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Subject column shows [EXTERNAL] but the subject line on the email does not

  • 2 replies
  • 1 has this problem
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  • Last reply by mfb11

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I have a Macro in MS Outlook that strips the prepended [EXTERNAL] warning from the subject line. In Outlook the warning is gone. I use Exquilla to have Thunderbird access our Exchange server and also use Davmail for the same purpose. Thunderbird shows [EXTERNAL] in the Subject column when viewing these emails as a group in the InBox, but the individual Subject Line does not show [EXTERNAl]. When I view the source for these emails from which [EXTERNAL] has been stripped, I cannot find [EXTERNAL]. It is as if Thunderbird is reading an [EXTERNAL] flag on Exchange, because that [EXTERNAL] text is not really in the email.

When I import the emails from Exchange to a local POP Thunderbird account, these [EXTERNAL] warnings remain. If they are not in the source of the email, they must be some type of retained flag. How do I remove this prepended [EXTERNAL] warning that I now only see in Thunderbird?

I have a Macro in MS Outlook that strips the prepended [EXTERNAL] warning from the subject line. In Outlook the warning is gone. I use Exquilla to have Thunderbird access our Exchange server and also use Davmail for the same purpose. Thunderbird shows [EXTERNAL] in the Subject column when viewing these emails as a group in the InBox, but the individual Subject Line does not show [EXTERNAl]. When I view the source for these emails from which [EXTERNAL] has been stripped, I cannot find [EXTERNAL]. It is as if Thunderbird is reading an [EXTERNAL] flag on Exchange, because that [EXTERNAL] text is not really in the email. When I import the emails from Exchange to a local POP Thunderbird account, these [EXTERNAL] warnings remain. If they are not in the source of the email, they must be some type of retained flag. How do I remove this prepended [EXTERNAL] warning that I now only see in Thunderbird?

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try right clicking the folder, selecting properties and then repair. My guess is the list index is just not getting updated when the filter does it's thing.

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Matt-- It is confusing. Thunderbird still shows [External] in the Subject Column (but not the Subject Line) in Exchange emails in which the Outlook macro stripped the [External] prepend from the subject line. Even after repairing the folder, Thunderbird shows [External] in emails on the Exchange server that Outlook shows no "[External]". The macro runs in Outlook before the email ever makes it to Thunderbird. And the source code for the email shows no [EXTERNAL].

I can't figure out what Thunderbird is seeing (through Exquilla and Davmail).

But you are correct. When I move an email from the Exchange Server to the POP account, it initially shows [EXTERNAL] in the subject column, and not in the individual subject line. Then when I repair the folder, [EXTERNAL] disappears from the subject column.

It seems like the Outlook Macro is not deleting [External] from the Outlook subject line, it is hiding it. The Subject Column sees the hidden "[External]", the subject line does not. Then when you move the message from the Exchange Server to the POP account, the "[External]" really gets deleted, so a repair of the folder gets rid of it from the Subject column as well.

Is there a technical basis for any of this conjecture?