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"Open in Conversation" works on received messages in local subfolder dated 6/5/2015, does not work on other messages in subfolders.

  • 18 replies
  • 4 have this problem
  • 154 views
  • Last reply by greatfog

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It is 6/6/2015 3:11 AM at the present. My account is on IMAP mail server outlook.office365.com . All folders under my account are empty. Correspondent's account is on gmail.com . I have sampled messages originating on both servers with Date = 6/5/2015 and Date = 6/4/2016 and earlier. All messages that I have sampled have "References: <ref>" in their headers.

Messages for which OiC works/doesn't work:

Local Folders

    Social
         hs
              in (messages moved from my account's "Inbox" folder)
                   Date = 6/5/2015: works
                   Date = 6/4/2015 and earlier: doesn't work
              out (messages moved from my account's "Sent" folder)
                   Date = 6/5/2015:  doesn't work
                   Date = 6/4/2015 and earlier: doesn't work
It is 6/6/2015 3:11 AM at the present. My account is on IMAP mail server outlook.office365.com . All folders under my account are empty. Correspondent's account is on gmail.com . I have sampled messages originating on both servers with Date = 6/5/2015 and Date = 6/4/2016 and earlier. All messages that I have sampled have "References: <ref>" in their headers. Messages for which OiC works/doesn't work: Local Folders Social hs in (messages moved from my account's "Inbox" folder) Date = 6/5/2015: works Date = 6/4/2015 and earlier: doesn't work out (messages moved from my account's "Sent" folder) Date = 6/5/2015: doesn't work Date = 6/4/2015 and earlier: doesn't work

Modified by greatfog

Chosen solution

To clarify:... "Local Folders" | 2 subfolders Threads columns: Change to ENABLED For a selected message, Subjects column displays as tree

Select first - oldest message in one threaded group. View the source. the first email will have a 'Message ID' in header. For select second and all other replied emails in that thread. That speciifc Message ID header in the first email is used in the 'Reference' header of all subsequent replies to that conversation.

You need to check that these headers are there and correct for those emails in those threaded emails. in Local Folders.

The reason I'm sking you to recheck this, is because you have provided different information for the same previously asked question.


With all your emails in Local Folders and imap account empty. Can you do this, just so I can rule it out. It will clear out all old search database and a new one will be created when you restart TB.

Make hidden files and folders visible:

In thunderbird.

  • Help > TRoubleshooting Information
  • Click on 'Show folders'

a new iwndow opens showing contents of profile folder name

  • Close Thunderbird now - this is important
  • look for and delete this file : global-messages-db.sqlite

Close window Restart Thunderbird Give it some time to complete background processes. Test 'open in conversation' on a threaded email.

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (18)

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I presume the messages used to be in imap mail account and you have moved them into Local folders.

Q: Obviously, you had subscribed to see imap Inbox and Sent folders, but did you synchronise those subscribed folders to get a copy into Thunderbird profile folder before moving them into Local Folders?

Q: Can you read all the content of any of those emails, if read individually in Message Pane, tab or window? eg: in (messages moved from my account's "Inbox" folder)

  • Date = 6/4/2015 and earlier: doesn't work

select an email and test in all three views - Message Pane, right click and open in new tab and also window.

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Thank you for your attention to this issue.

On 6/8/2015 10:55 AM, Mozilla Support Forum wrote: > Mozilla Support > > > "Open in Conversation" works on received messages in local subfolder > dated 6/5/2015, does not work on other messages in subfolders. > > *Toad-Hall* Jun 8, 2015 3:55:08 AM > > I presume the messages used to be in imap mail account and you have > moved them into Local folders.

Correct.

> > *Q: *Obviously, you had subscribed to see imap Inbox and Sent folders, > but did you synchronise those subscribed folders to get a copy into > Thunderbird profile folder before moving them into Local Folders?

Account Settings | Synchronization & Storage | Disk Space:

   Synchronize all messages locally... SET

I have taken no explicit action to synchronize them. I see no explicit button or menu selection to do this. (I have been using Thunderbird for 1 week.)

> > *Q: *Can you read all the content of any of those emails, if read > individually in Message Pane, tab or window? eg: in (messages moved from > my account's "Inbox" folder) > > * Date = 6/4/2015 and earlier: doesn't work > > select an email and test in all three views - Message Pane, right click > and open in new tab and also window.

All messages can be displayed with all methods *except* Open in Conversation.

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In addition: If the Inbox is empty and I copy some messages back to it, Open in Conversation works for the back-copied messages.

Modified by greatfog

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It is 6/9/2015 6:57 PM at the present. "Open in Conversation" works for an email received on 6/1/2015 and stored in a subfolder under "Local Folders". I can invoke a Conversation View by Preview Pane | Other Actions | Open in Conversation, by Message Pane | <message> | pop-up menu | Open Message in Conversation. or by Message Tab | Other Actions | Open in Conversation. The thread begins and ends on 6/1/2015.

There are current messages in my server account Inbox and Sent folders, but none are related to the old thread.

I have not changed any settings or updated any software.

I am happy that this feature works, but I do not understand why it did not work on 6/6/2015, and does work on 6/9/2015.

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Do you have this enabled : View > Threads > All

In the Local Folders Inbox list: Do you have the thread column enabled, so it shows the related threads below in a list with 'Subject' in an indented format?

Does the above display correctly?

If you have all this showing correctly and then try the right click 'open in conversation', what happens? Any difference?

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Toad-Hall, thank you for your message.

View > Threads > All SET

"Local Folders" | <subfolders> | Threads columns OFF (View in Conversation still worked sometimes.)

"Local Folders" | <2 subfolders> | Threads columns: Change to ENABLED

For a selected message, Subjects column displays as tree

"Open in Conversation" does not create a tab.

Server Folders | Inbox | Threads column: Change to ENABLED

For a selected message, Subjects column displays as tree

"Open in Conversation" creates a tree view tab.

[edit: cosmetic]

Modified by greatfog

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I'm begining to wonder if those emails are missing some references from the header information.

Select an email which works when in the original Inbox folder. In open in conversation tab look at the source code of the second and subsequent emails in that conversation, do they contain a 'Refernces:' line.

then check in the Local folder which does not open in conversation mode. look for emails you replied to, not the first email in the conversation, but responses and check the View source to see if there is a mention of 'Refernces;' in the header.

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server account | Inbox | message

   in message list pane, 2 reference levels down from start-of-thread message
   "View Source" shows "In-Reply-To:" and "References:" items in the header.
   "Open in Conversation" creates a tree view tab.

Local Folders | <subfolder> | message

    in message list pane, 2 reference levels down from start-of-thread message
    "View Source" shows "In-Reply-To:" and "References:" items in the header.
    "Open in Conversation" does not create a tab.

Header check noted in post of 6/6/15 3:55 AM.

Modified by greatfog

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So you are saying that all the reference headers that are seen in the 'imap account' for a particular group of emails that are in a single conversation, are also seen in the 'Local Folder' account. The same emails when seen in both of these locations have all the same headers. All mentions of 'reference' are as expected.

I've just discovered that you asked this question already and already received some assistance.

So I was surprised when you said all the reference details are in the source because previous you said the opposite.

what version of Thunderbird are you using?

The most up to date is 38.0.1

Please start Thunderbird in safe mode. In Thunderbird 'Help' > 'Restart with addons disabled.'

then retest the 'local folder' email 'open in conversation'.

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My response to TB support in my first question on this issue was hurried and ignorant. While I have used other email and Usenet applications, I had been using TB for 2 days. Possibly I looked at the headers of emails which were stand-alone, or initial to a thread. Possibly I did not look far enough down in the headers of emails which did include "References :" items.

When this issue recurred, I had closed my first question and did not know how to reopen it, so I posted this question.

In my research for the present question, I have examined headers of emails in threads which were confined to my server account Inbox and Sent folders, headers of emails in threads which spanned my server account folders and Local Folders account subfolders, and headers of emails in threads which were confined to my Local Folders account subfolders.

I have TB version 37.0.1 installed.

(POST ENDS)

Modified by greatfog

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Chosen Solution

To clarify:... "Local Folders" | 2 subfolders Threads columns: Change to ENABLED For a selected message, Subjects column displays as tree

Select first - oldest message in one threaded group. View the source. the first email will have a 'Message ID' in header. For select second and all other replied emails in that thread. That speciifc Message ID header in the first email is used in the 'Reference' header of all subsequent replies to that conversation.

You need to check that these headers are there and correct for those emails in those threaded emails. in Local Folders.

The reason I'm sking you to recheck this, is because you have provided different information for the same previously asked question.


With all your emails in Local Folders and imap account empty. Can you do this, just so I can rule it out. It will clear out all old search database and a new one will be created when you restart TB.

Make hidden files and folders visible:

In thunderbird.

  • Help > TRoubleshooting Information
  • Click on 'Show folders'

a new iwndow opens showing contents of profile folder name

  • Close Thunderbird now - this is important
  • look for and delete this file : global-messages-db.sqlite

Close window Restart Thunderbird Give it some time to complete background processes. Test 'open in conversation' on a threaded email.

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Thank you for your patience and tolerance, Toad-Hall.

Earlier this morning (EDT), I could View in Conversation emails in threads in Local Folders account subfolders.

I performed the procedure below the line in your post of Today at 9:12 AM.

In my two most frequently used Local Folders account subfolders, I tried "Open in Conversation" on the two oldest and newest messages in each subfolder. All attempts were successful.

[start edit] I moved emails from Local Folders account subfolders Local_Inbox and Local_Sent to server account folders Inbox and Sent respectively.

"Open in Conversation" works for emails in threads which span my server account folders and Local Folders account subfolders. [end edit]

I noted in my post of 6/9/15 7:28 PM that "Open in Conversation" worked.

I noted in my post of 6/13/15 10:18 AM that "Open in Conversation" did not work for messages whose headers had the necessary information to build a thread structure.

Should I leave this question open in case the failure occurs again?

Modified by greatfog

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Good to hear you can read using the 'open in conversation' option.

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Menu > Help > About Thunderbird shows TB 38.0.1 .

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You are currently running the latest version of TB.

You can choose one of my responses as a 'Chosen solution' - if applicable.

This question will remain open for about 6 months (I think), at which point it is auto closed.

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I shall leave this question open and see if the problem recurs with the updated TB.

Thank you again, Toad-Hall. People like you make Free and Open-Source Software work.

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2015.06.18 14:16 EDT Here is an instance where 4 emails in "Local Folders" account subfolders show message IDs that should produce a continuous Conversation. "View in Conversation" works on the earlier messages, but fails on the later ones. Earlier messages were moved to their subfolders about one day earlier than the later ones. Personally identifiable values are obfuscated but replacement values were inserted by program.

in
From: AAAAAAAAAAAAA  To: BBBBBBBBBBBBB    Re: Pong  6/15/2015 8:42 AM  fails
In-Reply-To: <3333333333333333@onlylink.com>
References:
    <aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa@onlylink.com>
    <bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb@mail.gmail.com>
    <ccccccccccccccccccc@onlylink.com>
    <111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111@mail.gmail.com>
    <3333333333333333@onlylink.com>
Message-ID: <444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444@mail.gmail.com>
From: AAAAAAAAAAAAA  To: BBBBBBBBBBBBB    Re: Pong  6/15/2015 1:19 AM  OiC works
In-Reply-To: <ccccccccccccccccccc@onlylink.com>
References:
    <aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa@onlylink.com>
    <bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb@mail.gmail.com>
    <ccccccccccccccccccc@onlylink.com>
Message-ID: <111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111@mail.gmail.com>
out
From: BBBBBBBBBBBBB    To: AAAAAAAAAAAAA  Re: Pong  6/15/2015 8:05 AM  fails
References:
    <aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa@onlylink.com>
    <bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb@mail.gmail.com>
    <ccccccccccccccccccc@onlylink.com>
    <111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <3333333333333333@onlylink.com>
From: BBBBBBBBBBBBB    To: AAAAAAAAAAAAA  Re: Pong  6/15/2015 1:21 AM  OiC works
References:
    <aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa@onlylink.com>
    <bbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbbb@mail.gmail.com>
    <ccccccccccccccccccc@onlylink.com>
    <111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111@mail.gmail.com>
In-Reply-To: <111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <2222222222222222@onlylink.com>
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Toad-Hall, it appears that your procedure of 6/15/15 9:12 AM works again. I had hoped for a one-time fix, but we can't have everything. Thank you again for your time and effort and your support of FOSS.

Edit: This issue is covered in "Rebuilding the Global Database" https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/rebuilding-global-database

Modified by greatfog