[Feature-Proposal] Script to lauch Thunderbird

[jlanza]

Hi,
I don't know, but probably many DavMail users are using it with Thunderbird, while we wait of the Exchange support.

In this sense, you can always run DavMail on startup or ... why always running it if Thunderbird is not going to be used?

I have created a couple of scripts to run DavMail when Thunderbird is started. We can easily set a loop to check if Thunderbird is still up and running in order to close it, but I guess there is not much sense, as the email app is almost always opened.

Below I include both files. Use the .vbs script as a replacement of your Thunderbird target in your shortcut.

Hope you find it interesting.

See you

---

Thunderbird-with-DavMail.ps1

# Configuration variables
$ThunderbirdPath = "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\thunderbird.exe"
$DavMailPath     = "C:\Path-To-DavMail\davmail64.exe"
$DavMailProcessName = "davmail64.exe"

# Leave it empty for default properties location
$DavMailArgs = @(
    "C:\Path-To-DavMail\davmail.properties"
)

function Start-IfNotRunning {
    param(
        [string]$processName,
        [string]$exePath,
        [string[]]$arguments = @()
    )

    $running = Get-Process -Name $processName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    if (-not $running) {
        Start-Process -FilePath $exePath -ArgumentList $arguments
        Start-Sleep -Seconds 2
    }
}

# Execute DavMail if not running
Start-IfNotRunning -processName $DavMailProcessName -exePath $DavMailPath -arguments $DavMailArgs

# Launch Thunderbird
Start-Process -FilePath $ThunderbirdPath

# powershell.exe -WindowStyle Hidden -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File "C:\Path\Thunderbird-With-DavMail.ps1"

---

Run-Thunderbird-with-DavMail.vbs

Set sh = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")

' Location of VBS script
scriptDir = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject").GetParentFolderName(WScript.ScriptFullName)

' PS1 script is in same folder
ps1 = scriptDir & "\Thunderbird-With-DavMail.ps1"

' Hidden execution
sh.Run "powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File """ & ps1 & """", 0, False

[ifrh]

Any Idea how to "translate" this into a Thunderbird Plugin, so that Thunderbird would start DavMail?

[jlanza]

Hi,
I did some changes on my scripts to make system run better and everything hidden. Now TB opens after davmail from the shortcut I have on my taskbar.

Just update the paths to the folders you store things. I have everything under davmail standalone folder. And obviously configure davmail independently.

Taskbar shortcut command

C:\Windows\System32\wscript.exe D:\99_win_profile\PortableApps\davmail\Run-Thunderbird-with-DavMail.vbs

Thunderbird-with-DavMail.ps1

# Configuration variables
$ThunderbirdPath = "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\thunderbird.exe"
$ThunderbirdProcessName = "thunderbird"
$DavMailPath     = "D:\99_win_profile\PortableApps\davmail\davmail64.exe"
$DavMailProcessName = "davmail64"
$DavMailArgs = @(
    "D:\99_win_profile\PortableApps\davmail\davmail.properties"
)

$primaryProcessName = $ThunderbirdProcessName
$primaryAppPath = $ThunderbirdPath

function Start-IfNotRunning {
    param(
        [string]$processName,
        [string]$exePath,
        [string[]]$arguments = @()
    )

    $running = Get-Process -Name $processName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue
    if (-not $running) {
        Start-Process -FilePath $exePath -ArgumentList $arguments
        Start-Sleep -Seconds 2
    }
}

# Function to launch a single process if it's not already running
function Invoke-AppLaunch {
    param (
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)] [string]$FilePath,
        [string[]]$Arguments =  @(),
        [string]$WorkingDirectory = "",
        [ValidateSet("Normal", "Hidden", "Minimized", "Maximized")] [string]$WindowStyle = "Normal",
        [switch]$AsAdmin
    )

    # Extract process name to check if it is already running
    $name = [System.IO.Path]::GetFileNameWithoutExtension($FilePath)

    if (-not (Get-Process $name -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue)) {
        # Use the App's folder as default working directory
        if ([string]::IsNullOrWhiteSpace($WorkingDirectory)) {
            $WorkingDirectory = Split-Path -Parent -Path $FilePath
        }

        $params = @{
            FilePath    = $FilePath
            WorkingDirectory = $WorkingDirectory
            WindowStyle = $WindowStyle
        }
        if ($Arguments) { $params.ArgumentList = $Arguments }
        if ($AsAdmin) { $params.Verb = "RunAs" }

        Write-Host "[Launch] Starting $name..." -ForegroundColor Green
        Start-Process @params
    } else {
        Write-Host "[Skip] $name is already running." -ForegroundColor Gray
    }
}

# Function to launch multiple processes
function Invoke-MultiLaunch {
    param (
        [Parameter(Mandatory=$true)] [string[]]$FilePaths,
        [string]$WindowStyle = "Normal"
    )

    foreach ($Path in $FilePaths) {
        Invoke-AppLaunch -FilePath $Path -WindowStyle $WindowStyle
    }
}

$windowManagerCode = @"
using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;
public class WindowManager {
    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
    public static extern bool SetForegroundWindow(IntPtr hWnd);
    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
    public static extern bool ShowWindow(IntPtr hWnd, int nCmdShow);
    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
    public static extern bool ShowWindowAsync(IntPtr hWnd, int nCmdShow);
    [DllImport("user32.dll")]
    public static extern bool IsIconic(IntPtr hWnd);
    [DllImport("shell32.dll", SetLastError=true)]
    public static extern int SetCurrentProcessExplicitAppUserModelID([MarshalAs(UnmanagedType.LPWStr)] string AppID);

    // Helper method to force a window to the front
    public static void FocusWindow(IntPtr hWnd, bool maximize) {
        if (hWnd == IntPtr.Zero) return;

        int mode = maximize ? 3 : 9; // 3 = Maximize, 9 = Restore

        // If minimized, restore it first
        if (IsIconic(hWnd)) {
            ShowWindowAsync(hWnd, mode);
        }
        
        // Bring to front
        SetForegroundWindow(hWnd);
    }
}
"@

# Define the type only if it hasn't been defined in the current session
if (-not ("WindowManager" -as [type])) {
    Add-Type -TypeDefinition $windowManagerCode
}

# Look for the primary process
$proc = Get-Process $primaryProcessName -ErrorAction SilentlyContinue | Select-Object -First 1

if ($proc) {
    # If found, use our C# class to focus the window
    Write-Host "[Focus] Bringing $primaryAppName to front..." -ForegroundColor Cyan
    [WindowManager]::FocusWindow($proc.MainWindowHandle, $false)
} else {
    # If not found, run the startup sequence
    Write-Host "[Startup] Initializing workspace..." -ForegroundColor Yellow

    # Apply AppID to script
    $primaryApp = Get-StartApps | Where-Object { $_.Name -like "*$($primaryProcessName)*" } | Select-Object -First 1
    $primaryAppId = if ($primaryApp) { $primaryApp.AppID } else { "Mozilla.Thunderbird" }
    [WindowManager]::SetCurrentProcessExplicitAppUserModelID($primaryAppId)

    # Launch secondary apps (only if not running)
    # $apps = @("calc.exe", "mspaint.exe")
    # Invoke-MultiLaunch -FilePaths $apps
    Invoke-AppLaunch -FilePath $DavMailPath -Arguments $DavMailArgs
    
    # Launch primary app
    Invoke-AppLaunch -FilePath $primaryAppPath -WindowStyle Maximized
}

Run-Thunderbird-with-DavMail.vbs

' Create shortcut with the follwing path or modify the Thunderbird's
' Windows\System32\wscript.exe D:\99_win_profile\PortableApps\davmail\Run-Thunderbird-with-DavMail.vbs
' Modify the icon to Thunderbird's

Set sh = CreateObject("Wscript.Shell")

' Location of VBS script
scriptDir = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject").GetParentFolderName(WScript.ScriptFullName)

' PS1 script is in same folder
ps1 = scriptDir & "\Thunderbird-With-DavMail.ps1"

' Hidden execution
sh.Run "powershell.exe -ExecutionPolicy Bypass -File """ & ps1 & """", 0, False