How to change font size on Write screen only
The Thunderbird Write (compose) screen allows font choices for HTML e-mails, but not font sizes in traditional 'points.' There is an up/down button set on the screen, and a setup option for small/medium/large, etc.
By sending myself mail, and reading it in another popular mail client, I see that "medium" is 12-point type, which is what I want. But when I select medium as my default, the text on the Write screen is too small, nowhere near 12 points by eyeball. If I make the font bigger on the Write screen so that I can read it, then it is received as 14pt or 18pt.
There must be a way to choose what you see on the Write screen, independently of what is actually coded into HTML and sent. Sure enough, I can do Ctrl/Shift/+, and that makes the text on the screen larger (leaving images untouched, thanks!) , but it's back to tiny the next time I open the program. Is there a way to make this text magnification 'stick'?
Chosen solution
"Medium" translates to how the receiving client is set to display as normal. Best to leave Thunderbird at this setting.
For your own requirements, though, you can set how Thunderbird displays content to you, and this applies to both incoming and outgoing messages.
Under Tools|Options, you'll find a tab labelled Display and beneath that another labelled Formatting. That's where you set how Thunderbird displays content. Note that it complies with HTML standards and sets this in pixels, not points.
Next to the Display tab is another named Composition where you can set the default font to be used in your outgoing messages.
Note that changes may not be immediately apparent. You may have to de-select and re-select a message to see changes in settings, or at worst, close and re-open Thunderbird.
I haven't checked recently, but for a long time, Thunderbird would set certain font attributes (size, style, weight etc) but seemed to forget to actually stipulate the typeface to be used. This resulted in the recipient's client using its default font. If you are concerned about setting a particular font, I'd recommend the Stationery add-on. This lets you create templates incorporating full style definitions.
I'd also add that since the font settings in email messages are optional, and may be overridden by the recipient and/or his email client, don't fret too much about getting it perfect. Any non-standard fonts you may have and use won't appear on another computer where they, or effective equivalents, are not installed. Stick to so-called "web-safe" fonts and colours if you don't want any nasty surprises.
More here on Thunderbird font settings: http://chrisramsden.vfast.co.uk/9_Type_sizes.html
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Chosen Solution
"Medium" translates to how the receiving client is set to display as normal. Best to leave Thunderbird at this setting.
For your own requirements, though, you can set how Thunderbird displays content to you, and this applies to both incoming and outgoing messages.
Under Tools|Options, you'll find a tab labelled Display and beneath that another labelled Formatting. That's where you set how Thunderbird displays content. Note that it complies with HTML standards and sets this in pixels, not points.
Next to the Display tab is another named Composition where you can set the default font to be used in your outgoing messages.
Note that changes may not be immediately apparent. You may have to de-select and re-select a message to see changes in settings, or at worst, close and re-open Thunderbird.
I haven't checked recently, but for a long time, Thunderbird would set certain font attributes (size, style, weight etc) but seemed to forget to actually stipulate the typeface to be used. This resulted in the recipient's client using its default font. If you are concerned about setting a particular font, I'd recommend the Stationery add-on. This lets you create templates incorporating full style definitions.
I'd also add that since the font settings in email messages are optional, and may be overridden by the recipient and/or his email client, don't fret too much about getting it perfect. Any non-standard fonts you may have and use won't appear on another computer where they, or effective equivalents, are not installed. Stick to so-called "web-safe" fonts and colours if you don't want any nasty surprises.
More here on Thunderbird font settings: http://chrisramsden.vfast.co.uk/9_Type_sizes.html
Modified by Zenos
Thanks so much; everything worked as you said. And the stationary suggestions seems like the right thing to do, too.