Compose E-mail from Firefox

I use Firefox and Thunderbird (in Windows XP) and both work great except when I'm using my dial up Earthlink account (I know, I know; but there's no DSL in my area). When I'm on a webpage in Firefox and want to either "send link" from a page OR reply to an e-mail link in a page, I get the Thunderbird mailbox but no compose message window. I know how to fix this: in "File Types" under "Folder Options" in Windows Explorer Tools, I enter the following in the "mail to" protocol: "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\Thunderbird.exe" - compose mail. It works fine until I turn off my computer and restart it the next time; then the quotation marks and the word "compose" disappear, and I'm back to no compose window. To test this, I tried using the DSL connection at work, and the quotation marks and "compose" didn't disappear regardless how many times I turned my computer on and off. When I went back to the dial up, sure enough, it's gone again. Earthlink "support" was no help at all. I should also mention that using Netscape as the default e-mail program also doesn't work from Firefox, but IE and the Earthlink mailbox do. Does anyone have any ideas? Ramona? Westside? Thanks!

 

Welcome to the Forum, Welcome to the Forum, CGB!

CGB,

Look in your Registry for this key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Classes\http\shell\open\command

Is this what you show in the Data column:
"C:\PROGRA~1\MOZILL~1\THUNDE~1.EXE -url "%1 "

Note the -url "%1 ". You may also have to edit https and ftp if they have the same problem.

On Thunderbird's Tools | Options | General page make sure you have "Use Thunderbird as the default application..." for both Mail and News. If that doesn't solve things, uncheck them, close Thunderbird, reopen it, and recheck them.

 

Ramona:
No, the registry says "C:\PROGRA~1\MOZILL~1\FIREFOX.EXE -url "%1" Same on the https and ftp.
Should I change them to Thunderbird?

 

Ramona:

I did as you suggested, but when Firefox opened, I got a dialogue box saying that Firefox is not my default browser, do I want to make it the default. Checking "yes" reverts the registry back to Firefox.

 

I've continued to work with this solution, but it doesn't work, even when I check that I don't want Firefox as my default e-mail program. I still get Thunderbird but no compose window. I need to figure out how to get the "File Types "/ "Folder Options" to save the configuration: "C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\Thunderbird.exe" - compose mail.

 

I have heard of people having problems getting directly into the Compose window, starting from Firefox. However, is not a single step to get into the Compose (Write) window from inside Thunderbird?
May be I don't understand the problem, but since Thunderbird is my default mail, if I select from Firefox|New mail (i.e. compose), I open the compose window of my default mail account. There is no way in the world that I can get anything but my default account. With 12 accounts available it is not possible to do things differently. The Mail to protocol is useless to me, but if I am in the mail client, I can select any of the other accounts. I am sure that I don't understand the issue, entirely.

 

Hi Westside:

Thanks for replying. Thunderbird works beautifully when I'm just in the e-mail program, receiving and sending e-mails. The issue is that, when I'm in Firefox and I click on an e-mail link or try to send a link, Thunderbird opens (because it's my default mail program) but no compose/write window. Opening a compose window manually doesn't help because the link and/or e-mail address to whom it's linked is then lost. The same thing happens when I change the default mail program to Netscape, but it doesn't happen with Outlook or Earthlink mail. I've been working on this problem for months now and through trial and error have narrowed it down to discover that it only occurs when I use dial up with Earthlink. I can save the settings in Folder Options/File Types (In Windows explorer--see my original message) and use SBC DSL and it works fine. But when I use my dial up (Earthlink) from home, it loses the settings and reverts back to no compose/write window coming up. I'm so frustrated trying to fix this, I'm ready to use a different default e-mail for this, but I LOVE Thunderbird! Thanks for listening and for anything you can do to help.

 

Yes, you should change them to Thunderbird. Did you check the settings in Thunderbird, and try disabling, closing the browser and then re enabling again?

 

Ramona:

Yes, I tried all of that. It's still not opening the compose window. It seems to be something with Earthlink or dial-up in general, but I haven't a clue where to look next. Thanks for sticking with this for me!

 

CGB,

Does Earthlink have its own Version of Netscape? Or do you have any special software associated with Earthlink?

I was going over the thread again, to refresh myself and wanted to ask about these statements:

O.K. Firefox has no email, so you cannot designate it as your default email program.

File Types | Folder Options for URL:MailTo Protocol should look exactly like the screen shot below. Note that there is NO -compose. Only:
"C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird\Thunderbird.exe "

 

Unless there is something funny about Earthlink or dial-up, if I select to send a link from firefox, TB compose window will open, to send from the default account. I can change to any of my other eleven account, and then I have to enter an Addressee, and a title, and I can send the link. I was mistaken, I don't have to open a Compose window manually

 

I misspoke; I meant to say that I checked that I don't want Firefox as my default browser.

The only software with Earthlink is what you download from their website; it's called "Total Access" and includes an accelerator and spyware, etc. They don't have their own version of Netscape, to my knowledge, but they do offer it as a selection in their menu of e-mail programs to choose from, along with their own (Earthlink) mailbox and Outlook.

As for the File Types | Folder Options, the URL Mail to protocol does not have the quotation marks around it and has -mail on the end. I add the quotation marks, but it reverts back (without quotes) when I use the dial up. It was suggested to me that I add the quotes and "compose" before "mail" and that works -- it just doesn't save it the next time I use dial up, or, more specifically, something (maybe in Earthlink) is forcing it to revert back to the original. Again, it doesn't happen when I use DSL; what I put in File Types | Folder Options stays no matter how many times I turn the computer on or off. But the next time I use the dial up, it's back to no compose page.

Sorry to be such a pain, but thanks for all your help!

 

Ramona:

O.K. Here's where I am now: I changed the FileTypes | Folder Options as you instructed. Interestingly, "DDE" on that was blank, so I filled in %1; "Application" was Thunde~1, so I changed it to NSShell; and "Topic" was System, so I changed it to WWW_Open URL. I also added (again!) the quotation marks around the C:\ . . . etc. I was not online, and tested it with Firefox, and it worked. Then I went online with Earthlink and it didn't work. I rechecked the file and darn if the setting hadn't reverted back to the original -- the quotation marks were gone and -mail was back. The rest of the settings I changed were still there.

Here's the thing: When I leave the Folder Options screen, the "Apply" button isn't active, so perhaps that's what's preventing the setting from saving from one time to the next. But clearly, there's something that happens when I connect with Earthlink that's preventing the compose screen from appearing. I am at a true loss here.

Thanks again for hanging in there with me on this.

Christine

 

Christine,

The Apply tab would be grayed out, and that is normal on an edit.

I think this is an Earthlink problem, and not Thunderbird. Something in the Total Access software is preventing Thunderbird from being your default Mail Client. Does Earthlink require that you use Internet Explorer with their software? It could be that you have to log on using IE, but then you can use Thunderbird? Otherwise, I'm running out of ideas. Maybe give Earthlink another call and ask about the Total Access software.

Look at the Control Panel | Internet Options. Click on the Programs Tab and see if Thunderbird is listed for Mail and Newsgroups.

 

I found this question, but no answer .

 

Thanks, Ramona. I think you're right; it's something with Earthlink. I've contacted them in the past and had the standard online chat with an "expert" but to no avail. I think what I'll have to do is use another e-mail program for dial up.

Out of curiosity, though, can you tell me why some of the applications in Folder Options | File Types have quotation marks around them and some don't? Should they all have the quotes, and is that possibly why the compose mail program won't work -- or does that have nothing to do with anything?

Thanks again.

Christine

 

Christine,
may be you are more familiar with the "neighborhood ", but could you give an example of each? But, I got lost on this one, long ago.

 

Yes. Here are two examples from File Types in Folder Options:

"C:\Program Files\Real\RealPlayer\RealPlay.exe" /play %1 (This is associated with "Real Player AutoPlay for Audio CD ")

C:\WINDOWS\system32\NOTEPAD.EXE %1 (This is associated with "Software Installation Settings ")

My problem is with the "URL: MailTo Protocol" which reads: C:\PROGRA~1\MOZILL~2\THUNDE~1.EXE -mail %1

When I edit it to

"C:\PROGRA~1\MOZILL~2\THUNDE~1.EXE" -compose mail

the Thunderbird compose window opens correctly. BUT, the next time I use Earthlink, this setting has reverted back to the original (without the quotation marks and "compose "). I think it's got to be something within Earthlink that's causing this to happen.

 

Christine,

What happens when you leave off the -compose mail" This is all that should be necessary: "C:\PROGRA~1\MOZILL~2\THUNDE~1.EXE ".

You don't have to use Total Access. With Firefox, you don't need a Popup blocker, as it has its own excellent Popup blocker, privacy controls, etc. Have you tried uninstalling Total Access? I would give it a try if you really want to use Thunderbird. I found Articles on the Earthlink support site which gives the Mail setup for Netscape, without using Total Access, which says to me that the software isn't mandatory. If it applies to Netscape, then it would also apply to Firefox and Thunderbird.

Setting up your email manually should you choose not to use TotalAccess
Set up Mail Manually - No Total Access

You also asked a question which I didn't have an answer for, off the top of my head:
Q.

A. If the pathname of the executable file contains a space, the path must be enclosed in quotation marks, like so:
"C:\Program Files\My Program\program.exe "

If you'll be using documents that have spaces in their filenames, add the %1 parameter after the pathname:

"C:\Program Files\My Program\program.exe" "%1 "

The %1 part tells the application to load the specified file (such as a filename you click), and the quotation marks ensure that no problems occur with multiple-word filenames.

 

Hi Ramona:

Thanks so much. I bypassed Total Access using a hyperterminal and it worked perfectly, so I think uninstalling Total Access is the ticket. I agree about the Popup blocker, etc., with Total Access. The only thing I think I'll lose that I probably want is the accelerator function, but I don't know how effective that feature is anyway.

Leaving off "-compose mail" brings up Thunderbird without the compose window (at least when I use Total Access -- I don't know about now, bypassing it; I'll test it and see). Also, the quotation marks disappear once I dial up with Total Access. Using the hyperterminal to dial up seems to be the ticket.

I really appreciate your sticking with this, Ramona. You've been a huge help.

Christine