Can I submit CatThief's themes and extensions to other sites?
IT IS MY DECISION TO *NOT* MAKE THEMES AND EXTENSIONS PUBLICLY AVAILABLE FROM ANY WEB SITE (INCLUDING ADDONS.MOZILLA.ORG) EXCEPT MY OWN, EXTENZILLA.ORG, AND ADDONSMIRROR.NET. PLEASE HONOR THAT DECISION AND DO NOT PUBLICLY DISTRIBUTE ANY THEMES OR EXTENSIONS OR MAKE DISTRIBUTION DECISIONS ON MY BEHALF.
For additonal information follow the "terms of use" links located on the download pages for themes and extensions.
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Questions about installing and updating themes and extensions:
Are the themes at addons.mozilla.org (a.m.o.) the most current?
No. Updated themes will be no longer be submitted to a.m.o. ALL FUTURE UPDATES WILL COME FROM MY OWN SITE ONLY.
Why are updated versions of CatThief's themes no longer available from addons.mozilla.org?
This is my personal preference.
Why aren't CatThief's extensions available from addons.mozilla.org?
This is my personal preference.
Can I update CatThief's themes to a newer version using the program's updater?
If you are using Firefox 3.0 or Thunderbird 2.0, the theme will update from my site to the latest version whenever a newer version is detected. When SeaMonkey 2.0 is released, updates will be handled the same way as Firefox and Thunderbird. If you are using Firefox 2.0, automatic updates will work with the theme version 2.0.0.18 or later.
Can I update CatThief's extensions to a newer version using the program's updater?
Yes. They will all update from my site to the latest version whenever a newer version is detected.
Why do I always have to manually update the theme for SeaMonkey 1.1?
SeaMonkey does not have an automatic updater like Firefox and Thunderbird have. Manually updating themes is your only option. Unfortunately SeaMonkey 1.1 is not as efficient in updating themes, and the older theme files will accumulate inside your profile's chrome folder even though they are no longer being used; so if you see multiple copies of the same theme with slight variations of the file name, this is the reason why. SeaMonkey 2.0 (still under development) has an Add-ons Manager that eliminates all 1.1 updating issues.
I downloaded your theme from a third-party site, but it isn't working like it should. Why?
The only other sites to whom I gave permission to host my themes and extensions are eXtenZilla and Add-ons Mirror because Andrea and Seamaiden do an excellent job with keeping things current and providing pertinent information. Other than that, I do not participate in the distribution of the theme from any third-party sites. If you are using an out-of-date version of the theme or a third-party release I take no responsibility for problems. If a contributor at any other third-party site is registered at "CatThief", this person is an imposter.
I installed your theme as part of a third-party add-ons pack, but it isn't the most current version. Why?
I do not participate in the distribution of add-ons packs. If you are using an out-of-date version of the theme or a third-party release I take no responsibility for problems.
The theme won't install. Why?
Doublecheck all of the instructions on the download page. If you are still having trouble there may be a problem with your user configuration files, and troubleshooting this is outside the scope of support for the theme. A search at the MozillaZine Forums might be helpful.
I get a "could not be installed because it is not compatible" error when installing a theme or extension.
Be certain the theme or extension you are attempting to install was developed for the program version you are using.
How do I uninstall themes and extensions?
Follow the instructions on the page where you installed or downloaded the theme or extension.
Something went wrong during theme or extension installation and it won't load or uninstall. What can I do?
This can sometimes happen with any theme or extension for a variety of reasons. MozillaZine - Uninstalling extensions will describe possible causes along with detailed instructions on how to restore things to normal.
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Archived themes and version-specific extensions for older program versions:
Themes and extensions for Firefox 2.0
To download using Firefox, right-click these links and select "Save Link As..."
Mostly Crystal for Firefox 2.0
Findbar Basics extension for Firefox 2.0
These versions have reached end-of-life, therefore the themes and extensions are retired:
SeaMonkey 1.0
Firefox 1.5
Thunderbird 1.5
Firefox 1.0
Thunderbird 1.0
Mozilla Suite 1.7
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Will the themes work on final release sub-versions?
Yes. For example if the theme is for program version 3.0 it will work on 3.0.* (* being any number).
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Will the theme work on nightly builds?
It depends which builds. New features are eventually added in preparation for future releases; but unless otherwise noted, this theme is primarily maintained for the current milestone release of Firefox, Thunderbird, and SeaMonkey. If the theme breaks or will not install on a nightly build, support will not be provided for problems. If you are using a nightly build and think the theme or extension will work properly, you can use the Nightly Tester Tools extension to override version compatibility issues.
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Is there a theme for Firefox 3.1 test builds?
A test theme won't be available until program release time is near.
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Is there a theme for Thunderbird 3.0 test builds?
A test theme won't be available until program release time is near.
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Is there a theme for SeaMonkey 2.0 test builds?
Yes, but it is still under development. Several userChrome options have changed, none of which are currently documented. If you would like to try a copy, you can download the theme from here. Please do not submit bug reports or ask for support for problems. This is a test theme and changes are ongoing, both major and minor.
THIS THEME WILL NOT BE UPDATED DAILY, nor will it autoupdate until SeaMonkey 2.0 Final Release. Only target application version changes will be reported on the RSS feed as a new update.
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Why do some extensions break on Mostly Crystal?
Most extensions are developed for compatibility with the program's default theme. Extensions can be simple, and they can also be very complex. Many extensions add styling and coloring to elements such as the location bar, search bar, and tabs by altering existing code or attaching overlays to existing code. In order to achieve a particular style, not all themes are coded exactly like the default; and whenever the theme's elements do not match the default theme, extension rendering errors will result.
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The theme doesn't match Vista. Will you change the toolbars, menus, and colors?
No. The images/colors used in the theme were chosen to compliment the KDE desktop that runs under Linux. Many of the theme's elements are coded to pull colors from the user's own OS defaults, and I even changed some styling that is unique to Linux just so Windows users would not have rendering problems. Since compatibility has been met without native support for Vista, that is the best I can do.
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I don't like how some things look (background colors, tabs, margins, etc.) and want to change them. How can I do this?
A wide variety of userChrome.css options are provided that will change many of the elements to suit your taste, override OS defaults, or resolve conflicts with OS defaults. Since personal tastes vary so widely, I am unable to provide fixes for each and every element that users don't like and want to change. If it is not listed on the userChrome Options page, support will not be provided for further customizations and especially if you are looking for a way to change something common to all themes. A search at the MozillaZine Forums might be helpful. If none of this is suitable to you, please use a different theme.
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Will you change the tabs to look like the Firefox default theme?
There is a userChrome option for . They were modeled after the default theme for Windows.
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Why was the "Native Tabs" option (nativetabs.css) removed from the theme for Firefox 3?
I personally don't care for native tabs for the tabbrowser. The option for Classic Tabs is as close to default as I am willing to go.
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Why was the "Change Linux Menulists" option (dropmarker-fix.css) removed from the theme for Firefox 3?
There are so many variations between GTK2 themes that applying a single set of code to override the default theme does not always render the desired effect.
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Why did you remove theme support for Mac OS?
Since I do not have Mac OS for testing I am unable to offer support for problems. Consequently, I have learned that whenever there is a problem, it cannot be easily resolved.
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Before Firefox 3, I was able to tweak the theme to work on Mac OS. Why are the scrollbars gone now?
During the development phase of Firefox 3 the capability of cross-platform compatibility was removed. Now there is only one file that contains the theme's scrollbars code and there is no way to combine the code for Windows/Linux and Mac OS inside a single file. Some folks have attempted to add scrollbars code to userChrome.css, but never with any success.
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Will CatThief's extensions work on Mac OS?
The extensions are not affected by the same compatibility issues as themes since there is no involvement in the themeing of OS-specific widgets. They were not tested on Mac, but they should work fine. Be aware, though, that any extension involving toolbar button images will not have a Mac-style appearance.
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Why was the Native Tabs userChrome option removed from the theme for Thunderbird 2.0?
This option was originally developed for a browser window. It may return to Thunderbird if tabs are ever used for anything more than options dialogs.
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How can I change the throbber in Firefox and Thunderbird?
By default the throbber is Circular when placed inside the menubar and a Penguin when placed outside the menubar. In addition, the Penguin will resize according to your preference to use small or large icons for toolbar buttons. You can apply userChrome.css options to override the default. See or for more information.
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How can I change the throbber in SeaMonkey?
By default the throbber is a Penguin image that will resize according to your preference to show/hide toolbarbutton labels. You can apply userChrome.css options to override the default. See for more information.
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How do I create or edit a userChrome.css file?
A link to the "userChrome.css How-to" is shown at the top of each userChrome Options page.
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Where do add-ons go when they are installed?
Themes and extensions (add-ons) are installed under your profile's "extensions" folder. Under the "extensions" folder you will find a subfolder named for each add-on's unique ID, and directly under that will be where all of their files reside.
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Can you make the "Small Icons" smaller in the Firefox and Thunderbird themes?
No. While this may work well for some images, most of them will lose detail and clarity if they are reduced smaller than their current size. In addition, the current size for both Large and Small Icons works better for those who are using larger monitors and/or increased screen resolutions and it looks better in Linux.
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Is there a "lite" version of the theme without support for extensions?
No.
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Will the additional support for extensions cause the program to run slower?
No.
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Why was support removed for Lightning?
During the process of upgrading support for version 0.7, it was discovered that the number of icon images required for the toolbar buttons is quite large. For this reason a decision was made to remove image support in order to lighten the size of the theme file. Supportive code is still included to prevent other elements from breaking.
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Will you be developing a theme for Sunbird?
A theme for Sunbird is not planned at this time, however permission was give to Seamaiden from Add-ons Mirror to use the Mostly Crystal code base for a Sunbird theme.
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Will you be developing a theme for Nvu?
A theme for Nvu is not planned at this time.
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Can you include support for the Google Toolbar?
No. This extension from Google uses JavaScript to define 52 of its 58 images. It is not possible to override the existing images without applying executable code.
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With which versions of Firefox and Thunderbird are CatThief's extensions compatible?
Please refer to the extensions pages for version compatibility information.
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I use the CuteMenus extension and am getting a mix of images that belong to this extension plus images that belong to the theme.
Mostly Crystal includes built-in support for menuitem images, so you will see an image for any menuitem the CuteMenus extension does not include. You cannot disable the theme's menuitem images without removing all images, both from the theme and from the CuteMenus extension.
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Will the display of menuitem icons cause the program to run slower?
No. It should startup and run the same with or without these images.
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Why are images missing for some menus and menuitems?
The theme includes images for most default menus and menuitems, yet you may not see an image for menus or menuitems that are added by extensions even if theme support for those extensions is included. In addition, you will not see images for menus or menuitems that have no identifier (such as id, command, oncommand, etc.) or for menuitems that are checkboxes.
To add your own images, see the Menuitem Icons page for or
or
for instructions. Support will not be provided for adding your own images. If you are having difficulty understanding how to interpret the instructions, please visit the MozillaZine Themes Development forum and post your specific question there.
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How can I disable the menuitem images?
See the Menuitem Icons page for or or for instructions.
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I don't see an "open envelope" image in the message pane for read mail. Is this a bug?
No. There is only one envelope image. Read vs. unread status is shown with normal vs. bold text. The image, however, will reflect other status such as new, replied, and forwarded.
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Why doesn't the theme look like the screenshots when I install it on my computer?
The theme inherits many defaults set by the operating system you are using. The screenshots on the main page were taken while using Windows XP. The theme will look different if you are using a different OS theme in Windows, a different version of Windows, are using Linux, or if you apply one of the userChrome.css options to change the background color.
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Can you resolve problems I am seeing with the theme on Windows 2000, Windows NT, Windows 98, or Vista?
I can only resolve Windows problems if you are using Windows XP, however I am willing to help with providing solutions that can be applied to your userChrome.css file.
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Can you resolve problems I am seeing with the theme on Linux?
In most cases, yes; but since there are literally hundreds of styles that can be applied in Linux, I cannot guarantee all issues will be resolved for all styles. As a rule, I test the themes on SuSE 10.3 (KDE desktop) and several popular GTK2 styles.
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Will you theme the scrollbars?
No. While many themes include customizations for scrollbars, I prefer to let the operating system provide the effects... especially with Linux.
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Are you planning a userChrome option for Thunderbird that will display like those for Firefox?
No. This effect was designed for Firefox's and SeaMonkey's main browser toolbar only.
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One or more of my extensions is not working properly. Why?
Support for extensions is with images only. Sometimes there are code conflicts with margins, paddings, width, and height which will affect the appearance, but should not affect the performance. I will do my best to resolve these visual conflicts, but if you have a problem with improper function of an extension please contact the extension developer.
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Why does an extension's toolbarbutton image that used to work now break in some or all places?
When extensions are updated, theme developers are usually not notified. I do my best to keep current, but most often some additional time is needed to examine code changes and get things working again.
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Are you accepting requests for additional extension support?
The themes already contain built-in support for a wide variety of extensions, many more than I actually use myself. Any new requests for support will be declined unless it is for an update to a currently-supported extension.
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Does Mostly Crystal support RTL (right-to-left) localized builds?
No.
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I installed a newer version of your theme, but I don't see any changes. Why?
All major changes and bug fixes are documented on the Changelog. A link to the Changelog appears on the main theme page just below the date of the most current release. You will only see changes in the theme if the documented changes are something that affects you.
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How do I change program settings?
If you need assistance with program settings, look under the program's Help menu.
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I'm still having a problem with a theme and my issue is not mentioned here. Now what?
You can use the Contact Form located here.
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How did Mostly Crystal get started?
Many years ago, I installed a theme for Mozilla Suite titled "Crystal-classic" by Wojciech Jarosz. Unfortunately as newer versions of Mozilla were released, the theme was not upgraded for newer version compatibility. I resorted to using other themes, many that I consider among the best of the best (Aaron Spuler's "Rain" and "iCandy Jr.", Johannes Schellen's "Pinball" to name a few) but missed Crystal-classic immensely.
When Firefox and Thunderbird were released, no matching Crystal themes could be found. I was (and still am) using Everaldo's Crystal SVG icon set on my Linux desktop and thought these icons would be the perfect base for matching themes. So, with Everaldo's permission, and using Aaron's "iCandy Jr." code base as a starting point (thank you, Aaron, for inspiring me to begin this project) along with the existing code for the applications' default themes, and seeking helpful tips and encouragement from the Mozilla theming community at the MozillaZine Forums, "Mostly Crystal" was born.
Now and then I hear comments made that Mostly Crystal is a copy of Plastikfox or some other Crystal-based theme, but that is completely untrue. The only thing these themes have in common is the use of Everaldo's images. I never once opened any of these themes' jar files to examine code.
I also sometimes hear comments that Mostly Crystal is not a 100% Crystal SVG theme. This is very true, hence the "Mostly" portion of the theme's title, but any image that is not 100% Crystal SVG was created/selected for visual compatibility. And like with any other theme you find out there, Mostly Crystal -- from the selection of button images to the selection of other elements like spacing, sizing, borders, coloring, etc. -- is 100% a composition of it's developer's unique tastes. Some folks love it, some folks hate it. That's ok. Wouldn't this be a mundane world if everyone and everything were the same.
In 2007, Everaldo officially retired his "Crystal SVG" icons and replaced them with the "Crystal Project" icons. Perhaps someday I will do the same, but currently I just can't imagine myself ever growing tired of them.
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