
How can I convert an incoming read only email attachment so I can modify it?
How can I convert an incoming read only email attachment so that I can modify it? Saving it into Word does not change it, and Search can t find it.
Chosen solution
So, the problem appears to be that attachments are stored as read-only files by Thunderbird and an application may open it without editing privileges, thus you can't edit them. The read-only mode was chosen as those files are kept at a temporary location. Thus, if you edit them and save back, they are deleted when Thunderbird is closed, thus losing your edits. The idea is to force you saving it at a different location. You should be able to do so, then open from that location with full edit capabilities.
For a permanent change of this behavior, go into the [ Tools > ] Options > Advanced > General tab and click Config Editor there. After confirming the warning, copy-paste browser.helperApps.deleteTempFileOnExit into the search bar and toggle it from false to true by double-clicking on it. Now, attachments saved are created with read/write permissions, but no longer deleted when Thunderbird is closed (i.e., kept in %AppData%\Local\Temp ).
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Working with attachments has nothing to do with Thunderbird. Thunderbird just delivers the attachment and it seems to have done its job. Any conversion or manipulating of that file is a job for the program that opens the file.
Thanks, Airmail. It opens in Word, but what do I do there? Help is no help.
If you notice this forum is Mozilla Support. I am sure Microsoft has one to help you with their software. You could try saving the file and then select the file and see if you can change its properties from read only.
Find the location of the attachment in Windows Explorer, then right-click, select Properties, and change the Attributes on the General tab so that Read-only is not checked, click OK.
Thanks, sfhowes: I have looked there but Thunderbird is not among the email providers supported in Windows Explorer. (My browser is Firefox.)
Windows Explorer is the file manager. Internet Explorer and Firefox are browsers.
Chosen Solution
So, the problem appears to be that attachments are stored as read-only files by Thunderbird and an application may open it without editing privileges, thus you can't edit them. The read-only mode was chosen as those files are kept at a temporary location. Thus, if you edit them and save back, they are deleted when Thunderbird is closed, thus losing your edits. The idea is to force you saving it at a different location. You should be able to do so, then open from that location with full edit capabilities.
For a permanent change of this behavior, go into the [ Tools > ] Options > Advanced > General tab and click Config Editor there. After confirming the warning, copy-paste browser.helperApps.deleteTempFileOnExit into the search bar and toggle it from false to true by double-clicking on it. Now, attachments saved are created with read/write permissions, but no longer deleted when Thunderbird is closed (i.e., kept in %AppData%\Local\Temp ).
Or, is your intention to actually modify the attachment within the message? That won't work as it's part of the message which is retained as received.
Thanks, all - great reponse. rsx11m did it.
You are welcome. I ran into the same issue with Open Office not allowing to edit read-only files by default, hence I recalled that there was a setting for that.