select all with search results in Thunderbird

If I click "control A" in a folder such as the inbox, it will select all the messages. I often want to search the messages to find all from the same sender or with the same subject and then move these to another folder. Control A doesn't work in this case and I don't know how to select all without manually clicking on each message while holding control. Any suggestions?
By the way, I was using Thunderbird 1.0.7. I just downloaded 2.0.0 to see if that helped. It didn't.

 

In first place I never use the shortcuts which you mention. If I click Cntrl+A on a folder, it highlights everything, which is of no use.
Next, you may or may not know that the personal of any program reside in the Profile. And, if you did not create a separate profile for TB2.0, it will pick up the 1.0.7 profile. Maybe it will not matter, but you will get a number of 1.0.7 leftover. However TB2.0 has a feature which was not present in TB1.0x. You can select a subject or a sender from a small search window on the upper right.
For instance, in one folder, if I type the word "images ", I get three e-mails. If I want to select those from the same sender, I type part of their address. Then select all in the Search, and, finally to Message||Move to another folder. It is very painless, and it works better than dragging and dropping one message at a time.

 

Many thanks. That's exactly what I wanted. I had just downloaded TB2 and had not yet noticed that search box in the upper right. This will make it much easier to clean my inbox.

 

To be honest, I never used the method, as I move mail immediately after reading it. But, I learned something. In the two tests, I had two e-mails which I had neglected, so I used the method which I outlined.
I, usually, select multiple messages by keeping the Control key down, and move it to select messages, releasing when done. But, it is so much easier from the Search.

 

I'm still having trouble since the select all does not seem to cooperate. It's taking me multiple tries to highlight the messges I select. But it's still so much easier than my old way.

 

That's why, I keep the Ctrl button as I select, and move the cursor, and all become selected.
I don't even try any other way.

 

FWIW...

Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.3) Gecko/20070326 Thunderbird/2.0.0.0 ID:2007032620

Ctrl+A seems to work to select ALL in search results. ( copy and move are options in context menu - right click)


ctrl+shift+F will bring up the "advanced search" box.
You can build some pretty sophisticated search criteria.
Unfortunately there is not direct method (that I can find - so far) to COPY the results of advanced search - you can MOVE (File) them.

You also can save the results to a "Save to Search Folder" -

Search Folder is a VIRTUAL folder.

****CAUTION****

Search Folder is a virtual folder - it just points to ACTUAL messages in parent foler. IF YOU DELETE A MESSAGE FROM THE VIRTUAL FOLDER - IT WILL DELETE THE MESSAGE FROM THE PARENT FOLDER

You can DELETE the entire VIRTUAL folder and it WILL NOT delete the individual messages from the parent folder.
The above holds true IF you have multiple "Search Folders" that refer to the SAME message and you delete the message from one, it will be deleted from the parent AND the other "Search folder" -

It looks like the "Search Folder" can be manipulated pretty much the same as an actual folder otherwise - Reply - fwd - copy - move etc..

****CAUTION****

These are just my observations - I could be wrong.

regards:captjlddavis

 

Thanks. I usually want to select all in the search folder. Select all from the file menu or control A work well on my computer while in a regular folder but give me unreliable results when in a search results folder. It's a nuisance to hold the control and click one at a time when there are a large number of messages. Often I just want to delete everything in the search results. Other times I want to move them. Thanks for letting me know about virtual folders.

 

Just Cntrl+A never worked for me (on four tries), but Edit|Select|All which is the same thing, worked all the time.

 

Fulvio,
very odd indeed.....ctrl+A work fine here in search results......

in:
Mozilla/5.0 (Windows; U; Windows NT 5.1; en-US; rv:1.8.1.3) Gecko/20070326 Thunderbird/2.0.0.0 ID:2007032620

regards:captjlddavis

 

Capt, I use a non-standard Theme in TB, and the failure to highlight Search items with Ctrl+A may have something to do with. But, i, really, don't care, because I move messages as I go. Cntrl+A works fine with folders.

 

rusty2 ...

You might be better off using TB's View window, which you can customize in any number of ways. My only objection to it is that I can't figure out a way to organize the entries I've created (alphabetically, for instance).

 

Correction: Cntrl-A works, but I must click first on an empty area. I had just created a new folder, and select a First and last name. There were eight messages in the search, but nothing happened, at first when I did Ctrl+A. But, as soon as I left clicked below those e-mails they became highlighted. Then, Message|Move to selected folder was a cinch. I, just did that.

 

Fulvio,

ctrl+A when results panel has focus - right click brings LIMITED options.
"Delete selected Messages" is included....
Select "Messages" bring up Different set of options. (Delete is NOT one of them)

just a thought

JSSR,

I don't follow what you are saying.....

regards:captjlddavis

 

Capt,
have focus? Do you mean what I describe as left click on the same page.
I knew nothing about Ctrl+A, until this thread. Then I found out that it was a good idea. Only last night I figured out how to highlight the messages, i.e. left click on the page. I never tried to right click. I, then go to the toolbar, and select Message|Move to...

 

rusty2 ... Just my way of doing this - continue to do what you are comfortable with ....

When I want to find a group of emails for example "same sender" in my inbox, I click on the Sender Tab on the tool bar. This sorts all email by email address. I locate the group of same I'm looking for, left click on first one, continue down until I see the last one in group. Then I hold the Shift key and left click on last email. This highlights just that sorted group. Now you can "right click" and select/process this group. When done, I click on Date Tab on toolbar, which is my preferred "sort view ". You can choose / pick your preferred view. I rarely have to do the above because I have numerous folders I filter to for this process ... my motto, let the program do the work.

 

Capt ...

No JSSR here, but I'll assume that you were addressing me ... in the future, though, you can call me "Jim ". My response to Rusty2 should (hopefully ) clarify my previous post.


Rusty2 ...

I tend to forget, sometimes, that not everyone has his/her menubar and toolbar configured the way I do, but all of the other responders seem to have overlooked one of TB's nicer features regarding message selection.

If you right-click anywhere in the menubar or toolbar and select Customize, you'll find "Mail Views ". Drag it to the toolbar, where you'll see it labled "View: ". It displays "All" (messages) by default when TB opens.

From its drop-down menu select "Customize" and, in the window that opens, click on "New ". From here you can add friends, family members, newsletter mailers, banks, etc. From the same "Customize" window you can edit your entries if their selection parameters need tweaking.

I'd suggest adding only a few names at first, until you get the hang of it but, when you're done, your entries will appear in the View window's drop-down menu under "Custom Views ", and will work in any TB folder. You can add or delete entries at will but, to the best of my knowledge, they can't be sorted from within TB, which is what I was referring to in my previous post.

NOTE: The entries are saved in your profile's mailViews.dat file, where they can be sorted (rather laboriously ) using a text editor.​

To each his own but, IMHO, once "Mail Views" is configured, it's far and away the easiest way to select multiple messages from the same person, or about the same subject.

HTH.