Chapter 3. Sylpheed FAQ - Interface
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## Chapter 3. Sylpheed FAQ - Interface

3.1. How do I make Sylpheed display my language?
3.2. I don't like the default font. Can I change that?
3.3. There are too many columns in the message list!
3.4. How do I disable or enable the alternating row colors in the message list?
3.5. Can I use a different editor to write my mails?
3.6. How to change the font size in the Sylpheed interface?
3.7. Sylpheed saves my outgoing mail (in Outbox). Can I make it stop doing that?
3.8. How can I change the key bindings (hotkeys) in Sylpheed?
3.9. Can I close windows without the mouse?
3.10. Can I change the way the date is displayed in the message summary?
3.11. Why can't I see the compface pictures?
3.12. I still can't see the pictures. Why not?
3.13. Why does the URL launcher not launch my web browser?
3.14. Attachments with spaces in the name won't open!
3.15. Execute command for my dynamic signature seems not to be working!
3.16. Where is the Bcc when I compose a mail?
3.17. How do I change the toolbar?
3.18. Why isn't the next message displayed when I delete a message?
3.19. How can I remove mailing list information from Subject headers?

3.1. | How do I make Sylpheed display my language?

You have to set some environment variables, such as `LANG`, `LC_CTYPE`, `LC_MESSAGES` to your local language. Usually `LANG` (or `LC_ALL`) is sufficient. Note that modern distributions and operating systems do this for you automatically.

Under UNIX, if you need to set e.g. the `LANG` environment variable manually, execute the following command (using `sh` or related shell):

export LANG=`value`

Replace `value` with a valid ISO language code (e.g. `en_GB` for British English).

If you intend to set the displayed language manually under Windows, you can do so by creating the `LANG` environment variable with a valid ISO language code value under Control Panel->System->Advanced+Environment Variables.

Also see the question regarding environment variables that have effect on Sylpheed.

3.2. | I don't like the default font. Can I change that?
| Yes. In Configuration->Common preferences..., under the Display tab.
3.3. | There are too many columns in the message list!
| In Configuration->Common preferences... under the Display tab, you can press the button Set display item of summary.... That pops up a screen with all the options you can show or leave out of the message list.
3.4. | How do I disable or enable the alternating row colors in the message list?

Under UNIX, you can directly edit the appropriate hidden setting stored in the `$HOME/.sylpheed-2.0/sylpheedrc` configuration file by changing the setting value to 0, or 1, respectively (default is on, i.e. 1):

    enable_rules_hint=0

### Tip

There are various other hidden settings that can be adjusted in your `sylpheedrc` configuration file, see the `README` file for details.

The above does not work under Windows, however, so you have to edit the `C:\Program Files\Sylpheed\share\themes\MS-Windows\gtk-2.0\gtkrc` file and set the following setting to 1, or 0, respectively (default is off under Windows, i.e. 0):

    GtkTreeView::allow-rules = 1

### Note

Since the hidden setting described above is not stored within your user profile under Windows, it may be overwritten when installing a new version of Sylpheed. To avoid this at least partially, keep a backup copy of the `gtkrc` file somewhere safe.

3.5. | Can I use a different editor to write my mails?

You can. In Configuration->Common preferences, under the Details and External commands tabs, you can define your editor of choice. Remember, if you want to use a command line editor like vi or emacs, to write the name of the shell (term, term, rxvt) with the `-e` parameter in front of the editor. E.g.: rxvt -e vi %s.

Also, make sure that you have checked Automatically launch the external editor in Common preferences->Compose->Editor, if you want the editor of your choice to be launched every time you begin composing a message.

3.6. | How to change the font size in the Sylpheed interface?

You can set the GTK+ font by `$HOME/.gtkrc-2.0`, or `$HOME/.gtkrc-2.0.mine`, (which is included by `$HOME/.gtkrc-2.0`). For example:

    style "default" {
           font = "-adobe-helvetica-medium-r-normal--12-*-*-*-*-*-iso8859-1 "
    }
    widget_class "*" style "default"

3.7. | Sylpheed saves my outgoing mail (in Outbox). Can I make it stop doing that?
| In Configuration->Common preferences..., there is a checkbox Save sent message to outbox. Uncheck it, and it's solved.
3.8. | How can I change the key bindings (hotkeys) in Sylpheed?

Unlike Sylpheed 1.x, Sylpheed 2.x and 3.x doesn't allow direct modification of the menu shortcuts by default. Nevertheless, you can use the following methods to configure them:

1. Using GNOME 2.8 or later: run gconf-editor from Applications->System Tools->Configuration Editor. Select desktop->gnome->interface and check can-change-accels there.

2. Using GNOME before 2.8, or other environments: add the following line to the file `~/.gtkrc-2.0` (or create a new one, if it doesn't exist):

       gtk-can-change-accels = 1

3. When Sylpheed is not running, directly edit `~/.sylpheed-2.0/menurc` with a text editor.

After that, the key binding change itself is very simple. Suppose you want to assign a shortcut key to a function, e.g. sending all mail out should start when you press Ctrl-Y. Click the Message menu and move the mouse over Send all messages. Now you press Ctrl-Y. Immediately the menu text is updated and the function is in place. Please note that a previous function that Ctrl-Y was assigned to, will no longer have a shortcut key. If you want to remove the key binding, do the same thing, but press the Delete key on the menu item. Then the key binding is removed.

Also see Configuration->Common preferences...->Details->Interface+Set key bindings... where you are able to reset the Default key bindings, or use other predefined key bindings.

3.9. | Can I close windows without the mouse?
| Of course! Not all windows, but by pressing Escape, you can close the address book, the window of viewing a mail source (View->Message source), the window of viewing the headers, and several others. Just give it a try and you will find all of them.
3.10. | Can I change the way the date is displayed in the message summary?

As of 0.4.65 you can. The options are:

         %y = year in numbers     %m = month in number
         %d = day in numbers      %c = date/time for locale
         %A = full weekday name   %a = short month name
         %B = full month name     %b = short month name
         %H = hours in 24-clock   %I = hours in 12-clock

For more information, go to the Configuration->Common preferences->Display->General and choose the ... labeled button. For more options, see man 3 strftime.

3.11. | Why can't I see the compface pictures?
| You need to enable displaying of the header pane in the general preferences.
3.12. | I still can't see the pictures. Why not?
| You may not have compiled in Compface support. See the appropriate question in the Installation and Configuration section.
3.13. | Why does the URL launcher not launch my web browser?
| You need to double click the URL. Also, check that you have configured your web browser correctly in Configuration->Common preferences...-> Details->External commands.
3.14. | Attachments with spaces in the name won't open!
| When you try to launch a helper application, like an image viewer, with an attachment that has spaces in the name, put quotes around the `%s` parameter. Example: gedit '%s'
3.15. | Execute command for my dynamic signature seems not to be working!

Under Windows, if you have created e.g. a simple batch file to echo a line to be included in your dynamic signature, you need to execute the command (specified under Account preferences->Compose->Signature+Command output) using either forward slashes or double backslashes for paths, for example:

cmd /c 'c:\\signature.bat'

Note that it is also recommended to enclose paths with single quotes, as is illustrated above.

3.16. | Where is the Bcc when I compose a mail?
| Open Configuration->Preferences for current account...->Compose. There you can check the Bcc checkbox and optionally enter an email address.
3.17. | How do I change the toolbar?
| Go to View->Customize toolbar... and select items from the Available items list to be displayed on the toolbar. You can modify the order by using the Up or Down button. The customization dialog also offers you to revert your modifications to default.
3.18. | Why isn't the next message displayed when I delete a message?
| Go to Configuration->Common preferences...->Details->Interface, and select Always open messages in summary when selected.
3.19. | How can I remove mailing list information from Subject headers?

Very often, when you are subscribed to a mailing list, you will store each message from that list in a folder dedicated to that list. Depending on remote software solution and configuration, mailing lists tend to include some words in the Subject header to identify the messages, optionally accompanied with a message number, for instance `[sylpheed:33101]`. These additions do not provide useful info if you have organized your folders as described, but Sylpheed allows you to disable displaying the additions in summary, and/or, if you wish, delete the additions on reply.

To do that, right-click on a folder from the folder tree, and select Properties... In the Folder properties dialog, check Don't display [...] or (...) at the beginning of subject in summary, or Delete [...] or (...) at the beginning of subject on reply, respectively.

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