If you’re a Google Calendar user like myself you might want to check out this really simple add-on for Thunderbird, which should be available as an official add-on for the coming Thunderbird 3 release.
The Google Calendar Tab
As simple as it sounds, this adds the Google Calendar web interface as a new tab directly into Thunderbird. Creating and viewing events works just as it would in a browser like Firefox. 
If your calendar is setup to show popup alerts you’ll continue to see them from the calendar tab while in other, mail, tabs.
Here’s my family Pinochle game reminder alert showing.
There is no official release of this extension yet, however you could grab the latest XPI, download and install it into the latest (at least rc1) Shredder release.
More Extensions
It’s easy to get started integrating a web application like Twitter, Remember the Milk, and other sites into Thunderbird. Once you get the initial pieces you can start working on better integration into your email conversations.
If you’re interested in creating an extension similar to this one, here are a couple links you probably want to check out:
- Google Calendar Tab source code
- bug 516776 – Make it possible for browser elements to navigate through links/pages
- Thunderbird 3 for Developers – Content Browsing
- Thunderbird Content Tabs
Lightning
This calendar extension only handles a single url for Google Calendar. If you’re looking for actual calendar integration with different calendars, including google calendar, you’ll want to check out the Lightning Calendar extension which also runs inside Thunderbird tabs.
You know? The Thunderbird developers are really starting to tick me off. Yes I understand they are trying to put a nice product out there, and it’s a free p0roduct and all of that. But one of the main reasons it’s so powerful and desirable is the add-ons!!! And so whenever they make a change, half of my add-ons are disabled.
I wonder if there is a possibility of some kind of co-operative effort between them and the add-on developers to share information so add-ons could be ready to go on or near the change date. Even my AV hooks are disabled in ver 7 of Tbird. Yikes.
OK, now I’m finished whining for a while and I’ll go back to being a happy (mostly) user of Tbird.
I kind of agree but doubt that would ever happen (have similar issues with WordPress plugins sometimes). I got the notice for the Thunderbird update and usually just “do it” but I need my calendar up because I log into too many google accounts for my clients so a browser login doesn’t work. I decided to NOT upgrade right now because I don’t have the time to deal with an add-on like my calendar not working.
Really hoping this works again soon
It is major
This is the best add on EVER and it doesn’t work for Version 7, PLEASE FIX. NO PRESSURE………..Is it ready yet?
Fully agree on all comments: the best and most useful add on I never had.
))
I promise not to upgrade Thunderbird anymore to keep your add on alive
Great job…and I need your halp to make it work again
One of my fave add-ons as well and have no intention of upgrading my version of TB until it’s compatible. One of the “hidden” features I discovered accidentally was that I can use Calendar Tab to load my Google Reader into a TB tab as well. That way, every morning I can get my email, schedule, and latest reader updates all at once, all in one interface. Brilliant.
It DOES work with TB 7 if you change the version nr. to 7.*.* in the install.rdf.
It’s a brilliant solution: No need for lightning anymore, just open your Google calendar and work directly in the cloud!
There should be a task function though…..
@BarnOwl – would you be willing to give more detailed instructions to a clueless person? Where do you find the install.rdf?
Ok, you’ve got the google_calendar_tab-3.8-tb.xpi. Now, go with an archiver in the archive, I use win7.zip (search it on Google, it’s free)
There you will find the install.rdf. Open it with notepad and change the version nr. to 7.*.*
It should work to TB 8 now!
Dear BarnOwl and April – tips for anyone even more clueless?? I have a windows 7 OS so no idea where the file is or how to go into the archive..? I just have an updated Thunderbird telling me Google is disabled?
Thanks!
Thanks violaga for asking … I don’t know either!!!
Thanks for helping us out BarnOwl.
It’s all in my post above!
Sorry but I guess I am not conversant enough to follow it….
Where do I have the xpi? How do you use win7.zip (archiver?) to “go” in the archive (where is the archive?)
Sorry, I saw your post above, but it is not *quite* explicit enough for me to follow it – my failing yes but hoping you could give just a little more of a pointer
The xpi (google cal tab) is just a few files that make up the program. You’ll find it where you put your downloaded extention.
If you have 7-zip you go to the calendar tab file (xpi) and open it.
There you will see a few files, now open install.xpi with 7-zip and alter the version file.
I’m sorry, but I cannot put it any clearer here……good luck!
Install.xpi is install.rdf offcourse…..now I’m getting mixed u too
@BryanClark
THX FOR MAKING SUCH A GREAT ADD-ON (Hope Mozilla is putting you high on the pay-list)
@BarnOwl
THX for your explanation. I did all of that and it seems to be working.
To me you will all be kind of magicians
All the Best
For those that are having problems with the new Thunderbird Version,
1) Get 7.zip – http://www.7-zip.org/
2) Open the google_calendar_tab-3.8-tb.xpi file in 7.zip
3) Edit the Install.rdf
4) Change the Version #, like so (2 places, Version and MaxVersion):
googlecalendartab@momo
Google Calendar Tab
7
Bryan Clark
chrome://googlecalendartab/content/options.xul
chrome://googlecalendartab/skin/calendar-icon.png
{3550f703-e582-4d05-9a08-453d09bdfdc6}
3.1
7.1
Am unable to save edit to install.rdf using 7-zip. Error message: “access denied”. Solution?
I love the Google Calendar plug-in. Thank you for developing it! The only problem I’m having with it is that the task pane is empty — I can’t see existing tasks or add new ones. Everything works fine when I bring up the calendar in firefox. I am using Thunderbird 8. Does anyone else have this problem? Any suggestions for working around it? Thanks.
Yes, it is a common problem. Tasks is not supported…….
I just found a way to get Google tasks in a dedicated Thunderbird Tab. To do this, I hijacked the GoogleMailTab XPI file (http://electronsoftware.altervista.org/extensions/googlemailtab.xpi. I modified the googlemailtab.js file inside of the jar file the to point to https://mail.google.com/tasks/android instead of https://mail.google.com. Then I installed the XPI file in Thunderbird. When I click on the gmail icon, I get a tab where I can view and gmail tasks.
I tried using the canvas URL (https://mail.google.com/tasks/canvas), but that had the same empty task list problem as discussed above. It’s probably a problem with how the embedded Thunderbird browser handles javascript. The android version of the page doesn’t use the same javascript code, so it doesn’t cause that problem. I also tried the mobile version of the page, https://mail.google.com/tasks/m, but I prefer the android version.
Bryan, would you be willing to create and post a new “Google Tasks” extension using this approach? I’m sure you’d make quite a few people happy!
Hi Clark,
I made a version of your addon for Google Reader. I would appreciate to receive your suggestions on comment
You can check it here : https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/thunderbird/addon/google-reader-tab/ (not yet approved by mozilla).
Thanks!
Is there any way to make Google Tasks appear in the Tasks section on the right hand side just as they do when the calendar is viewed in a browser?
Many thanks for the excellent add-on – Joe
There seems to be a problem with Thunderbird that tasks aren’t showing up. There’s nothing the add-on is doing that would prevent that.
There seems to be a problem updating google calendar tab to version 9.0.1. Before, the fix with the install.rdf file always worked great. I was able to update to version 7 and 8. But now when I change the version numbers to 9.0.1 google calendar tab won’t open anymore. Any suggestions? This add-on is great and I don’t want to miss it!!!
hi there,
is there a way to change a saved user/password combination inside the g-cal-tab in tb?
saved it once and have to change it now – couldn’t find a way.
VERY thankful for your attn/help.
yours, roland