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I seek for using LibreOffice Writer or a similar tool as a mail composer and reader in the Evolution.

In Windows Outlook I have used Microsoft Word directly for writing mails. Evolution default mail editor does not enable easy and precise HTML formatting (see comments). One month without answer shows that there is probably no possibility how to configure my present Evolution version (3.2.3) in Ubuntu 12.04 to use the LibreOffice Writer for writing mails and the same Writer or gedit for writing calendar appointment descriptions. I think that many people need it; maybe somebody has so adapted the Evolution source code for his purpose; it would be far more than worth of a bounty of all my reputation. Or, more attention to it will motivate the developers to adapt it in near future.

(I am trying to return to my original question meaning.)

Tomáš Pečený
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  • @terdon: You have deleted a branch of my question about possibility to use Thunderbird instead of Evolution for the purpose. Is the answer 'No, use Evolution"? – Tomáš Pečený May 16 '14 at 02:35
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    No, sorry, the reason is that we really don't want multiple questions in a single post. You should post one question asking if this is possible in evolution and another asking if its possible in thunderbird. Questions on the stack exchange sites should be specific. – terdon May 16 '14 at 12:53
  • I need it strongly: Up to now I do not know, how to write a fixed (not divisible) space, instead of thinking about the text content I hesitate how to format it. And an Internet link, that I have well tested by writing, was sent badly from the Evolution. – Tomáš Pečený Jun 28 '14 at 10:32
  • For me it is really necessary. Even composing mails by the LibreOffice Writer and copying the result into an Evolution draft does not work satisfactorily; I publish a lot of correspondence at my website and also do need precise formatting in a further correspondence about technical and programming things. – Tomáš Pečený Jul 01 '14 at 23:19
  • I see that 43 people viewed it; if somebody of you develop the Evolution, please let me know if I should tell this wish somewhere at the Evolution project pages. I do not know Linux programming enough to do it myself. Thanks – Tomáš Pečený Jul 02 '14 at 00:06
  • Try installing 'evolution-plugins-experimental' and go to Edit -> Plugins -> External Editor and configure it – leorize Jul 02 '14 at 12:08
  • I have installed the 'Experimental plugins for Evolution (evolution-plugins-experimental)' from the Ubuntu Software Center, tried to set the Plugins -> External Editor to use the libreoffice and restarted the CPU, but it does not work. Only after that I have seen 'Use an external editor to compose plain-text mail messages.' in the plugin while I am interested in HTML formatting. – Tomáš Pečený Jul 03 '14 at 18:03
  • @Elder Geek: I prefer Evolution because (after a long questioning) I use it now and organize my activity in the way I am used to. There have been too many changes in my activities while I abandon Windows. I think Thunderbird is not connected with a local calendar as the Evolution, or is it? – Tomáš Pečený Jul 03 '14 at 19:00
  • It has been a several weeks struggle with importing and correcting whole my calendar and thousands of mails and with setting and testing evolution mail accounts. And I do not need any HTML editor; such one is in the Evolution. I need an universal tool for writing articles for publishing and for writing mails and their transforming to the articles and vice versa. I cannot now edit this more precise formulation in the question that attracted such attention; I only try to return to my original formulation (I have no backup of it). – Tomáš Pečený Jul 03 '14 at 20:50
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    Now I realize yet one reason why to use the LibreOffice Writer or something like it: not only the capability to write mails and files *.htm for publishing by the same tool; but also compatibility with existing files written by the Word 2003; for the format I have made a tool for switchable color emphasizing key words. – Tomáš Pečený Jul 03 '14 at 22:54
  • @sparkmood: Thanks for your proposal, but it responds to another thing than I need, please see the comments. Particularly, also the Seamonkey does not appear to have a local calendar and I am in dread of converting all to a further application. – Tomáš Pečený Jul 04 '14 at 06:55
  • @Elder Geek: Thanks! You use the Thunderbird yourself and believe that it could be the universal tool as I have described in the comments? In the meantime I praised Evolution (http://askubuntu.com/questions/466560/) but not its reliability; I do not think that it is caused by my old CPUs (derived from HP Compaq D530 with a newer processor 3 GHz x 2 and 1 or 2 GB RAM). It is a hard decision for me. – Tomáš Pečený Jul 04 '14 at 13:37
  • @Elder Geek: The Ubuntu Software Center offers 'Calendar Extension for Thunderbird (xul-ext-lightning)' as an Add-On to the Thunderbird Mail. Is it what you mean? Thanks! – Tomáš Pečený Jul 04 '14 at 14:09
  • Yes. I'll edit my answer with some screenshots. – Elder Geek Jul 04 '14 at 14:50
  • @Elder Geek: Thanks!I am trying it and I'll accept your answer as soon as possible. Tomas Peceny – Tomáš Pečený Jul 04 '14 at 15:22
  • Upvoting and accepting answers is how we say thank you here. That said, I hope it works to your satisfaction! – Elder Geek Jul 04 '14 at 15:32
  • @Wilf: Though the rules are other, I thank you for your answer, but I have done that all with the plugin but have not got the formatted text in the mail body nor in the attachment. And the Evolution default mail editor does not enable formatting I need. I of course can send my *.htm files from the LibreOffice as attachments, or place them right at the pages; but for important readers of my pages it appeared difficult to use even a simple reference. And I also need to get answers with the established format. – Tomáš Pečený Jul 04 '14 at 17:00
  • @Elder Geek: The Thunderbird appears much more agile then the Evolution and has not crashed. Synaptic shows nothing supported! Copying from or to LibreOffice works well, but is laborious and badly organizable compared to the proper editor right in the mailing application. I have not found how to use LibreOffice in the Thunderbird 24.6.0; no Ctrl-F in Events. Please advise me. The default editor does not enable the formatting I need. Importing works only partially for the Address Book from *.vcf files and I do not see at all how to import from *.pst, *.ics, *.mbox files; please advise. Thanks! – Tomáš Pečený Jul 06 '14 at 17:58
  • This is a different question and unlikely to help others buried in the comments of the current question. Please search for an answer and if not found ask a new question regarding importing email in thunderbird. In this way we can help as many people as possible without duplicating effort. Thank you! – Elder Geek Jul 06 '14 at 18:10
  • @Elder Geek: Importing is another question, but please help me to use LibreOffice in the application you have proposed for the purpose, thanks! – Tomáš Pečený Jul 06 '14 at 18:20
  • Edited answer... – Elder Geek Jul 06 '14 at 18:26
  • @Elder Geek:The 'Ctrl-F' meant that I need to find in long event descriptions used to organize my activities. There is no 'Find' menu item for it nor in the Thunderbird; that is why to use gedit for editing the events that I have asked. I am convinced that it is useful for a lot of people as well as using a universal editor for mail bodies. If it is not possible at present, please draw vigorously Thunderbird developer's attention to both the things. It appears to me that only little part of its development remains to reach an almost perfect product for so many people, including me. Thanks! – Tomáš Pečený Jul 07 '14 at 05:36
  • @Elder Geek: Should I edit yet now my question for most Ubuntu users by replacing 'Evolution' for 'Thunderbird' and adding a short explanation? – Tomáš Pečený Jul 07 '14 at 05:58
  • How about "using an Ubuntu mail client with an external editor" or "What's a good replacement for Outlook that I can use in Ubuntu?" There are several good answers here. – Elder Geek Jul 07 '14 at 11:53
  • @Elder Geek: I have not found anything for my purpose by the hints. Finally I suggest to draw attention of the Thunderbird developers to both the universal external editors as mentioned. I suppose the sources of the Thunderbird are open, too. Maybe somebody will adapt the source code for the purpose. Abandoning Windows in favor of the Linux would be senseless if it worsens user comfort. In fact I have been surprised how perfect Ubuntu applications are now. For some time I can do with the present Thunderbird + Lightning. (People use it, importing must be possible.) Should I edit the question? – Tomáš Pečený Jul 07 '14 at 13:19
  • Hi Tomas. My suggestions for editing were -> How about "using an Ubuntu mail client with an external editor" or "What's a good replacement for Outlook that I can use in Ubuntu?" There are several good answers to the latter question here. As far as importing goes, this can be done in Thunderbird as well. I suggest https://addons.mozilla.org/en-us/thunderbird/addon/importexporttools/ – Elder Geek Jul 07 '14 at 13:36
  • You may also be interested in these evolution mailing lists: https://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/evolution-list and https://mail.gnome.org/mailman/listinfo/evolution-hackers – Elder Geek Jul 07 '14 at 13:49

3 Answers3

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There is a plugin to do this - you should be able to install the plugin with

sudo apt-get install evolution-plugins*

You then need to enable and configure under 'Edit' > 'Plugins': Under 'Configuration', put the command to open the editor - in this case <code>libreoffice --writer</code> You can set this to the command libreoffice --writer which will launch libreoffice --writer, but you could leave it as the default gedit.

Once set up, you simply need to open the compose window, and then open it in the external editor: look under 'File' for 'Edit in external editor'

You can then edit the message in Libreoffice, and when you save it and exit the message will be in Evolution: enter image description here

The only real problem with this is as it seems to use a text/plain format, no formatting is saved from Libreoffice.
Works with Evolution 3.8.5

Also, if just want a format when you can use links and formatting, set the type to HTML: This can include formatting, embedded images, emoticons :D , and also has a thing that can be used to create and test links.

Wilf
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Thunderbird does what you want. Instructions are here: http://kb.mozillazine.org/Plain_text_e-mail_%28Thunderbird%29#Send_HTML_messages

As the content is copyrighted I won't duplicate it here.

Thunderbird also integrates with a local calendar via an add-on called Lightning.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/lightning/

Here's an image of an event being added. You can see that it's fully featured

addevent

It fully integrates with thunderbird. Here's an image without my email setup to give you an idea. You can see the scheduling in the right hand column. If I still had my email account setup it would show this list in the body of the main screen.

integrated

For information on how to use an external editor with Thunderbird see here

Elder Geek
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You can use SeaMonkey. This client has HTML editor for this issue.

teal33t
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