Message Filters not all Working #2
This is to re-open thread 1296678.
I too have this problem, I suspect a failure mode and I have a work-around.
I'm now on TB 91.8.1 build 20220413002405 but this has been going on for at least 4 years - I reported it (here, I think) some years back but no one did a fix so I built the work-around.
For context purposes I now have over 4G of mailboxes going back to at least 1993 so not easy to do housekeeping. I started using TB in approx 2011 and imported the old mail from my Eudora installation at that time, meaning 8 years of use before the problem started. I also used Thunderpunger before the author ended support(and it doesn't work now) and I have noticed some odd artefacts coming from its use, primarily whole (very old) mail boxes suddenly appearing as "new". The mail boxes are nested to at least 8 deep in some places. I also have about 40 active filters. The installation is still using POP3 and fetches mail every 5 mins. The filters were all set to run on fetching new mail and essentially file the messages in different places. The point is that it is a substantial chunk of files. Nice and efficient (not) but its what I use.
The filters started failing in approx 2019 in that on a mail fetch an error message saying "unable to access mailbox blah" would appear. This appeared to be worst at system start-up when the overnight mail was streamed in. This was a pain because you have to click "ok" each time the warning box popped up. I also noticed that when the filters ran successfully they all worked ok. At first this seemed to always be certain mail boxes but there were no problems with the file system. In fact I followed the suggested remedies when I posted the thread in the support forum without improvement. I also attempted deleting the mailboxes and making new ones elsewhere in the mail system and thus in the file system but the problem persisted. It looks like TB is running out of resources during the pass on "run filters when fetching new mail" when this runs the first time on boot, but not subsequently.
The work around was to switch off all the flags saying "run on fetching new mail" and instead "run [on inbox] every 10 minutes". The problem is now completely absent.
Over to you guys
Все ответы (3)
Do you have any anti-virus, malware product which is scanning all incoming mail or scanning files which get opened or running a scan at an inconvenient time? It could be intervening and causing delays or errors.
The best way to test this is to start the computer in 'Safe Mode with Networking' as this only runs the basic apps. Then start Thunderbird and run for a while to see how filters are working. If all works better then it is likely the Anti-Virus is causing the problem.
Make sure you have the Filter Log enabled so you can check results. In 'Message Filters' click on 'Filter log' and select the checkbox 'Enable the filter log'.
Personally, I would advise you do not allow anything to scan Thunderbird profile folders and files. If you choose to allow scanning then do not allow any auto fix as it could result in loss of emails, but it would at least alert you to a potential problem. Note: it might alert a problem on a previously deleted email, so compact these folders on a regular basis: Inbox, Drafts and 'Junk/Spam' folders as these get the most activity for 'moved' or deleted emails.
> Do you have any anti-virus, malware product which is scanning all incoming mail or scanning files which get opened or running a scan at an inconvenient time? It could be intervening and causing delays or errors.
Tiger and Tripwire but these run at 00:00. Also if I can put my finger on anything time-related it is only that the problem predominantly manifests at TB boot time when there is a lot going on (scanning the mailboxes for duff indexes, for example).
> The best way to test this is to start the computer in 'Safe Mode with Networking' as this only runs the basic apps.
Umm I'm on Ubuntu not Windows ;)
> Then start Thunderbird and run for a while to see how filters are working. If all works better then it is likely the Anti-Virus is causing the problem.
Not running any anti-virus - I'm on Ubuntu...
> Make sure you have the Filter Log enabled so you can check results. In 'Message Filters' click on 'Filter log' and select the checkbox 'Enable the filter log'.
The last time I did this I got noting posted to the log that indicated a failure - almost as if the run-the-filter routine was never called in the first place. I've just looked at the log (which has been running all along... doh .. first entry 13/05/2021). So for an example take 14-1-2022. Looks like I booted the machine and brougth up TB at approx 0850 or so... Now considering that I'm getting maybe 200-300 messages a day and several of the threads that are addressed with filters come in _every day_ and noting that the first download of the day usually involves maybe 10 messages that trigger a filter:
[14/01/2022, 08:55:54 GMT] Message from filter "<stuff>": Applying filter actions failed [14/01/2022, 08:55:54 GMT] Filter run failed [14/01/2022, 08:55:59 GMT] Message from filter "<more stuff>": Applying filter actions failed [14/01/2022, 08:55:59 GMT] Filter run failed [14/01/2022, 08:56:50 GMT] Applied filter "<stuff per 08:55:54>" to message from <other stuff> moved message id = 202213012207.7d09x0tmtzrj@pj.d.sender-sib.com to mailbox://nobody@Local%20Folders/<more other stuff>
So at 08:55:54 the filter failed, at 08:56:50 the filter was successful on the already downloaded message. Inference: timing issue so that the filter execution runs out of time to filter as the downloading messages are streaming but when running over the inbox later complete happily.
Work-around: don't run the filters on streaming messages.
Bug: timing issue when trying to stream and filter at the same time
Possible remedy: remove the filters activating on streaming...
> Personally, I would advise you do not allow anything to scan Thunderbird profile folders and files. If you choose to allow scanning then do not allow any auto fix as it could result in loss of emails, but it would at least alert you to a potential problem. Note: it might alert a problem on a previously deleted email,
TB does some auto scanning to auto-compact. I find this useful... I have also spotted something that is going around opening up limbs of the nested tree-structure (I would click on a "+" to do this) - higher levels - where I have left these closed / minimised. It might be a TB "bug" (if you can call it that) or someone I haven't nobbled yet who is nefariously trawling.
> so compact these folders on a regular basis: Inbox, Drafts and 'Junk/Spam' folders as these get the most activity for 'moved' or deleted emails.
yes I do this now and again, thanks for reminding :)
Timing of checking for new mail.
Not sure how many mail accounts you have which check for new mail on start up or whether the downloading and filtering may still be incomplete when a new check for mail is commenced or whether you have more than one account, but all are set up to check at same time instead of staggered.
A couple of tests which may take a couple of days to test properly.
You may need to set up the account settings today, but will not be able to get the full effects until you start up computer the next day. After all, you will need a batch of overnight incoming mail to test properly. So I will understand there could be a few days before you get back with results.
Check to see if the initial startup check is the root of the problem, but subsequent checks are ok with filters.
- Uncheck checkbox 'check for new messages at start up'
- set check for new messages at 5 minutes.
Report feedback on filter results where no initial check at start up, but whether filter now works on later check.
After a couple of days of running the first check..... See if setting a greater time difference between start up check and check every x effects filters. set 'Check for new messages ar startup' then set check for new messages at 10 minutes. Report on filter results of increasing time between intial start up check and next check.
If you have more than one account please reform an additional test.
Set one to check at start up and other not to check at start up.
Set the check for messages every x minutes to stagger the time checks. So one account may use 5 minutes and another uses 8 minutes.
Report on results if you tested this.
re: Filters Do you use 'Filter before Junk Classification' ?