4.4 released!

Another minor update to Clippings 6.4 has been released, and is now available from Firefox Add-ons and the AE Creations website. Clippings 6.4 requires Firefox 91 or newer.

If you already have Clippings 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 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

• Updated Spanish localization
• Bug fix: Critical error instead of warning appears when trying to turn on Sync Clippings without first installing Sync Clippings Helper (issue #416)
  

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, compatible with Thunderbird versions 91 and 102.
• 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, hosted on Google Groups.

Acknowledgements

Thanks to Crowdin contributors Adrian Henestrosa Ontiveros, Gotzon, Rafael Aiquel, and Raúl Cantora for updating the Spanish localization of Clippings!

If you're fluent in English and another world language and would like to help update or add a new translation, consider contributing a translation in Crowdin. Localizations in other languages are always welcome, and will be added in future releases. 

Monthly update: January 2023

Happy New Year! With 2022 now history, it's time to look ahead to my goals for 2023. Here's what I have in mind:

1. Experiment with Manifest Version 3 (MV3) extensions for Firefox. The knowledge gained from this research will inform the strategy for porting the AE Creations extensions to MV3.
2. Panic Button will be the first candidate for porting to MV3. Clippings will follow, though I expect that will be a larger effort, given the complexity of that Firefox extension.
3. Further enhancements to Read Next, the new reading list extension for Firefox. I also have ideas for making it more than just a simple reading list, though I'm still contemplating whether that should be an enhancement to Read Next, or if it should be spun off as its own browser extension.
   

Meanwhile, I've completed the switchover of the AE Creations website from SourceForge; the old SourceForge URLs are now being redirected to the new website. Updates to Clippings and Clippings for Thunderbird are in the works and will be released shortly, along with an update for Read Next which fixes a minor bug with reconnecting to Dropbox; look for those updates in the coming weeks.