Hi all Thunderbird Lightning enthusiast 🙂
This is a suggested new feature. When creating or editing a Lightning Calendar Event, to somehow being able to automatically send email reminder(s) before an event starts. For example, but not limited to, 1 hour before.
The two windows in this mockup below show the suggested actions to configure this suggested new feature. Where the number 6 shows this selected new feature, "Send an email message".
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Below is the same suggestion as above. But with details if you're interested in those.
User Story
As a Thunderbird Lightning end-user, when creating or editing a Calendar Event, before the event starts, I need to email reminder(s) to somehow be automatically send to the Attendee(s). So that:
• Email Reminder message(s) would automatically be sent to the email address(es) already stored into the list of "Attendees" per event.
• The number of Email Reminder message(s) automatically sent would be directly related to the present Lightning configuration in each Event "Set Up Reminders" window. For example, but not limited to, 60 days, 30 days, 1 hour, 5 minutes, before the Event starts. In this example, a total of 4 of Reminder Emails.
• Assumes that in the Event "Attendees" list, if the end-user added only an email address for the Event host on line 1. But on line 2 and following, no email address(es) for the "Attendees", then, by default, the Email Reminder(s) would still be sent to the default Event "Host". Which is already stored in Lightning.
• If somehow I do not see the already exiting Lightning Event Alert display in a popup, I would still receive an Email Reminder
• According to attendees with visual challenges, for example, but not limited to, blind people, it is very easy for them to read email messages. In comparison, the "Show an Alert" window display on screen is often very challenging to both find and read. As it automatically opens on the presently displayed workspace/screen. In other words, very hard risk of being missed.
• Email messages are very easy and quick to automatically do automated operations with. Such as, but not limited to, redirect them to other devices or services. Such as mobile SMS, or receptions.
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Assumptions
• Assumes this suggested feature is a new feature. It does not replace nor change the already existing "Show an Alert" feature. Those two features are not to be confused. In other words, using the Lightning "Show an Alert" menu, per the attached mockup, the user would have two options to choose from: "Show an Alert" or "Send an email message".
• Assumes that, after the end-user used Lightning to create and configure the Email Reminder, per the Mockup above, if the user does NOT use CalDAV to host the Lightning Calendar, for the email reminder to be successfully send, the end-user would need to leave its Thunderbird both open and connected.
• Assumes that, after the User used Lightning to create and configure the Email Reminder, per the Mockup above, if the user DOES use CalDAV to host the Lightning Calendar, for the email reminder to be successfully send, the end-users' Thunderbird could be closed. As the CalDAV supplier would send the email reminder. For example, but not limited to, the CalDAV hosting services by https://mailbox.org Which is powered by the open source software Open-Xchange at:
___• https://documentation.open-xchange.com/develop/middleware/miscellaneous/caldav_carddav/caldav_client...
___• https://documentation.open-xchange.com/7.10.6/middleware/miscellaneous/caldav_carddav/carddav_client...
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Challenge
Presently, Thunderbird Lightning is able to display alerts ("Show an Alert"). This works well and is useful. But it seems that, somehow, Lightning 102 is not able to automatically send email reminder(s) before the event start. This is the challenge.
I tried to automatically send email reminder(s). But Lightning "Set up Reminders" window offers only the "Show an alert" option. The number 6 in this screenshot shows the location of this challenge at https://assets-prod.sumo.prod.webservices.mozgcp.net/media/uploads/images/2023-08-07-12-50-55-b4905f... or at https://archive.md/i9mdM
What I need is, still in this screenshot above, 1 hour before this event starts, Lightning to automatically send an email message reminder to a preset email address(es).
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Steps to reproduce this challenge
1. Using Thunderbird Lightning, click on the "Event" button to create a new Calendar event
2. The "New Event" window will open
3. Using this "New Event" window above, using its "Reminder" field, select the "Custom..." option. The numbers 1 and 2 in this screenshot show this at https://assets-prod.sumo.prod.webservices.mozgcp.net/media/uploads/images/2023-08-07-12-49-18-5d2120... or at https://archive.md/Q7YIG
5. The "Set up Reminders" window will open
6. Using this "Set up Reminders" window above, open the "Choose a Reminder Action" menu. Lightning offers only the "Show an alert" option. This screenshot shows the location of this challenge at https://assets-prod.sumo.prod.webservices.mozgcp.net/media/uploads/images/2023-08-07-12-50-55-b4905f... or at https://archive.md/i9mdM
7. My question is this, 1 hour before this event starts, how to configure Lightning to automatically send an email message reminder(s) to a preset email address(es)?
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Suggested resolution
• I recall that in a previous version of Thunderbird Lightning, its "Set up Reminders" window offered multiples options to choose from. Including "Show an alert" or "Send an email message". Could part of the previous Thunderbird code be recycled for Thunderbird 102?
• If needed, both me and the Ubertus.org team would be happy to contribute beta testing and documentation for this new feature. Any volunteer for a patch?
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What I tried that did not work
• Clicked on the "Choose a Reminder Action" drop down menu. Only one option is available. It reads "Display alert".
• Double-checked that the calendar is a Network Calendar (CalDAV)
• Double-checked that the calendar "Properties" as an email address associated to it
• Added my email address to the list of Attendees. This does send email notifications. But only on Event creation or event changes. This is not what I need. What I need is, for example, 1 hour before an event start, send an email message to be automatically sent to a set email address(es). Assuming that during this period, I leave my Thunderbird both open and connected.
• Searched for add-on about email alert at https://addons.thunderbird.net/fr/thunderbird/extensions/ I found none able to send email alert before an event start.
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Synonyms of calendar event email reminder
• email alert
• alarm mailing
• reminder action
• send email reminder
• thunderbird notification by email message
