Thunderbird quick filter search
Hello, I have a lot of problem when I try to find a mail with Thunderbird. I think that the problem come from me so I hope you will able to help me. I use the last version 78 but the probleme still exist from years. I'm often imagine to change my mailsoft for this. I all ready try resintall, rebuilt messagebox base, and use an other computer.
I start with the first way, looking for a mail with the "quick filter" search: The type of search filter is allready select and when I change it (the type or word), sometime it doesn't do anything in the search result. To avoid this problem, I choose multiple filter but the search become very long and not very efficient or just never end.
Most of the time, the search is long and during the search, the first result show is not the most recent. It's very annoying and not logical (I don't speak about the sort). Sometime when I tap ENTER, the search change to principal search and open a new tab. I don't know why.
For ending, the search is not relialbe. Sometime, it doesn't find a mail with the word or it find a mail with the searching word. So this function is very caotic for me. But, I never read problem from other people or a addon to correct this or a changelog concern this. I hope, you will explain to me what I doing wrong and why I seam to be the only user who hate Thunderbird search fonction.
Thanks for your help.
Regards, Daniel
PS: I'm french please excuse the redaction fault.
All Replies (6)
If using 'Quick Filter Bar' search: Select the folder you think contains the email you are looking for. In Quick Filter search <Ctrl+Shift+K> type the word
Note: Select the sub filters that may apply. There is no point searching on 'Sender' if the word is not the sender. But you may want to choose both 'Subject' and 'Body'
If search word is in the 'Subject' then it should return it.
If you have an imap account and you have not set up to download full copy for that folder, then it cannot search on the 'body' because it has not been downloaded - it does not exist in Thunderbird. This means you may get no search result when you are sure you have emails that match.
Please check to see if you have the settings you desire for search.
- Right click on imap mail account in Folder Pane and select 'Settings'
- Select 'Synchronisation & Storage'
- Top right 'Message Synchronising' - select checkbox 'Keep messages in all folders for this account on this computer'
- Click on 'Advanced'
- Check folders and subfolders are selected for download
- click on OK
Under 'Disk Space' section
- Select 'synchronise all messages locally regardless of age'
close Account Settings tab
Then run the download/sync now option: Menu app icon > File > Offline > Download/Sync now Select 'Mail messages' Note: the 'Select' button shows what is selected - you can use it to double check all is correct click on OK to run download synch
When completed see if Quick Filter Search now works.
Hi, thank you for your answer and your help. I discover that some on my account was not all sync. I did it but the problem still there. I didn't say before that I use IMAP (like most of people in the word) and I do my search most of the time in the "global inbox" folder (with thousand a email) but the problem exist also in separate inbox.
Other question to help me to control the exactitute or the result. Is there a way to search the exact sentence like " " in Google ? Is there a way to highlight the result. Because some time I don't understand why this mail was select.
Now you have synchronised everything, I suggest you rebuild the Global Database to make sure it is up to date. English and French links:
- https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/rebuilding-global-database
- https://support.mozilla.org/fr/kb/reparer-base-de-donnees-globale
Quick Filter Bar - works on selected folder only
English and French links to 'Quick Filter Toolbar' Help Article:
- https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/quick-filter-toolbar
- https://support.mozilla.org/fr/kb/barre-de-filtre-rapide
Global Search - most folders are included in the search, but Trash and Junk are often not included by default. Q: How to find out if a folder is included or not ? Right click on folder in Folder Pane and select 'Properties' There is a checkbox 'Include messages in this folder in Global Search results'. If it is selected then the folder is included.
English and French links to 'Global Search' Help Article:
- https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/global-search
- https://support.mozilla.org/fr/kb/recherche-globale
re :Sometime when I tap ENTER, the search change to principal search and open a new tab. I don't know why.
If using the Quick Filter search and nothing is found, it will offer a small message below which says : 'Continue this search across all folders - Press Enter again to continue search for : x' So, pressing 'Enter' after getting a 'no results' will invoke the 'Global Search' in a new tab.
Hello,
You didn't answer about the search word fonction who is usable in the "Quick filter Toolbar" and the link didn't answer also. Also no answer about an highlight fonction
I understand that the "Quick filter Toolbar" normaly works well on global inbox. So my problem don't come from this point ? Am I right ?
I have control that the folder which I want to use a well selected in the global search option.
I will be more attentive about the message 'Continue this search across all folders - Press Enter again to continue search for : x' I never read before.
I'm still have problem with the date of the first finding result. And also some finding result which don't show the word of my research.
Using 'Quick Filter Search' <Ctrl+Shift+K> - located on Quick Filter Toolbar.
Type: bird Results will display any email with those four consecutive letters taking into consideration any filters you have selected to apply. eg: Thunderbird, bird, birdie
TYpe: "bird" using double quote in the Quick Filter Bar search will not make any difference to results.
Type: feed bird Results will look for messages containing both words, but not necessarilly in same email.
The results are shown in the Thread Pane in same Folder. Nothing is ever highlighted in a Thread Pane view.
Using 'Global Search' <Ctrl+K> located on 'Mail Toolbar' The initial search results are shown displaying part of the content of email and any word which was part of the search parameter will be highlighted. But do not show as highlighted once you either click on 'Show results as list' aka a Thread pane type of view or select to open one of the emails in search results.
Type: bird Not using any quotes. The drop down options will offer 'Messages mentioning: bird' plus any email address or display name that has those four consecutive letters. So you could also see eg: Thunderbird. meaning you can get a narrowing of filter if you wanted a specific email address. In my case this would return hundreds of potential emails.
Type: "bird" using double quote The drop down options will offer 'Messages mentioning: bird' The results will show 'bird' or 'birds', but not 'Thunderbird'. Using double quotes around a word makes it more specific.
In my case this returned 6 potential emails, so a much better filter option to use the quotes. Emails that had these words: bird, birds, T-Bird
Type: "feed birds" using double quote The drop down options will offer 'Messages mentioning: feed birds' The results will show 'feed birds', Where both words are consecutive and are shown as 'feed' followed by 'birds' in a sentence. eg: 'seeds to feed birds'. In my case this returned 1 potential emails, so a refined filter option to use the two consecutive quotes.
If you typed: feed bird The drop down options will offer 'Messages mentioning: feed, birds' no quotes and note the comma separating those words - this means locate emails that contain 'feed' AND 'bird', so the email must contain both of those words. In my case this returned two potential search results. One email that says 'please feed the lions and the birds' and another email that says 'seeds to feed birds'
Thank you for you explication. So apparently using global search is really the best way even I didnt' like the way the result is show.
I don't understand why I have some bugs with my quick search fonction like the date sort.
I't not fully satisfied with the answer and the solution but now I can say to me that I have try to understand and improove my usage of the different search fonction of Thunderbird. I don't thing that this will be improove in future version. It seam not intersest lot of people.
Thanks for your help. Regards, Daniel
Modified by James