Re: Help Building a Patched Version of TB 2.0.0.23

On Sun, Nov 1, 2009 at 2:05 AM, How How <[email protected]> wrote:
> No=A0I've never=A0used pre-release software and the thing is I just don't=
 have
> time to experiment right now. Otherwise things might be different. I'm ki=
nd
> of in a hurry to just finish getting this set up and move on and I already
> have everything set up very nicely in TB 2 with only this one little patch
> issue really before I'm done dealing with it.

You say you have never used pre-release software before.  Please spend
five minutes to download and install the pre-release and report back
to us on your results.  It should require no set-up at all.  It will
probably instantly fix your problem.

Also, know that when you ask for TB-related help online with anything
other than official unpatched 2.x, you must always tell them what
build you are using.  You will find it easier to get help with a 3.x
pre-release than with a custom build of 2.x where you are the only
person in the world who uses that build.

[...]

> I'm kind of confused about the installer=A0vs. zip file. The installer wo=
uld
> set up not only the program but all the application data folders, etc.
> With=A0just a zip file, wouldn't I not get everything installed in all the
> right places that=A0I need?

I don't know about TB specifically, but I am pretty sure that all
versions of Fx installed on one computer always use the same profile
(data folder) unless you specifically tell them not to.  A zipped
version would work the same as a version installed by an installer:
it would use the profile al installed

To install the zip file, you would unzip it to a folder like
"c:\program files\thunderbird custom build", then create a shortcut to
the .exe on your Start menu.

I don't think Firefox or Thunderbird use NSIS anymore.  If they did,
then it would definitely be more work for someone to set their
computer up to build installers instead of zipped builds.  Now, I'm
not sure.  Maybe it *still* is easier to build zipped builds.

> I'm not sure why you're asking about my name. I'm just using a handle for
> the email list.

OK, I mainly was just curious if you were using a handle or not.  I
don't think that very many people who post here use handles.

> How much I'm thinking of paying has to do with my understanding of what I=
'm
> asking for.=A0It took me all=A0of 2 minutes to just insert the code chang=
es from
> the patch in the 3 files that have changes in the source=A0code. So that's
> either 2 minutes the person could use or I could even just send them the
> source code where I already made the changes.
>
> Then, if the person already has the tools to do a build, it's my
> understanding that basically all they have to do is add a correct=A0mozco=
nfig
> file (hopefully just the same one that's used for the actual release vers=
ion
> of 2.0.0.23 when it's built) and do a couple make commands and let it run=
. I
> may be oversimplifying but from trying to do the builds myself that was
> pretty much the extent of it. Granted, I couldn't get it to work but I th=
ink
> that's just because I'm not a programmer and really had no understanding =
of
> what to put in the mozconfig file or the errors I was getting. I tried
> enough times myself to realize I'm not going to get it, but I don't think=
 I
> was failing due to anything that has to do with any enormous amount of wo=
rk.
>
> So if I'm not mistaken, it's really not a very time consuming task I'm
> requesting so I figured it would be a nominal kind of a price. But if I'm
> somehow mistaken and this task takes a lot more work than I'm realizing t=
hen
> please let me know what=A0I'm missing. I understand if someone doesn't do
> builds often it might take them a while to get the tools set up. But for
> someone who does builds often - which is what I'm looking for - this would
> seem to be a very minor task for them, especially if I can provide the
> source code with the patch changes already in it if they want.

I'm not a Thunderbird developer, and never do Thunderbird builds, so I
can't comment.

Kind regards,
Jason