unable to change normal fonts

[centerforants]

Some background info: OS X Mavericks Mail 7.0

When I try to change the font while composing an email it will not change the font of the highlighted text. Instead, it only changes the font that is being applied to Reply/Forward headers. This behavior is 100% of the time. I have to uninstall the mailbundle just to change fonts. Also, trying to change fonts in the Fonts & Colors tab of Mail Preferences doesn't work. It will only change the font used for the headers, just like when I try to change the font mid-composing.

[jeevatkm]

RWH plugin applies font & color to headers alone, as designed. I believe you're looking for 'change font for composing mail message', this is not a scope of RWH plugin.

[centerforants]

I understand that. What I am saying is that when I install the latest RWH, I am unable to change any other fonts.

Anytime I try to change a font while composing email or in the Fonts & Colors tab, it changes the RWH headers instead of what I have highlighted. I also am unable to change the default Message font w/ RWH installed.

[jeevatkm]

Sorry, I missed that. This is interesting one. Did you see any errors in Console.app for Mail app, if yes can you please share error msg?

Not to worry we will try to find out what's going on.

[centerforants]

Example: If I try to change that Message font from Verdana 13 to ANYTHING ELSE, it won't change it, but instead changes the header font that RWH uses.

[centerforants]

Console.app shows nothing for Mail while attempting this.

[jeevatkm]

For your information, Me too using v4.1 mavericks. Just tried to simulate the described issue, I'm unable to do so :( I'm able to change individually different values. I'm wondering how this is happening !!!

Can you please check on following file (open up in TextEdit.app or TextWrangler.app)

/Users/{username}/Library/Containers/com.apple.mail/Data/Library/Preferences/com.apple.mail.plist

Look for 'MHHeaderFontName' (used by RWH plugin) Look for 'Font' (used by Mail.app)

Both key is unique and independent, Try changing values from mail preferences and see what value is reflecting.

[centerforants]

Ok so the pic above where it says Verdana 13 as the Message font. I tried to change that to Arial. I then did a Find for Arial in the com.apple.mail.plist file and got 1 result:

MHHeaderFontName

<string>ArialMT</string>

Before changing it to Arial, I did a search for Arial in the file and found 0 results.

[centerforants]

RWH 4.1 is the only add-on I'm using for Mail. This behavior has persisted thru 2 uninstall/re-installs.

[jeevatkm]

Okay, I think we need a screen share to find out a problem. Shall I share screen session link for you?

[centerforants]

Sure.

[jeevatkm]

Please click on the link below to join my Mikogo session

https://go.mikogo.com/?sp=&sid=107586940

If the above link does not work, you can follow these steps instead to join a session:

1. Go to http://go.mikogo.com
2. Enter the Session ID: 107-586-940
3. Enter your name
4. Click "Join Session"

[centerforants]

I'm in, as Blake.

[jeevatkm]

accept presenter, then you can show me your screen.

[centerforants]

One second, tried using the browser version but it didnt seem to work. Installing Mikogo now.

[centerforants]

Thanks for your time today. I know it's a weird one, but I hope to see this working for me soon. Love RWH. Keep up the good work.

[jeevatkm]

You're welcome, will find out what's going on with font selection :)

[jeevatkm]

Actually I don't know what is happening in currently, however I have modified font handling approach in this patch. Will wait for your feedback.

Download link https://app.box.com/s/j574k73zyf1leph8y5uw

Please Note: After you confirm, I will include this fix in release v4.2

[centerforants]

Before you a make that change and before I try it: I did some investigating of my own on my system. It seems there were ACL permissions set on certain directories in my User directory. After downloading ACLfix and running it on my ~/Library folder, this issue seems to have went away.

I noticed something was wrong when I tried to backup and delete the .plist file and it never re-created a new one. I would change preferences, close Mail and it would open back up like I hadn't changed anything. I think there was some kind of custom ACL permissions denying the program from writing to the file.

So knowing that the problem seems to have been on my end, do you think the font handling approach change is still for the better?

[jeevatkm]

Yes, there is a difference in using NSFontManager and NSFontPanel. Patch uses a NSFontPanel.

I'm not sure whether ACL permissions is causing this issue, need an analysis on that space.

Currently not included in release, will wait for your feedback then I will include it.

[centerforants]

As far as ACL's go, it's just a type of permission. Macs have POSIX and ACL permissions. ACL permissions will usually say something like 'you have custom permissions' instead of 'you have read/write'.

I noticed a bunch of files in my ~/Library/ directory had ACL permissions set. I wiped them all out and everything worked like it should have.

I tested the 4.1 patch and that seemed to be working as intended as well.

[centerforants]

Just FYI -- the way I cleared out my ACLs:

chmod -R -N /Users/me/Library/

That recursively wipes out ACLs and touches nothing else.

[jeevatkm]

Thanks for testing v4.1 patch. I will include this in v4.2 for betterment.

By the way I'm developing plugin called 'Influence Mail' to bring Calendar, Reminder, My Day (show today's events and also selected date), HTML Signature and Message Attribution (aka RWH) in first release. Currently I have not yet created a page about upcoming plugin :)

[HeathC]

Looking forward to your checking out your new "Influence Mail" plugin!

[jeevatkm]

Done, will be released in v4.2