"Broken" Email Search?

Using TB 1.0.7

Have had no troubles with Search for the 2 months using it. (WinXP Pro).

Suddenly the Search box dialog box is basically non-functional - it opens but allows no typing of search criteria. One can enable subfolders, and click 'more' and 'fewer' - but nothing happens - and as said - no typing of criteria allowed.

There are headings on the box of 'subject' etc. - but whole thing is basically 'dead'

Expected rebooting to solve it - but didn't.

Anything else to do besides try to re-install?

If re-install - what should be saved, etc. so as not to lose things?

 

Reinstalling should not lose anything, if the program is first uninstalled to remove any bum file. But, I would bet that uninstalling would be the usual unnecessary exercise. A new profile may solve the problem, but you would have to move or copy/paste a bunch of files.

 

Yaaaak! Help!

 

Rob,

Would you care to expand a bit on "Yaaaak! Help!" ?

 

I guess that he did not like part, or all that I had said. And, I must agree if never done before.

 

Westside,

Sounds like something is corrupt in the Profile. I think trying to do a Search in a new Profile would show the expected results.

Rob,

Have you tried doing a search by clicking on: Edit | Find | Search Messages?

Also, have you done the basic maintenance, i.e., empty trash, compact folders, keeping your Inbox trim?

 

The yaak/help was a scream re the moving, copying, pasting.

I reeally need access to a search of emails for many years - after the HD change and the switch to TB107 from NS 7.2 - I had recovered all emails back to 97 - and have them all sitting nicely spead out over 60 folders - somewhat disorganized because of the recovery process - but anyhow it works (had worked).

I also have switched from IE to FF1 (not going higher until EVERYONE swears by any upgrade) - and found FF bookmark organizing works so much nicer - plus now have needed cookies etc. nicely in place.

To now have to make a new profile SCARES me - but I do need the search.

How can I set up a new profile with minimum of trouble? Copying, renaming in bulk not a problem as have plenty of HD 'workspace'

But really would like to do it as smoothly as possible of course with no risk. The folders, profiles, etc. are on F drive - whereas TB's program on C.

I started to set up a 'new account' just to see what was involved (not intending to set up until I checked back here - and so cancelled at one point) and the 'wizard' was accepting everything I was putting in from the 'old' account except that I had given it it's own name - Work.

btw - how does the term 'profile' differ from the term 'account' -- ?

(did try to access search from 'edit' - no dice)

 

btw - how does the term 'profile' differ from the term 'account' -- ?

The profile includes all your personal information, just like the Netscape "Users" did. Here, with TB, there is some simplification over the Netscape suite, so you will not have bookmarks.html files, and other files or folders characteristic of a browser. The account(s) is(are) in the Mail folder, for POP mail, but, for people like me who has over ten active mail accounts, there are address books (abook or impab.mab files), which are available to all accounts. Also the password file.
I have, rarely done a search, because I like to keep the mail folders down to a minimum. All my subfolders are in the account folder. I would not even know how to recall an e-mail from a backup folder, let alone another drive.
I would have to know that there is a message somewhere with certain properties. But, I did a test, and, found to be impossible to recall anything which is not located in the specific account, My search was done in account2, for an item which was in account4. All accounts are totally independent.
since I don't know how youwere able to do such searches, there is no point that I make suggestion on how to create a new profile.
May be Ramona will have some idea.

 

Thanks WS

Searches are vital for me as use emails as a total diary of business activity - and many personal matters as well. I keep phone numbers, addresses, handle orders in and out - etc. and have a knack of filing away in my head a proper association word or combination so I can come up with a small list which has the data and saves the day (email searches allow for combinations whereas searching Office type documents only allows one search word or number)

Anyhow - all the mail is collected in zilch folders whereby searching has been very easy

I now successfully uninstalled and reinstalled 107 but it didn't help. I see in the Profile part of C that there is a small 'search.rdf' file - is there any way of 'renewing/repairing' that without creating a new 'profile'

Or is there any way of renewing a profile without making a new one.

I see this 'to do' list for migrating if one creates a new profile and again I scream 'yak/help' :

http://kb.mozillazine.org/Migrating_settings_to_a_new_profile

That sure is a lot to do - with the possibility for a lot to go wrong

 

I did some testing, and, it is obvious that the search is done according certain folders. For instance, my default account in 1.0.7 has the usual Inbox, with two subfolders, as well as several storage folders, outside the Inbox.
The search will not come up, if I select the account, but only if I select a folder. If the folder is Inbox, I can do a search incthe Inbox plus the two subfolders, but not nothing else, even in the same account. It appears that I should have all other folders under the Inbox, to be able to properly Search them. And, this within the confines of one account.
Not knowing what you were doing when you search worked, I would not know what to repair, nor give you any assistance in creating another profile. I would not even try, without knowing what settings were available before. In fact, i am not familiar with any way to do a universal mail search. It may work with third party software like Google Desktop , but not directly in Thunderbird.
TB1.5rc2 is easier to handle, because folders which are not in the Inbox can be dragged and dropped in the account, and, the appear as subfolders.
But, I don't know how to work with files outside the Mail folder.
So, you must have done something which is not generally known.

 

Interesting

We are off onto a sidetrack here - and that's OK

But I did notice a peculiarity with the search when it was 'working'

I had to go the the highest level - Local Folders - before I would get a full search possibility (all parameters)

If I chose Inbox I got only one possibility - sender or subject or whatever - I really do forget - but to get search to really be SEARCH it had to be the whole ball of wax

I had meant to come on and ask about that - but hadn't

++

Meanwhile - waiting to see if someone has a clue as to 'profile repair' before venturing into the 'new profile' possibility - and if that is necessary - hope can get some advice how to do it the best way so that can maintain as much of present universe as possible.

 

Rob,

When "Search" was working you should have been able to reach all the options, even if you selected Inbox in the account in which you were searching. Evidently your Search feature was somewhat broken then. There is no "Global" search, and the feature is limited to each individual account, as Westside confirms.

Reinstalling Thunderbird does nothing, as the problem is within your Profile. "Profile" being everything contained in your salted folder located here:
C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\profilename\123nbd8r.rob

Your "Account" is located here:
C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\profilename\123nbd8r.rob\Mail\pop.isp.net

If you have a backup of your prefs.js file from a time before the problem began, you could try replacing the existing prefs.js file with that backup.

If this is not an option, then create a new Profile, give it a unique name, and don't accept the default. Once you've done this, then recreate ONE of your Mail Accounts. Close TB, and copy the files for this account from the OLD Profile. Copy only files WITHOUT an MSF extension, i.e., Inbox, Drafts, Templates, Sent, etc., and all SBD folders, which are your subfolders. Answer YES, when prompted whether or not to overwrite existing files. Once copied, open TB, and try a Search. Does it work?

If Search works, then you know that your current Profile is corrupt, and you can start moving all your Profile data from the OLD to the newly created Profile.

BTW, the search.rdf file does not pertain to the Search feature in Mail.

I'll be happy to walk you through a new Profile, and it isn't as hard as you think. You will lose NOTHING, if you make a copy of your entire Thunderbird folder located here:
C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Application Data\Thunderbird

Next:
Copy the listed files in the Thunderbird KB Article to the New Profile
Then:
Open TB, and create the remainder of your Mail Accounts as they are listed in the corrupt Mail folder. Once all the Mail Accounts are created, close TB.

Open Windows Explorer, and navigate to the Mail Account folder in the OLD Profile
Open the next Mail Account folder, e.g.:
C:\Documents and Settings\user_name\Application Data\Thunderbird\Profiles\profilename\123nbd8r.rob\Mail\pop.isp.net
NOTE: this is only an example

In the OLD Mail Account folder copy all files WITHOUT an MSF extension: Inbox, Drafts, Templates, Sent, etc.
Also copy any folder with an SBD extension. These folders contain your subfolders. Answer YES, when prompted whether or not to overwrite existing files.

Follow the same procedure for each of your Mail Accounts, and that should do it. If you have questions be sure to ask before you do anything.

 

Thanks Ramona - I have no backup of the original prefs etc - so a new profile is the only way to go

But there is one difference with the actual situation on computer here. It was decided to keep actual email on F drive - that allows a reformatting of C if needed (C being reserved for Program files - no data)

F/Ymail/Mail -- under the Mail are the myriad of folders that contain the 10 years of email - all divided into maximums of 1 month folders - the search did work on the whole bunch with one go

Does this change any of your 'directions?'

(I looked at all the mail folders in the C profile - and the folders are there for mail - but all empty as they should be)

(I should also add that there is absolutely no need for more than one profile and/or account for actual use)

 

Rob,
I would like to know just one thing. Do you have a profile on the F drive, or your Local Directory of the program directed to that drive? Once, and I have no idea how it happened my entire profile was located in a folder which I did not remember creating. It can be done, but why would I have a folder called "New Office Files" in My Documents. Anyway, I decided to restore order, and create another profile in the default location, but I left my Mail in that weird place, by replacing the Local Directory location (in server settings).
Still, it will not affect Searches, unless you zillion folder are all subfolders of the Inbox. My point is where is Local Directory pointing to? You can choose the location which you want, and not have to create a new profile.
Of course, this applies only if you have things set up properly.

 

WS - thanks

It's the end of a long day and will probably only be able to 'think' in the morning - but Profile is set up in C - but points to F for the data/email - the F 'Mail' is chock full with all the Local Folders/Inboxes, sent, trash etc,. (the corresponding locations can be seen in C but are empty - as the 'setup' allows you to set up something like F)

 

Rob,

So when you installed Thunderbird, you changed the install path from the C:\Program Files\Mozilla Thunderbird default location to F:\.....? If so, then did you also set up your Profiles folder on F? This is what we assume, since you said the corresponding folders on C are empty.

If that is the case, then the only thing that would change would be the location/path of the Mail folder, which would be on the F drive rather than C, in the F/Ymail/Mail folder. You would then copy Mail Files from Mail subfolders on F, for the new profile, as well as those files mentioned in the TB KB Article.

 

Following this post for purely academic reasons:

Not knowing EXACTLY how you got the various folders in Local Folders, whether they are ACTUAL folders or VIRTUAL FOLDERS.

Take a look at:
Here
and
Here

maybe these will lead to a solution.

regards:captjlddavis

 

Rob,

If you looked at the Mozilla TB KB Article, you will see that with TB 1.5, it IS possible to search ALL accounts, without having to search each Account individually. Nice!

 

Hello again

Have only been able to get to the problem now - have in the meantime used Yahoo for searching my last year of emails - but have 10 years that I need to access.

I set up a new profile following (I think ) Ramona's instructions. On the way to copying the old profile to replace the new one - I noticed that the 'search' box allowed me to put in a search parameter (exactly what my problem was - a dialog box but no way to enter a parameter)

I copied the old profile - replacing whatever TB had put in there - and all my old mails etc came up - but then went to search and the box was the same faulty one -- allowing no entries

(I only have ONE account - and do not want any more than one)

Clearly whatever was corrupt in the old profile was copied into the new one - so I guess the question is trying to isolate what that may be.

Reason for needing search -- if Jerry sent me a message with Kramer's telephone number at some time in the last years - and I recall that he did - I can put Jerry as sender and Kramer in bodytext - and get perhaps 10 messages - and if I look at those 10 I will find the phone number.

An important resource when you can combine an 'about' or 'probable' text occurrence in your own brain and then use the computer to boil it down to a few cases where you can look more carefully.

You could even put 'phone' as a third parameter if you were really sure that 'phone' would be in the text as such. These possibiltiies do not exist with usual 'document' searches

 

Will you be more explicit about copying the old profile? Exactly what files did you copy? If you copied everything, then you copied whatever was corrupt to the new Profile, and that is why I ask.