added an option to always use a plain text summary. see #740

_locales/en/messages.json

@@ -2019,6 +2019,14 @@
       "message": "Maximum number of characters to display in the inline summary. Set to 0 for no limit.",
       "description": ""
   },
+  "prefs_OptionText_summarize_strip_formatting": {
+      "message": "Strip formatting",
+      "description": ""
+  },
+  "prefs_OptionText_summarize_strip_formatting_Info": {
+      "message": "Remove HTML and Markdown formatting from the AI-generated summary, showing plain text only.",
+      "description": ""
+  },
   "summarize_see_more": {
       "message": "See more",
       "description": ""

claude-spec/05-options.md

@@ -98,6 +98,7 @@ These are generated programmatically at the bottom of `mzta-options-default.js`
 | `summarize_auto` | `1` | Auto-summarize mode: `0` = disabled, `1` = manual (show "click to generate" button), `2` = automatic (generate on message open), `3` = generate on email receive (background pre-cache via `onNewMailReceived`, no UI during generation) |
 | `summarize_display_mode` | `'inline'` | Where to display summaries: `'inline'` = message pane banner, `'webchat'` = AI chat window. Note: `summarize_auto = 2` and `summarize_auto = 3` always use inline regardless of this setting. |
 | `summarize_max_display_length` | `0` | Maximum characters shown in inline summary before truncation. `0` = no limit (show full text). When set, text is truncated at a word boundary and a "See more"/"See less" toggle link is shown. |
+| `summarize_strip_formatting` | `false` | Strip HTML and Markdown formatting from AI-generated summaries, showing plain text only. |
 | `translate` | `true` | Enable email translation |
 | `translate_auto` | `0` | Auto-translate mode: `0` = disabled, `1` = manual (show button), `2` = automatic (translate on message open), `3` = generate on email receive (background pre-cache via `onNewMailReceived`, no UI during generation) |
 | `translate_max_display_length` | `0` | Maximum characters shown in inline translation before truncation. `0` = no limit (show full text). When set, text is truncated at a word boundary and a "See more"/"See less" toggle link is shown. |
@@ -117,7 +118,8 @@ The summarize settings page provides:
    - `'webchat'` — opens the AI chat window
    - Note: `summarize_auto = 2` always generates inline regardless of this setting. Context menu summarize with multiple messages always falls back to webchat.
 4. **Max display length** (`summarize_max_display_length`) — number input, limits inline summary text to N characters. `0` = no limit. When truncated, a "See more"/"See less" toggle link is appended.
-5. **Three editable prompts** (used by context menu summarize and webchat mode):
+5. **Strip formatting** (`summarize_strip_formatting`) — checkbox, removes HTML/Markdown formatting from AI summary responses, displaying plain text only. Default: off.
+6. **Three editable prompts** (used by context menu summarize and webchat mode):
    - Summarize instruction prompt (`prompt_summarize`)
    - Email template prompt (`prompt_summarize_email_template`)
    - Email separator prompt (`prompt_summarize_email_separator`)

js/mzta-compose-script.js

@@ -1032,7 +1032,7 @@ switch (message.command) {
 
     const summaryText = document.createElement('div');
     summaryText.className = 'thunderai-summary-content';
-    const hasHtml = !!summaryData.summary_html;
+    const hasHtml = !!summaryData.summary_html && !summaryData.stripFormatting;
 
     function setSummaryHtml(element, html) {
         element.textContent = '';

mzta-background.js

@@ -223,7 +223,7 @@ messenger.runtime.onMessage.addListener((message, sender, sendResponse) => {
                 async function _initSummary() {
                     try {
                         let tabId = sender.tab.id;
-                        let prefs = await browser.storage.sync.get({ summarize: prefs_default.summarize, summarize_auto: prefs_default.summarize_auto, summarize_display_mode: prefs_default.summarize_display_mode, summarize_max_display_length: prefs_default.summarize_max_display_length });
+                        let prefs = await browser.storage.sync.get({ summarize: prefs_default.summarize, summarize_auto: prefs_default.summarize_auto, summarize_display_mode: prefs_default.summarize_display_mode, summarize_max_display_length: prefs_default.summarize_max_display_length, summarize_strip_formatting: prefs_default.summarize_strip_formatting });
 
                         if (!prefs.summarize) return;
 
@@ -233,7 +233,7 @@ messenger.runtime.onMessage.addListener((message, sender, sendResponse) => {
                         // Always show cached summary if available, regardless of summarize_auto
                         let cachedSummary = await summaryStore.loadSummary(message.headerMessageId);
                         if (cachedSummary && !cachedSummary.error) {
-                            browser.tabs.sendMessage(tabId, { command: "showSummary", data: { ...cachedSummary, maxDisplayLength: prefs.summarize_max_display_length } });
+                            browser.tabs.sendMessage(tabId, { command: "showSummary", data: { ...cachedSummary, maxDisplayLength: prefs.summarize_max_display_length, stripFormatting: prefs.summarize_strip_formatting } });
                             return;
                         }
 
@@ -312,12 +312,13 @@ messenger.runtime.onMessage.addListener((message, sender, sendResponse) => {
                         };
                         await summaryStore.saveSummary(summaryData, msg.headerMessageId);
                         let prefs_summary = await browser.storage.sync.get({
-                            summarize_max_display_length: prefs_default.summarize_max_display_length
+                            summarize_max_display_length: prefs_default.summarize_max_display_length,
+                            summarize_strip_formatting: prefs_default.summarize_strip_formatting
                         });
                         try {
                             browser.tabs.sendMessage(msg.tabId, {
                                 command: "showSummary",
-                                data: { ...summaryData, maxDisplayLength: prefs_summary.summarize_max_display_length }
+                                data: { ...summaryData, maxDisplayLength: prefs_summary.summarize_max_display_length, stripFormatting: prefs_summary.summarize_strip_formatting }
                             });
                         } catch (e) {
                             taLog.error("Error sending showSummary to tab: " + e);
@@ -586,12 +587,13 @@ async function _generateSummaryForMessage(headerMessageId, tabId = null, options
             do_debug: prefs_default.do_debug,
             default_chatgpt_lang: prefs_default.default_chatgpt_lang,
             summarize_max_display_length: prefs_default.summarize_max_display_length,
+            summarize_strip_formatting: prefs_default.summarize_strip_formatting,
             ...getDynamicSettingsDefaults(['use_specific_integration', 'connection_type'])
         });
 
         let cachedSummary = await summaryStore.loadSummary(headerMessageId);
         if (cachedSummary && !cachedSummary.error) {
-            if (tabId) browser.tabs.sendMessage(tabId, { command: "showSummary", data: { ...cachedSummary, maxDisplayLength: prefs.summarize_max_display_length } });
+            if (tabId) browser.tabs.sendMessage(tabId, { command: "showSummary", data: { ...cachedSummary, maxDisplayLength: prefs.summarize_max_display_length, stripFormatting: prefs.summarize_strip_formatting } });
             return;
         }
 
@@ -652,7 +654,7 @@ async function _generateSummaryForMessage(headerMessageId, tabId = null, options
             headerMessageId: headerMessageId
         };
         await summaryStore.saveSummary(summaryData, headerMessageId);
-        if (tabId) browser.tabs.sendMessage(tabId, { command: "showSummary", data: { ...summaryData, maxDisplayLength: prefs.summarize_max_display_length } });
+        if (tabId) browser.tabs.sendMessage(tabId, { command: "showSummary", data: { ...summaryData, maxDisplayLength: prefs.summarize_max_display_length, stripFormatting: prefs.summarize_strip_formatting } });
         taWorkingStatus.stopWorking();
 
     } catch (error) {

options/mzta-options-default.js

@@ -142,6 +142,7 @@ export const prefs_default = {
     summarize_auto: 1,                   // 0: disabled, 1: manual button, 2: automatic on message open, 3: generate on email receive
     summarize_display_mode: 'inline',    // 'inline' or 'webchat'
     summarize_max_display_length: 0,     // 0 = no limit, otherwise max chars shown inline
+    summarize_strip_formatting: false,   // strip HTML/markdown formatting from AI summary
     translate: true,
     translate_auto: 0,                   // 0: disabled, 1: manual button, 2: automatic on message open, 3: generate on email receive
     translate_max_display_length: 0,     // 0 = no limit, otherwise max chars shown inline

pages/summarize/mzta-summarize.html

@@ -61,6 +61,15 @@
               </label>
             </td>
           </tr>
+          <tr class="summarize_tr">
+            <td><span class="opt_title">__MSG_prefs_OptionText_summarize_strip_formatting__</span></td>
+            <td>
+              <label>
+                <input type="checkbox" id="summarize_strip_formatting" name="summarize_strip_formatting" class="option-input" />
+                __MSG_prefs_OptionText_summarize_strip_formatting_Info__
+              </label>
+            </td>
+          </tr>
     </table>
 
     <!-- PROMPTS -->