windows API
Note
These APIs are for the main Thunderbird windows which can contain webpage tabs and also other window types like composer or address books that cannot contain webpage tabs. Make sure your code interacts with windows appropriately, depending on their type.
The windows API supports creating, modifying and interacting with Thunderbird windows.
Functions
get(windowId, [getInfo])
Gets details about a window.
getCurrent([getInfo])
Gets the active or topmost window.
Parameters
getLastFocused([getInfo])
Gets the window that was most recently focused — typically the window ‘on top’.
Parameters
getAll([getInfo])
Gets all windows.
Parameters
create([createData])
Creates (opens) a new window with any optional sizing, position or default URL provided.
Parameters
[createData]
(object)
[allowScriptsToClose]
(boolean)
Allow scripts running inside the window to close the window by calling window.close().
[focused]
(boolean) Unsupported.
If true, opens an active window. If false, opens an inactive window.
[height]
(integer)
The height in pixels of the new window, including the frame. If not specified defaults to a natural height.
[incognito]
(boolean) Unsupported.
[left]
(integer)
The number of pixels to position the new window from the left edge of the screen. If not specified, the new window is offset naturally from the last focused window.
The initial state of the window. The minimized, maximized and fullscreen states cannot be combined with left, top, width or height.
[tabId]
(integer)
The id of the tab for which you want to adopt to the new window.
[titlePreface]
(string)
A string to add to the beginning of the window title.
[top]
(integer)
The number of pixels to position the new window from the top edge of the screen. If not specified, the new window is offset naturally from the last focused window.
Specifies what type of window to create. Thunderbird does not support panel and detached_panel, they are interpreted as popup.
[url]
(string or array of string)
A URL or array of URLs to open as tabs in the window. Fully-qualified URLs must include a scheme (i.e. http://www.google.com, not www.google.com). Relative URLs will be relative to the current page within the extension. Defaults to the New Tab Page.
[width]
(integer)
The width in pixels of the new window, including the frame. If not specified defaults to a natural width.
update(windowId, updateInfo)
Updates the properties of a window. Specify only the properties that you want to change; unspecified properties will be left unchanged.
Parameters
windowId
(integer)
updateInfo
(object)
[drawAttention]
(boolean)
Setting this to true will cause the window to be displayed in a manner that draws the user’s attention to the window, without changing the focused window. The effect lasts until the user changes focus to the window. This option has no effect if the window already has focus.
[focused]
(boolean)
If true, brings the window to the front. If false, brings the next window in the z-order to the front.
[height]
(integer)
The height to resize the window to in pixels.
[left]
(integer)
The offset from the left edge of the screen to move the window to in pixels. This value is ignored for panels.
The new state of the window. The minimized, maximized and fullscreen states cannot be combined with left, top, width or height.
[titlePreface]
(string)
A string to add to the beginning of the window title.
[top]
(integer)
The offset from the top edge of the screen to move the window to in pixels. This value is ignored for panels.
[width]
(integer)
The width to resize the window to in pixels.
remove(windowId)
Removes (closes) a window, and all the tabs inside it.
Parameters
windowId
(integer)
openDefaultBrowser(url)
– [Added in TB 84, backported to TB 78.6.0]
Opens the provided URL in the default system browser.
Parameters
url
(string)
Events
onCreated
Fired when a window is created.
Parameters for onCreated.addListener(listener)
listener(window)
A function that will be called when this event occurs.
Parameters passed to the listener function
Details of the window that was created.
onRemoved
Fired when a window is removed (closed).
Parameters for onRemoved.addListener(listener)
listener(windowId)
A function that will be called when this event occurs.
Parameters passed to the listener function
windowId
(integer)
ID of the removed window.
onFocusChanged
Fired when the currently focused window changes. Will be WINDOW_ID_NONE, if all windows have lost focus. Note: On some Linux window managers, WINDOW_ID_NONE will always be sent immediately preceding a switch from one window to another.
Parameters for onFocusChanged.addListener(listener)
listener(windowId)
A function that will be called when this event occurs.
Parameters passed to the listener function
windowId
(integer)
ID of the newly focused window.
Types
CreateType
Specifies what type of window to create. Thunderbird does not support panel and detached_panel, they are interpreted as popup.
string
Supported values:
normal
A normal Thunderbird window, a.k.a. 3-pane-window (folder pane, message pane and preview pane).
popup
A non-modal stand-alone popup window.
panel
Not supported, same as popup
detached_panel
Not supported, same as popup
GetInfo
Specifies additional requirements for the returned windows.
object
[populate]
(boolean)
If set, the Window returned will be filtered based on its type. Supported by getAll([getInfo]) only, ignored in all other functions.
Window
object
alwaysOnTop
(boolean)
Whether the window is set to be always on top.
focused
(boolean)
Whether the window is currently the focused window.
incognito
(boolean)
Whether the window is incognito. Since Thunderbird does not support the incognito mode, this is always false.
[height]
(integer)
The height of the window, including the frame, in pixels.
[id]
(integer)
The ID of the window. Window IDs are unique within a session.
[left]
(integer)
The offset of the window from the left edge of the screen in pixels.
The state of this window.
Array of Tab objects representing the current tabs in the window. Only included if requested by get(windowId, [getInfo]), getCurrent([getInfo]), getAll([getInfo]) or getLastFocused([getInfo]), and the optional GetInfo parameter has its populate member set to true.
[title]
(string)
The title of the window. Read-only.
[top]
(integer)
The offset of the window from the top edge of the screen in pixels.
The type of window this is.
[width]
(integer)
The width of the window, including the frame, in pixels.
WindowState
The state of this window.
string
Supported values:
normal
minimized
maximized
fullscreen
docked
WindowType
The type of a window. Under some circumstances a window may not be assigned a type property.
string
Supported values:
normal
A normal Thunderbird window, a.k.a. 3-pane-window (folder pane, message pane and preview pane).
popup
A non-modal stand-alone popup window.
panel
app
devtools
messageCompose
– [Added in TB 70, backported to TB 68.1.1]
A non-modal stand-alone message compose window.
messageDisplay
– [Added in TB 70, backported to TB 68.1.1]
A non-modal stand-alone message display window, viewing a single message.
Properties
WINDOW_ID_CURRENT
The windowId value that represents the current window.
WINDOW_ID_NONE
The windowId value that represents the absence of a window.