Introduction

Love Thunderbird, but also need to manage your schedule? Do it from within the popular email client. Lightning extension to Thunderbird enables a fully featured Calendar Application which also allows sending or receiving meeting invitations via email. Lightning also supports Web-based calendars, such as Google Calendar.

Requirements

• Which version do I need?

Thunderbird 3.0.X is supported by Ubuntu team and is available in repositories for Ubuntu Lucid 10.04.

Thunderbird 3.1.X will be supported by Ubuntu team and is available in repositories for Ubuntu Maverick 10.10.

Thunderbird 2.0.X is supported by Ubuntu Karmic 9.10 until 10.10 release (October 2010).

• Where do I get Lightning?

Summary of the availability is listed below. Read below for detailed instructions.

Before proceeding with the installation, please ensure you've reviewed the Lightning Linux System Requirements.

Lightning for Thunderbird 3.0

Thunderbird 3.0 requires Lightning version 1.0b1. Thunderbird version 3.0.5 or greater is recommended.

Lightning extension is architecture-specific. Only 32-bit version is available from Mozilla Add-ons site. That is, if you are running 64-bit Thunderbird, you must run 64-bit Lightning.

If you are running 32-bit version of Ubuntu, download 32-bit version of the extension.

If you are running 64-bit version of Ubuntu,

• If you are using Thunderbird from repositories, you are running 64-bit version of Thunderbird.

• If you have used Ubuntuzilla, then you are running 32-bit version of Thunderbird.

Do not try to install both 32-bit and 64-bit Lightning. Select one of two versions below that matches your Thunderbird application.

• Download 32-bit Lightning 1.0b1 for Thunderbird 3.0. This is NOT the latest version.

  • Download 32-bit Google Calendar provider 0.61 to complement Lightning. This is NOT the latest version.

OR

• Download 64-bit Lightning 1.0b1 x86_64 for Thunderbird 3.0. This is NOT the latest version.

  • If you wish to use Google Calendar integration, download gdata-provider.xpi in addition to lightning.xpi.

Lightning for Thunderbird 3.1

Thunderbird 3.1 requires Lightning version 1.0b2. Thunderbird version 3.1.2 or greater is recommended.

Lightning extension is architecture-specific. Only 32-bit version is available from Mozilla Add-ons site. That is, if you are running 64-bit Thunderbird, you must run 64-bit Lightning.

If you are running 32-bit version of Ubuntu, download 32-bit version of the extension.

If you are running 64-bit version of Ubuntu,

• If you are using Thunderbird from repositories, you are running 64-bit version of Thunderbird.

• If you have used Ubuntuzilla, then you are running 32-bit version of Thunderbird.

Do not try to install both 32-bit and 64-bit Lightning. Select one of two versions below that matches your Thunderbird application.

• Download 32-bit Lightning 1.0b2 for Thunderbird 3.1.

  • Download 32-bit Google Calendar provider 0.7 to complement Lightning.

OR

• Download 64-bit Lightning 1.0b2 x86_64 for Thunderbird 3.1.

  • If you wish to use Google Calendar integration, download gdata-provider.xpi in addition to lightning.xpi.

Lightning for Thunderbird 2.0

Lightning 0.9 is the current version available for Thunderbird 2.0.X.

Installation of Lightning 0.9 for Karmic Koala 9.10

Lightning extension is now provided by Ubuntu universe repositories. Install package by clicking here: lightning-extension

In order to enable Google Calendar integration, add calendar-google-provider extension.

That will install version 0.9 of Lightning.

Installation of Lightning 0.9 for Hardy Heron 8.04 when lightning-extension is not provided

This information is relevant to those who want to use the latest version of Lightning. Current version is 0.9 (November 2009).

Selecting Architecture for Lightning Extension

Lightning extension is architecture-specific. That is, if you are running 64-bit Thunderbird, you must run 64-bit Lightning.

If you are running 32-bit version of Ubuntu, download 32-bit version of the extension.

If you are running 64-bit version of Ubuntu,

• If you are using Thunderbird from repositories, you are running 64-bit version of Thunderbird.

• If you have used Ubuntuzilla, then you are running 32-bit version of Thunderbird.

• Swiftdove an optimized build of the Mozilla Thunderbird code is available in 32bit and 64bit versions. It has Lightning installed by default.

Do not try to install both 32-bit and 64-bit Lightning. Select one of two versions below that matches your Thunderbird application.

Downloading and Installing 32-bit Lightning

1. Point your browser to http://releases.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/calendar/lightning/releases/0.9/

2. Right-click the link named lightning-0.9.linux-i686.xpi and choose "Save Link As..." to download and save the file to your hard disk.

3. In Mozilla Thunderbird, open Add-ons from the Tools menu.
4. Click the Install button, and locate/select the file you downloaded and click "OK".
5. Restart Thunderbird.

Downloading and Installing 64-bit Lightning

1. Point your browser to http://releases.mozilla.org/pub/mozilla.org/calendar/lightning/releases/0.9/contrib/linux-x86_64/

2. Right-click the link named lightning-0.9-linux-x86_64.xpi and choose "Save Link As..." to download and save the file to your hard disk.

3. In Mozilla Thunderbird, open Add-ons from the Tools menu.
4. Click the Install button, and locate/select the file you downloaded and click "OK".
5. Restart Thunderbird.

Troubleshooting

• If your Calendar buttons appear but most options are greyed out, it's likely the system requirements were not in place prior to installing lightning. Uninstall Lightning, meet the system requirements, then re-install Lightning.

• If lightning extension broke due to an upgrade to Jaunty or to Karmic, uninstall lightning from within Thunderbird, exit Thunderbird and reinstall it from repositories. More details here. The problem is due to a missing libstdc++5 library.

• If you see several colored bars instead of calendar grid, you are probably running the wrong architecture of Lightning. Verify whether your Thunderbird is 32-bit or 64-bit and download the matching copy of Lightning.

• Try looking for answers in Lightning FAQ and Mozilla Calendar Wiki.

Still having problems?

Post your questions in : the Ubuntu Forums and we will try to help you.

Further Reading

• Sunbird is the same calendar application available as a standalone program.

• Mozilla Lightning

CategoryEmail CategoryOffice