Moderately OT

[Tim Lamb]

Can someone kindly explain how/when Thunderbird archives mail?

Is it when it offers to compact stuff?

[Fredxx]

It's not a feature I have ever used. If I ever archive anything I create an archive folder and move the offending items there manually.

[The Nomad]

As far as I know 'compacting' is just removing 'empty' space in the mail folder/files.

Archiving is when you 'archive' the emails - I am not sure it does it automagically.

<rant>

Thunderguts updated without asking two days ago to 78.x (from 68.x) and in the process has broken enigmail/openPGP stuff (& other stuff as well like font sizes for the mailbox pane). It claims to have either imported the keys but it hasn't, or says they are invalid - eventhough openPGP thinks they are fine, no 'real' errors reported anywhere. Help just says it will work unless they are types of key we don't support, but does not expand on what they are. GRRRrrr I am not happy! Stuff, should NOT update with out asking - EVER!. Going back to 68.x is not possible as it has 'modified' the profile in a one-way manner. Who the @#&**%$ do they think they are? microsoft! </rant>

Avpx

[Andy Burns]

When you tell it to.

You have to select a bunch of messages then press A, it'll then move them onto the archive folders depending how you've configured it, by year, by month, or all in one folder.

[Chris Hogg]

Have you got the setting in 'Options' set to update automatically? Options > General, scroll down to Thunderbird Updates, and select the radio button you want, from the two available, Automatic or Ask.

[Jeff Layman]

I may be wrong as I use Linux, but for a recent update from one version to another (under Windows), TB ignored the "Ask" option and did the update automatically. There were quite a few complaints about this as it also involved a change to the profile, which meant a "downdate" to the previous version was not a simple matter.

[Chris Hogg]

Actually mine was set to update automatically, but when I saw what had happened, I reset it to 'ask'. I haven't noticed any problems with the new version though, but I'm not particularly demanding...

[newshound]

Not even bothered by the fact that "Followup" is now behind "Reply" in the newsreader, and can no longer be easily changed around?

[Chris Hogg]

I use Agent...

[Tim Lamb]

Umm. Mail has been archived without any instruction from me! Hence the question.

It seems a bit haphazard so I wondered how to do it properly.

Year folders would do me.

Are the folders auto set or do they need creating?

[T i m]

On the old Thunderbird here (V2) I have year folders under my Inbox and just select and drag that years worth in Jan / Feb on the next year.

Then I go though it (selecting different headers to group emails on different things) and deleting on block just to clean stuff up (eFlyers and the like), then compact the folders to remove whitespace etc.

No set routine, just as / when etc.

Cheers, T i m

[John Rumm]

It does that if you type "a" with the wrong window selected!

Go to the account settings, and look at the Copies and Folders option entry. There is an Archive Options button.

It will create them as required according to the rules you set.

[Andy Burns]

You must have typed a stray 'A' ...

[Tim Lamb]

:-) But I don't drink!

I wondered if there is an auto default to archive when you pass a year end.

>

[Tim Lamb]

OK John. That seems moderately clear. It still doesn't explain the archiving already done but maybe spaced Tim did that when he set the system up.

Thanks.

[Tim Lamb]

In message [e-mail]>, Tim Lamb [e-mail]> writes

Hmm. W7 pro 32 bit version does not respond to 'A' but highlight and

*right click* offers a choice including archive and which folder to use. Thanks all.

[T i m]

<snip>

No, not me guv, unless it was the default on a fresh install etc (and I don't think it is or more would have mentioned it)?

If I follow Johns settings path on this old version of TB (V2) I don't see an Archive option (so isn't something I've played with).

Cheers, T i m

[John Rumm]

Looking at my current version - I can't see it either! Might be they shifted it since it was too easy to do by accident.

Right click on the message / folder and its there.

OK on the current version, its harder to get by keystroke - in windows - the less commonly used right hand menu key with/followed by h will do it.

[John Rumm]

No auto defaults that I am aware of, beyond a (once) too easily selected keystroke - now removed by the looks of it.

[Brian Gaff (Sofa]

Can you not take the machine back to before the update somehow? Then nobble its update. I had to do this with Waterfox, since they made an update which keep locking up the machine. Brian