filter message forwarding not working
I have a filter set up (in Thunderbird 60.4.0) to forward certain incoming messages to a single specific e-mail address.
When the filter is triggered, the forwarding does not happen, and eventually an error message appears indicating that the SMTP server has timed out. Forwarding the same message 'manually' to the same recipient address works fine.
Any thoughts?
Kind Regards, John
All Replies (7)
JohnW22 said
Any thoughts?
I guesds your default SMTP server is non functional as it would be the one being used in the filter.
Right click your account in the folder pane and select settings. Right at the bottom of the accounts list you will find outgoing server (SMTP) Fix your default SMTP server, or remove it, or change it to another entry in the list that does work.
Thanks, Matt, but unfortunately that's not the answer.
I have three SMTP servers in 'the list', and all three work fine when used 'manually' (including when forwarding a message 'manually'). However, no matter which one I select for the account in question, I encounter the same problem (SMTP server {whichever one} times out) when the filter tries to forward a message. I can but presume that the filter is doing, or trying to do, something different from what happens when I forward manually.
Kind Regards, John
Modified by JohnW22
Ok I have exact same problem. I had a filter setup that moved the message and then forward it based on one of 3 possible subjects. One of the possible subjects stopped working would cause a timeout with the server. I went back to version 52.9.1 and it works fine again.
BillBall said
Ok I have exact same problem. I had a filter setup that moved the message and then forward it based on one of 3 possible subjects. One of the possible subjects stopped working would cause a timeout with the server. I went back to version 52.9.1 and it works fine again.
Very interesting - I suppose I should be pleased not to be alone! Although I am totally confused, I have at least for the time being 'solved' the problem (with 60.4.0) - see the most recent posts in ...
https://groups.google.com/forum/#!topic/mozilla.support.thunderbird/iueEJzWimIw
I'm coming to wonder whether this may be primarily due to changing behaviours of SMTP servers, rather than directly a TB issue.
Kind Regards, John
filters will send with the "default" SMTP server for the account selected in the folder pane.
So if the mail is coming into an outlook account, is it actually coming into the account that gives the error? Folks in the USA particularly have been saddled with ISP's that have some stupid idea all mail should go through their mail servers. In the past couple of years these dinosaurs have come to join the rest of the internet in only allowing outgoing mail for emails addresses registers in their server. This has significant benefits in SPAM reduction. These alignments to a real world however mean that the indiscriminate sending of mail with any old from address via the ISP server no longer work.
Additionally ANti virus program have a lot to do with the failure of thins to work. Thunderbird can not send an email is the nsmail.htm file in the temp folder is locked byan anti virus when it is trying to send it. Likewise outgoing mail scanning which serves about zero usefulness can delay sending. Especially if the anti virus is busy scanning your 2gb inbox file as you are sending. and your 4gb sent folder you just copied the incoming email to while forwarding it. and the other 2gb folder the email was filed in. Most anti virus programs do not multitask well. Neither does Thunderbird so we frequently see "jumpy" user interfaces while this madness occurs.
Matt said
filters will send with the "default" SMTP server for the account selected in the folder pane.Indeed so. As I explained, I tried a number of different SMTP servers (see below) for the account, and the problem was the same with all of them. With any of the servers, I could forward the same message to the same recipient manually from within TB, but when the filter tried to do it, the server (whichever one) timed out
[by the way, as you probably know, the SMTP server one assigns to an account does not have to be TB's "default" one - it can be any of those in one's list]
Folks in the USA particularly have been saddled with ISP's that have some stupid idea all mail should go through their mail servers. In the past couple of years ... These alignments to a real world however mean that the indiscriminate sending of mail with any old from address via the ISP server no longer work.Not only in the US - equally true on this side of the water (and, in any event, many of the servers are 'mid-Atlantic'!). Few 'mainstream' ISPs will now allow what they call 'relaying' through their servers - good for spam reduction, but often a pain. I have accumulated a list of several SMTP servers I've found that _will_ still allow relaying - so those are the ones I used for my tests.
Additionally ANti virus program have a lot to do with the failure of thins to work. ...Again, indeed - but it would be an inconceivable co-incidence if AV software _always_ stopped a message being forwarded by a filter but _never_ interfered if the same message was being forwarded to the same recipient through the same server (which is what I was experiencing), wouldn't it?.
Kind Regards, John
Modified by JohnW22
I've spent way too much time trying to fix this problem. A simple message filter looking for a word in the subject. The action is to forward to an e-mail address that I use all the time. After about a minute an SMTP timeout error occurs and of course no e-mail is sent. The filter log shows the message that has been found but nothing else. I changed the action to be move to another folder and that works. My e-mail is otherwise sending and receiving normally. Default SMTP is correct.
Thanks in advance.