OK. I read that cover to cover. I will test again. I do think one of the problems may have been caused by me first installing the Flatpak from Fedora Repo, then changing to Flathub repo. I am now wondering if the simplest thing to do (if I can suss how to do it) is to just:

1. SAFELY back up all TB data. 2. Uninstall TB 3. Install RPM version of TB 4. Import my data

If nothing else this will at least put my profile where TB expects it to be. (if I go to troubleshooting information, in Application Basics section it says "Profile Directory: (Local drive)" with an 'Open Directory' button that DOES NOT WORK, if I click on it nothing happens.)

I suspect running RPM version may make things easier and perhaps function better. Do you have any comments on that idea? And if it sounds wise to do, how can I safely back up my TB data before uninstalling the Flatpak? thanks

It's broken.

"If Edit > Find messages style search finds the message content you are looking for"

What does 'Find messages style search' mean?

I have a local folder which is included in global searches, the folder name is a domain name (lets call it domainxyz.com). I just searched for domainxyz in global search, zero results. Yet if i go to that folder, there are 7 emails in there which have that string in the email contents.

I am at my wits end now, I can not work like this, global search should be finding stuff anywhere, but it's not.

If anyone has ANY useful ideas to try and find out why, please shout. Otherwise I will VERY reluctantly have to leave TB behind and try Evolution Mail (which I detest, but search works).

Linux Fedora Flathub Flatpack stored profiles in this location: /home/username/.var/app/org.mozilla.Thunderbird/.thunderbird

You previously said : I just checked and, indeed, there is no '.thunderbird' folder inside /home/username/ at all! I then checked my Files and yes, the profile is here in reality: /home/(username)/.var/app/org.mozilla.Thunderbird/.thunderbird

In Account Settings Select name of account in left pane look bottom right for 'Local directory:...' You say it is pointing to : Here's what it says for mail account local directory:

• /home/xxxxxx/.thunderbird/i2fydvlh.default-release/ImapMail/imap.mailbox.org

Point it to the place where the emails are stored:

• /home/username/.varapp/org.mozilla.Thunderbird/.thunderbird/i2fydvlh.default-release/ImapMail/imap.mailbox.org

In Account Settings: Select 'Local Folders' look right for 'Local directory:...' You said it was pointing to... And here's what it says for Local Folders:

• /home/xxxxxx/.thunderbird/i2fydvlh.default-release/Mail/Local Folders

Point it to use:

• /home/username/.varapp/org.mozilla.Thunderbird/.thunderbird/i2fydvlh.default-release/Mail/Local Folders

REstart Thunderbird

Check you can see everything.

Thanks. I managed to follow that and did both, TB restarted each time to save changes.

Not sure what you mean by "make sure you can see everything", the issue is with searches so it will take me a while to compare and see if that's working, but yes I can see what I normally see in TB, inbox looks same, local folders are there and emails inside them look like they did before. thanks again.

What I don't understand is how it was all working some/most of the time before! (when those folder settings were wrong!) Not a big deal, just confuses me how it worked but at least it's correct now.

One question, in the folder: /home/username/.varapp/org.mozilla.Thunderbird/.thunderbird/ There is another folder with the word 'default' in the name in that folder, it's called 52b66cstm.default I took a screenshot which you can view here: https://ibb.co/Rb8CCXn

Is that ok, or should it not be there? Thanks again

Well, I have deleted global sqlite file several times to force a reindex. 3 times in total. I am now unable to get results for global searches for stuff in my IMAP folders as well as local folders! I search (correctly, having read all guidance) and the emails are there in imap and local folders, no results. In fact the ONLY folder the global search finds ANY results in, is the Inbox!

I am at my wits end. I tried installing evolution and that's finding stuff fine whether in local or Imap folders. Unfortunately I am used to TB now and prefer it, so would like to stay with it, but simply can't if I can't search for emails, it's a big part of my daily work. So... a question:

Since I have installed TB via Flatpak, and switched from Flathub to a flatpak from the Fedora repo some time ago, JUST in case that's anything to do with these problems, I am thinking of doing something and I would be grateful if you could comment on whether this sounds feasible (and worthwhile)...

If I pay to upgrade the storage on my mailbox server (IMAP), I could then move all my local folders up to the IMAP server. Then I could uninstall TB completely, and install again from RPM (which I think may work better, and may as well try it).

Am I right in thinking I could then drag and drop the folders from IMAP to Local Folders (or recreate the folders locally and drag and drop the emails), and that would put me back where I am now but with RPM installation of TB?

thanks

'i2fydvlh.default-release' is the current 'profile name' folder. '52b66cstm.default' is also a 'profile name' folder. This is likely to be the original profile, probably the first profile used before 'i2fydvlh.default-release'. Image shows it was last used on 23rd November which is recently. If that really is for 23 Nov 2024, then did you create a new profile in an attempt to fix issue ? If yes, did you copy the 'Local Folders' folder from '52b66cstm.default' into 'i2fydvlh.default-release' replacing the empty default 'Local Folders' folder?

Please check to see if the cache is effecting the issue. In Thunderbird

• Settings > General
• Scroll down to 'Network & Disk Space' section
• 'Disk Space' - click on 'Clear Now' button.

I have never knowingly created or deleted or moved any profiles or profile data such as local folders. All I have done is installed TB then set up the ONE account/profile to my IMAP server. So answers are no and no to your questions there, sorry!

Cache was using 167MB. I have cleared it thanks.

I have to admit, ANNOYING AS HELL as this is, for past two days all global searches have found the results in local folders! Driving me nuts! I may just run with it for now and see if it stops working again.

Either way, important question I'd appreciate your thoughts on...

If I pay to upgrade my IMAP storage and move my local folders (drag and drop inside TB) to IMAP folders area, do you think that would solve my issue?

thanks again

re :for past two days all global searches have found the results in local folders! Driving me nuts! I may just run with it for now and see if it stops working again.

Based on that comment, can I assume that after following advise to alter Account Settings - pointing the imap account and the Local Folders account to use the 'Local directory' in the correct location - the global search is currently performing ok ?

Do you know what, I may have JUST this second sussed it. I'll get to that in a sec...

Based on that comment, can I assume that after following advise to alter Account Settings - pointing the imap account and the Local Folders account to use the 'Local directory' in the correct location - the global search is currently performing ok ?"'

well, yes, it's currently performing well. But I am not certain it's because of those things. It COULD have been, but it has been working OCCASIONALLY for the several months I've been using TB. But then it stops working. But as I alluded to above, here's my possible lightbulb moment today...

Being a good boy, I read user manuals and online help pages. The first thing I did when I first noticed search wasn't working (probably soon after installing, and it was possibly STILL INDEXING at that time), was go to the help pages where I read the common repair for search issues is to delete that sqlite database file to force a reindex. So let's say I did that, I almost certainly would have done.

Next - I have just learned I have some issue with indexing. I deleted that global file again recently and I think it was you (possibly read online) that you can view the ACTIVITY. I did that, and saw that it was indexing. I left it alone for an hour or two, came back, it was STILL indexing, and it was still at the exact same position (think it said something like 'indexing 124 in Sent Items' or something like that.

Several hours later, it was still on that same point. So maybe a bad bit of data somewhere? Anyway, several DAYS ago it was stuck, but yesterday I noticed global search was working again. I didn't think (until just now) to check that activity monitor, and hey presto, it isn't indexing any more.

(I don't know if it worked its way through the bad data, or maybe failed and skipped over, if it can do that)

So my thinking is... MAYBE I have deleted that file and noticed the search issues whlie it was indexing and stuck on that bad message for days. This is all assuming there is a bad email/data somewhere, and i am no techie so wouldn't know how to check that. But the PATTERN of all of this seems to fit my overall experience, which as you know from my frustrations (and yours!) above, has been something like...

Search works. Search doesn't work. Days/Weeks later search works again

But the missing piece of the puzzle MAY have been my occasional deletion of the global sqlite file to try to 'repair' stuff!

Does this sound feasible?

Sorry, can i just ask again as it's still useful to me to know. Would these search issues not have happened if these emails were all in IMAP folders instead of Local? I ask because I am considering (for first time in my life) getting with the kool kids and uploading all my local email to IMAP server, so I can search all emails from my phone. So grateful if you can confirm my plan would work...

1. Upgrade storage on Imap 2. Open TB - Drag and drop local folders to IMAP folders (or replicate folder structure in IMAP folders and drag/drop emails into them 3. Would TB find it 'easier' to search them on IMAP folders? even if it makes no difference I may do it for convenience reasons. But I'd be grateful if you could confirm moving emails up to server like that will work? Thanks

Should not have made any difference whether in imap folder or 'Local Folders'. But you were getting results as if you only had headers but no body. So it's also possible the search indexing was a problem because the 'Local directory' was not correct. Now, the 'Local directory' has been corrected and the global datatbase has finally been able to perform a complete reindexing, you should see improvements.

If you upload to server then you will be able to use the phone as well as via Thunderbird. Please note, servers do have limits on the number of cached connections. That means the server will add together all connections no matter whether via phone or laptop etc. So, if you run into a number of cached connections issue. Switch off your phone and Exit Thunderbird. Have a cup of tea whilst server realises you have closed connections. Restart Thunderbird and all should be ok.

Remember, any email you move or delete off server whilst using the phone, then it will also disappear or move in imap folders in Thunderbird.

To upload to server: In 'Local Folders' right click on a batch of highlighted emails and select 'Copy to' > 'choose relevant imap folder on imap account' repeat.

Please note, there may be limits on how much can be uploaded via imap in a given period. As an example - gmail say this: https://support.google.com/a/answer/1071518

Thanks very much. curious - Why use "copy to" instead of drag and drop/move? I wil then have dupes, maybe that's why you suggested it (in case it goes wrong)? thanks again, search is definitely working vbetter today!

If you use 'Move' and something goes wrong with the upload, you could lose the email in transit. I advise 'Copy' because if something goes wrong then you've lost nothing.

Please note, if you have everything on server and something goes wrong eg: accidental delete - I've noticed on occasions if Anti-Virus products decide to 'fix' files it can result in a loss of emails in an imap folder. As imap folders synchronise with server, it lead to a loss on server. Having a Copy of at least all your important emails in a 'Local Folders' folder which is totally independent of any server can act like a second copy; a backup, although getting a backup of your entire .thunderbird folder is the best backup option.

Some people frequently keep copies of important emails in 'Local Folders'. Other people, store copies of emails in 'Local Folders' before they delete the original off the server - this is usually done to increase their available quota on server, thus avoiding paying for extra space.

If you do not want to see all the folders and emails in the 'Local Folders' account, you can collapse the account so you only see the name 'Local Folders' - click on the chevron located to the left of 'Local Folders' name. OR you can hide it.... Top of Folder Pane where it has the '+New Message' button - locate 3 dot menu icon on the right - click on it and select the 'Hide Local Folders' option.

Thanks. Since FOREVER I have only kept Inbox and Sent on IMAP servers, I drag all emails to local folders to store. I was on a Mac though for decades so had 2 TimeMachine backups and a monthly Clone backup in safe. So I had no need for server access to anything but the most current stuff. That's actually still true now, but since these problems with searches on TB I have been talking myself into using the IMAP server more. Not sure I will bother, I do take backups (which should get all my TB data) using DejaDup (backup program on Fedora which I now use instead of Apple).

I do have one last idea that I'd appreciate any of your thoughts on....

My email data came from Mac Mail. I had to convert it using a script someone on github wrote for me, an amazing guy actually, long story. It all worked, but during the conversion he thought I may have one or two stray bad emails (bad data/corrupted in some way). So I was wondering...

Would it 'clean' up any such bad data, the process of putting them into IMAP folders and pulling back out later? Does that process convert them to my mailbox provider's 'code' or 'syntax' (mailbox.org) in some way, so it comes back out cleaned/converted, or easier for TB to deal with?

DAMN IT!!! SECOND TIME!!!!

While I have some serious brains to ask, I hope you don't mind me asking one final question, as it's a NIGHTMARE!!!

I like to keep the folder list clean, I doin't like seeing bold folder names due to some unread items inside. So I often right click 'Mark folder as read' to satisfy my OCD :)

But I just did that in a rush and caught the option underneath 'EMPTY DELETED'!

It's all gone. I usually move my IMAP Deleted Items to a Local Folder, then clear it after 6-12 months. Is there any way to get the emails back? Assuming not, is there any way to remove that option from the right click menu, or add a warning/confirmation before it actually clears the entire folder if I click in the wrong place?

Thanks

re: is there any way to add a warning/confirmation before it actually clears the entire folder if I click in the wrong place?

• In 'Settings' > 'General'
• Scroll to bottom and click on 'Config Editor' button
• It opens in a new tab
• In search type: Empty
• Look for this line : mailnews.emptyTrash.dontAskAgain

• If it says 'True' then click on the toggle option on the right to set to 'false'

If it already says 'False' then let me know because it may be important - it means you should already be seeing the warning. In which case do this to se if it fixes the issue:

• Toggle so it says 'True'
• Then in an already emptied Trash folder - do a deliberate right click on 'Trash' and click on 'Empty Deleted'.
• Go back to the tab which has the Advanced Preferences and reset the 'mailnews.emptyTrash.dontAskAgain' option back to 'False' and then retest the 'Empty Deleted' option again and this time you should get a pop up warning.

Fantastic, it was true, changed to false and getting the warning now. I will remember not to tick that (again?) Thanks, very grateful for all your support.