Announcement

**Schwarzer Kater** · Apr 08, 2024, 02:49 PM

Changelog

Version 1.0.2, released 2024-05-12
- improved code (now the script tests first if the computer has established an
internet connection)
Version 1.0.1, released 2024-05-02
- improved code (and added link to /usr/local/bin for CLI usage)
- improved summary regarding the Thunderbird Snap
Version 1.0.0, released 2024-04-25
- improved summary regarding removal
- initial public release
Version 1.0.0-Beta2, released 2024-04-17
- ADDED FEATURE to offer removing traditional Thunderbird from /opt if it has
been installed by this script before
- improved code (now the script exits and tells the user when the Thunderbird
.tar in the chosen language was e.g temporarily not available or was corrupt)
Version 1.0.0-Beta, uploaded 2024-04-05
- (public) Beta release

The script has been tested extensively, but I appreciate it if you report any errors you come across (concerning the coding or the English language).

Thank you very much!

Code:

#!/bin/bash

################################################################################
#                                                                              #
#                                                                              #
#         $$     $$                                                $$          #
#         $$     $$  $$$$$$$$$  $$         $$          $$$$$$$     $$          #
#         $$     $$  $$         $$         $$         $$     $$    $$          #
#         $$$$$$$$$  $$$$$$$$   $$         $$         $$     $$    $$          #
#         $$     $$  $$         $$         $$         $$     $$    $$          #
#         $$     $$  $$         $$         $$         $$     $$                #
#         $$     $$  $$$$$$$$$  $$$$$$$$$  $$$$$$$$$   $$$$$$$     $$          #
#                                                                              #
#                                                                              #
# This is a little helper script for Kubuntu™ 24.04 users who want to install  #
# the traditional Thunderbird from Mozilla.org and use it complementary to or  #
# instead of the Thunderbird Snap.                                             #
# It can also remove Thunderbird, if it has been installed by this script      #
# before, and has been tested many times with Kubuntu™ 24.04 LTS.              #
#                                                                              #
# -> IMPORTANT:                                                                #
#    It is advised to run this script after a full upgrade of the system       #
#    (either with Discover or in Konsole with "sudo apt update && sudo apt     #
#    full-upgrade") AND a reboot.                                              #
#                                                                              #
# -> Thunderbird from Mozilla.org can simply be used alternatively with or     #
#    without the Thunderbird Snap and no further actions are to be taken.      #
#    It will remain installed when release-upgrading (e.g. from 24.04 LTS to   #
#    24.10) and causes no conflicts during the upgrade process.                #
#    This version of Thunderbird behaves roughly like the ones for macOS™ or   #
#    Windows™ do and updates itself independently from Discover or APT package #
#    management (and can ask you before updating - if you would prefer being   #
#    asked see the Thunderbird settings).                                      #
#                                                                              #
# You will be asked if you want [1] to download and install Thunderbird from   #
# Mozilla.org OR [2] to remove a previously installed Thunderbird, but if you  #
# choose [3] to cancel, no changes at all are made to your system.             #
# After you chose [1] to install Thunderbird from Mozilla.org, you will be     #
# asked to select your preferred language next.                                #
#                                                                              #
# For some more information about what is done in detail see the comments      #
# within this script.                                                          #
#                                                                              #
# My scripts are in no way associated with Canonical™, Ubuntu™ or Kubuntu™.    #
# This script comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND.                   #
# It may be used, shared, copied and modified freely.                          #
#                                                                              #
# You can download my scripts from here: https://gitlab.com/scripts94          #
#                                                                              #
# I hope you find the script useful! Yours respectfully, Schwarzer Kater       #
#                                                                              #
################################################################################

versionnr="1.0.2"

########
## During this session let's make sure no "exotic" or interfering aliases can be
## used in this script
########
shopt -u expand_aliases

########
## Display purpose of this script
########
clear
echo -e "########"
echo -e "## This is a little helper script for Kubuntu™ 24.04 users who want to install"
echo -e "## the traditional Thunderbird from Mozilla.org and use it complementary to or"
echo -e "## instead of the Thunderbird Snap."
echo -e "## It can also remove Thunderbird, if it has been installed by this script"
echo -e "## before, and has been tested many times with Kubuntu™ 24.04 LTS."
echo -e "##"
echo -e "## -> IMPORTANT:"
echo -e "##    It is advised to run this script after a full upgrade of the system"
echo -e "##    (either with Discover or in Konsole with \"sudo apt update && sudo apt"
echo -e "##    full-upgrade\") AND a reboot."
echo -e "## -> Thunderbird from Mozilla.org can simply be used alternatively with or"
echo -e "##    without the Thunderbird Snap and no further actions are to be taken."
echo -e "##    It will remain installed when release-upgrading (e.g. from 24.04 LTS to"
echo -e "##    24.10) and causes no conflicts during the upgrade process."
echo -e "##    This version of Thunderbird behaves roughly like the ones for macOS™ or"
echo -e "##    Windows™ do and updates itself independently from Discover or APT package"
echo -e "##    management (and can ask you before updating - if you would prefer being"
echo -e "##    asked see the Thunderbird settings)."
echo -e "##"
echo -e "## You will be asked if you want [1] to download and install Thunderbird from"
echo -e "## Mozilla.org OR [2] to remove a previously installed Thunderbird, but if you"
echo -e "## choose [3] to cancel, no changes at all are made to your system."
echo -e "## After you chose [1] to install Thunderbird from Mozilla.org, you will be"
echo -e "## asked to select your preferred language next."
echo -e "##"
echo -e "## For some more information about what is done in detail see the comments"
echo -e "## within the script itself."
echo -e "##"
echo -e "## This script comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY OF ANY KIND."
echo -e "## It may be used, shared, copied and modified freely."
echo -e "##"
echo -e "## I hope you find the script useful! Yours respectfully, Schwarzer Kater"
echo -e "########\n"
read -p "Press [Enter] to continue, press [Ctrl] [c] to exit. "

########
## Make sure the computer has established an internet connection with IP and DNS
## before running the rest of the script
########
if ! ping -c1 -W1 ubuntu.com &> /dev/null && ! ping -c1 -W1 kde.org &> /dev/null && ! ping -c1 -W1 kernel.org &> /dev/null
then
    echo -e "\n###############################################################################\n## -> AN ERROR OCCURED! <-                                                   ##\n## An Internet connection is required to run this script.                    ##\n## -> Please connect your Kubuntu™ to the Internet and run the script again! ##\n###############################################################################\n"
    exit 1
fi

########
## Install or remove the traditional Thunderbird from Mozilla.org
########
intb=0
tberror=0
rmtb=0

# Test if the operating system is Kubuntu 24.04 LTS or Ubuntu 24.04-based with
# KDE Plasma
if ! cat /etc/os-release | grep -Ei "(^|\s)VERSION=(|\s|\"|\s\")24.04" &> /dev/null || ! echo "$XDG_CURRENT_DESKTOP" | grep -i KDE &> /dev/null
then
    echo -e "\n#############################################################\n## This script is meant to be used with Kubuntu™ 24.04 LTS ##\n## -> PROCEED AT YOUR OWN RISK!                            ##\n#############################################################"
fi

echo -e "\n########\n## Do you want to:\n## [1] DOWNLOAD and INSTALL the latest stable Thunderbird from Mozilla.org?"
echo -e "##     or\n## [2] REMOVE Thunderbird from /opt if it has been installed by this script\n##     before?"
if test -d "$HOME/.thunderbird" ; then echo -e "##     (Your user data e.g. in \".thunderbird\" within your $HOME" ; fi
if test -d "$HOME/.thunderbird" ; then echo -e '##     directory will NOT be touched!)' ; fi
echo -e "##     or\n## [3] CANCEL the download and installation?\n########"

# Give option to cancel the installation
while true
do
    read -p "[1], [2] or [3] " choice
    if [[ "${choice}" = "1" ]]
    then
        # Test if traditional Thunderbird is installed conventionally/from a PPA
        # or to /opt
        if [[ -d "/usr/lib/thunderbird" && $(command -v thunderbird) ]] || test -x "/opt/thunderbird/thunderbird"
        then
            echo -e "\n########\n## Traditional Thunderbird seems to already be installed\n## -> not changing anything …\n########"
            break
        else
            # Choose from a list of languages and download latest stable
            # Thunderbird in the chosen language to $HOME - see:
            # https://ftp.mozilla.org/pub/thunderbird/releases/latest/README.txt
            echo
            PS3="$(printf '\nChoose your preferred language for Thunderbird: ')"
            select languagesel in "Albanian lang=sq" "Arabic lang=ar" "Armenian lang=hy-AM" "Asturian lang=ast" "Basque lang=eu" "Belarusian lang=be" "Bengali (Bangladesh) lang=bn-BD" "Breton lang=br" "Bulgarian lang=bg" "Catalan lang=ca" "Chinese (Simplified) lang=zh-CN" "Chinese (Traditional) lang=zh-TW" "Croatian lang=hr" "Czech lang=cs" "Danish lang=da" "Dutch lang=nl" "English (British) lang=en-GB" "English (US) lang=en-US" "Estonian lang=et" "Finnish lang=fi" "French lang=fr" "Frisian lang=fy-NL" "Gaelic (Scotland) lang=gd" "Galician lang=gl" "German lang=de" "Greek lang=el" "Hebrew lang=he" "Hungarian lang=hu" "Icelandic lang=is" "Indonesian lang=id" "Irish lang=ga-IE" "Italian lang=it" "Korean lang=ko" "Lithuanian lang=lt" "Lower Sorbian lang=dsb" "Norwegian (BokmÃ¥l) lang=nb-NO" "Norwegian (Nynorsk) lang=nn-NO" "Polish lang=pl" "Portuguese (Brazilian) lang=pt-BR" "Portuguese (Portugal) lang=pt-PT" "Punjabi (India) lang=pa-IN" "Romanian lang=ro" "Romansh lang=rm" "Russian lang=ru" "Serbian lang=sr" "Sinhala lang=si" "Slovak lang=sk" "Slovenian lang=sl" "Spanish (Argentina) lang=es-AR" "Spanish (Spain) lang=es-ES" "Swedish lang=sv-SE" "Tamil (Sri Lanka) lang=ta-LK" "Turkish lang=tr" "Ukrainian lang=uk" "Upper Sorbian lang=hsb" "Vietnamese lang=vi" "Welsh lang=cy"
            do
                if [[ $REPLY -ge 1 && $REPLY -le 57 ]]
                then
                    languagename="$(echo "${languagesel}" | sed 's/ lang.*$//')"
                    languagecode="$(echo "${languagesel}" | sed 's/^.* //')"
                    echo -e "\n########\n## -> Downloading ${languagename} version of Thunderbird from Mozilla.org …\n########\n" && wget -O "$HOME/thunderbird-latest-stable.tar.bz2" "https://download.mozilla.org/?product=thunderbird-latest&os=linux64&${languagecode}"
                    # Test if archive was e.g. not available at all
                    if [[ $? -ne 0 ]]
                    then
                        echo -e '\n################################################################################\n## -> AN ERROR OCCURED! <-                                                    ##'
                        echo -e "## Thunderbird seems not to be available in the chosen language at the moment ##\n## -> not changing anything …                                                 ##\n################################################################################"
                        tberror=1
                        break 2
                    fi
                    break
                else
                    echo -e "\n-> Please enter a valid number [1-57]!"
                fi
            done

            # Decompress the downloaded Thunderbird archive
            echo -e "########\n## -> Decompressing the Thunderbird archive …\n########\n" && tar xjf "$HOME/thunderbird-latest-stable.tar.bz2" -C "$HOME"
            # Test if archive was e.g. corrupt
            if [[ $? -ne 0 ]]
            then
                echo -e '\n##################################################\n## -> AN ERROR OCCURED! <-                      ##'
                echo -e "## This Thunderbird archive seems to be corrupt ##\n## -> not changing anything …                   ##\n##################################################"
                tberror=1
                break
            fi

            # Install Thunderbird to /opt
            echo -e "########\n## -> Installing Thunderbird from Mozilla.org to /opt …\n########\n" && sudo mv "$HOME/thunderbird" /opt

            # Clean up: remove the dowloaded Thunderbid archive from $HOME
            if test -e "$HOME/thunderbird-latest-stable.tar.bz2" ; then echo -e "\n########\n## -> Cleaning up …\n########\n" && rm -f "$HOME/thunderbird-latest-stable.tar.bz2" ; fi

            # Make the new Thunderbird accessible from CLI (don't use /usr/bin -
            # otherwise the link could be removed when release-upgrading /
            # (re)installing the Thunderbird Snap)
            # Create /usr/local/bin before, if it doesn't exit
            sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/bin && sudo ln -s /opt/thunderbird/thunderbird /usr/local/bin/thunderbird

            # Create thunderbird.desktop in /usr/local/share/applications to give
            # all users access to the new Thunderbird via application menu (don't
            # use /usr/share/applications - otherwise the .desktop file could be
            # removed when release-upgrading / (re)installing the Thunderbird
            # Snap)
            echo -e "########\n## -> Writing thunderbird.desktop file to /usr/local/share/applications/ :\n########\n"
            # Create /usr/local/share/applications before, if it doesn't exit
            sudo mkdir -p /usr/local/share/applications
            echo -e "[Desktop Entry]\nEncoding=UTF-8\nName=Thunderbird Mail from Mozilla.org\nComment=Send and receive mail with Thunderbird\nGenericName=Mail Client\nKeywords=Email;E-mail;Newsgroup;Feed;RSS\nExec=/opt/thunderbird/thunderbird %u\nTerminal=false\nX-MultipleArgs=false\nType=Application\nIcon=/opt/thunderbird/chrome/icons/default/default128.png\nCategories=Application;Network;Email;\nMimeType=x-scheme-handler/mailto;application/x-xpinstall;x-scheme-handler/webcal;x-scheme-handler/mid;message/rfc822;\nStartupNotify=true\nActions=Compose;Contacts;\n\n[Desktop Action Compose]\nName=Compose New Message\nExec=/opt/thunderbird/thunderbird -compose\n\n[Desktop Action Contacts]\nName=Contacts\nExec=/opt/thunderbird/thunderbird -addressbook\n" | sudo tee /usr/local/share/applications/thunderbird.desktop

            # Rebuild the KDE Plasma application menu index as sometimes this
            # helps when the new Thunderbird does not show properly (especially
            # if the Thunderbird Snap is additionally installed)
            if command -v kbuildsycoca5 &> /dev/null ; then kbuildsycoca5 &> /dev/null ; fi

            intb=1
            break
        fi
    elif [[ "${choice}" = "2" ]]
    then
        # Test if traditional Thunderbird has been installed to /opt by this
        # script
        if ! [[ -x "/opt/thunderbird/thunderbird" && -r "/usr/local/share/applications/thunderbird.desktop" ]]
        then
            echo -e "\n########\n## Traditional Thunderbird does not seem to have been installed from Mozilla.org\n## to /opt by this script before -> not changing anything …\n########"
            break
        else
            # Give option to cancel
            echo -e "\n########\n## Are you sure you want to UNINSTALL traditional Thunderbird from /opt ?\n########"
            while true
            do
                read -p "[y/n] " removetb
                if [[ "${removetb}" = [Yy] ]]
                then
                    # Remove Thunderbird from /opt, the link from /usr/local/bin
                    # and the .desktop file from /usr/local/share/applications
                    echo -e "\n########\n## -> Removing traditional Thunderbird from /opt …\n########\n"
                    sudo rm -rf /opt/thunderbird && sudo rm -f /usr/local/bin/thunderbird && sudo rm -f /usr/local/share/applications/thunderbird.desktop

                    # Rebuild the KDE Plasma application menu index
                    if command -v kbuildsycoca5 &> /dev/null ; then kbuildsycoca5 &> /dev/null ; fi

                    rmtb=1
                    break 2
                elif [[ "${removetb}" = [Nn] ]]
                then
                    echo -e "\n########\n## You have canceled the removal of traditional Thunderbird from /opt\n## -> not changing anything …\n########"
                    break 2
                fi
            done
        fi
    elif [[ "${choice}" = "3" ]]
    then
        echo -e "\n########\n## You have canceled the download & installation or removal of the traditional\n## Thunderbird -> not changing anything …\n########"
        break
    fi
done

########
## Report what has been done
########
summary_first="\n########\n## -> SUMMARY:"
summary_what="## Thunderbird has been successfully installed from Mozilla.org to /opt ."
summary_where="## -> You can find it in your application menu under \"Internet\"."
summary_snap="## -> Be aware that the Thunderbird Snap is still additionally installed.\n##    DON'T START AND USE BOTH the traditional Thunderbird AND the Thunderbird\n##    Snap SIMULTANEOUSLY - this can lead to problems!"
summary_snapremove="##    You can remove and block Snaps entirely with the \"get_rid_of_Snap\" script."
summary_nochange="## The script has made no changes at all to your system!"
summary_last="## Have a nice day and enjoy Kubuntu™.\n########\n"
summary_lasttb="## Have a nice day and enjoy your new Thunderbird and Kubuntu™.\n########\n"
savesummary=0

if [[ ${intb} = 1 ]]
then
    # Tell that Thunderbird has been installed from Mozilla.org
    echo -e "${summary_first}"
    echo -e "${summary_what}"
    echo -e "${summary_where}"
    if snap list thunderbird &> /dev/null ; then echo -e "${summary_snap}" ; fi
    if snap list thunderbird &> /dev/null ; then echo -e "${summary_snapremove}" ; fi
    echo -e "${summary_lasttb}"
    savesummary=1
elif [[ ${rmtb} = 1 ]]
then
    # Tell that Thunderbird has been removed from /opt
    echo -e "${summary_first}"
    echo -e "## Thunderbird has been successfully removed from /opt ."
    if test -d "$HOME/.thunderbird" ; then echo -e "## -> Your user data in \".thunderbird\" within your $HOME" ; fi
    if test -d "$HOME/.thunderbird" ; then echo -e '##    directory has NOT been touched!' ; fi
    echo -e "${summary_last}"
    savesummary=1
elif [[ ${intb} = 0 ]] && [[ ${tberror} = 1 ]]
then
    # Tell that an error has occured and nothing has been changed
    echo -e "${summary_first}"
    echo -e '## Thunderbird could NOT be installed from Mozilla.org to /opt !'
    echo -e "## It was either not available in your chosen language at the moment or this\n## archive was corrupt…"
    echo -e "## -> Please run the script again and choose a more \"common\" (but nonetheless\n##    fitting) language version instead."
    echo -e "##    After the installation you can change to your preferred language in the\n##    Thunderbird settings."
    echo -e "${summary_nochange}"
    echo -e "${summary_last}"
else
    # Tell that nothing has changed
    echo -e "${summary_first}"
    echo -e "${summary_nochange}"
    echo -e "${summary_last}"
fi

########
## Give option to save the summary, if the script has changed anything
########
appendix="$(date +"%Y-%m-%d_%H:%M")"

if [[ ${savesummary} = 1 ]]
then
    echo -e "########\n## -> Do you want to save this summary for future reference?\n########"
    while true
    do
        read -p "[y/n] " wantsave
        if [[ "${wantsave}" = [Yy] ]] && [[ ${intb} = 1 ]]
        then
            # Save to text file that Thunderbird has been installed from
            # Mozilla.org
            echo -e "${summary_first}" > "$HOME/install_traditional_Thunderbird-SUMMARY_${appendix}.txt"
            echo -e "${summary_what}" >> "$HOME/install_traditional_Thunderbird-SUMMARY_${appendix}.txt"
            echo -e "${summary_where}" >> "$HOME/install_traditional_Thunderbird-SUMMARY_${appendix}.txt"
            if snap list thunderbird &> /dev/null ; then echo -e "${summary_snap}" >> "$HOME/install_traditional_Thunderbird-SUMMARY_${appendix}.txt" ; fi
            if snap list thunderbird &> /dev/null ; then echo -e "${summary_snapremove}" >> "$HOME/install_traditional_Thunderbird-SUMMARY_${appendix}.txt" ; fi
            echo -e "${summary_lasttb}" >> "$HOME/install_traditional_Thunderbird-SUMMARY_${appendix}.txt"
            echo -e "Script version used: ${versionnr}" >> "$HOME/install_traditional_Thunderbird-SUMMARY_${appendix}.txt"
            echo -e "\n########\n## -> The summary of what has been done by this script was saved to:\n##    $HOME/install_traditional_Thunderbird-SUMMARY_${appendix}\n########\n"
            break
        elif [[ "${wantsave}" = [Yy] ]] &&  [[ ${rmtb} = 1 ]]
        then
            # Save to text file that Thunderbird has been removed from /opt
            echo -e "${summary_first}" > "$HOME/install_traditional_Thunderbird-SUMMARY_${appendix}.txt"
            echo -e "## Thunderbird has been successfully removed from /opt ." >> "$HOME/install_traditional_Thunderbird-SUMMARY_${appendix}.txt"
            if test -d "$HOME/.thunderbird" ; then echo -e "## -> Your user data in \".thunderbird\" within your $HOME" >> "$HOME/install_traditional_Thunderbird-SUMMARY_${appendix}.txt" ; fi
            if test -d "$HOME/.thunderbird" ; then echo -e '##    directory has NOT been touched!' >> "$HOME/install_traditional_Thunderbird-SUMMARY_${appendix}.txt" ; fi
            echo -e "${summary_last}" >> "$HOME/install_traditional_Thunderbird-SUMMARY_${appendix}.txt"
            echo -e "Script version used: ${versionnr}" >> "$HOME/install_traditional_Thunderbird-SUMMARY_${appendix}.txt"
            echo -e "\n########\n## -> The summary of what has been done by this script was saved to:\n##    $HOME/install_traditional_Thunderbird-SUMMARY_${appendix}\n########\n"
            break
        elif [[ "${wantsave}" = [Nn] ]]
        then
            echo
            break
        fi
    done
fi

**Schwarzer Kater** · Apr 17, 2024, 11:56 AM

The same additions as for the install traditional Firefox script:
Now the script can remove the traditional Thunderbird from /opt, if it has been installed by this script before.
Plain error handling for e.g. a bad connection or a missing particular language version has also been added…

**Schwarzer Kater** · Apr 25, 2024, 10:15 AM

Re-tested dozens of times with Kubuntu 24.04 LTS (development branch, Beta and final release): works.

**Schwarzer Kater** · May 12, 2024, 10:44 AM

Update to version 1.0.2:
better late than never - now all scripts test first if the computer has established an internet connection as this is needed.

**Princey** · Jul 30, 2024, 11:53 AM

Question, is there a way to copy/move my profile from the snap version across to this version installed? I'm currently "de-snapping" myself as much as I possibly can. I can find the snap installed version. Do I just copy the folders that have the same name across?

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Script to install traditional Thunderbird

Script to install traditional Thunderbird

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