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How to set the default sort sequence for a message list

  • 4 replies
  • 2 have this problem
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  • Last reply by Patrick

Patrick
Patrick
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I'm helping a friend whose kist of inbox messages keeps getting out of date sequence. I have told her several times how to put them in order by clicking on the DATE header, but she is elderly, has memory problems and keeps forgetting, so I've told her at least a dozen times how to sort the messages. These out-of-sequence messages seem always to be SUBJECT order. I first thought she was somehow clicking on SUBJECT to get them out of date sequence, but it has happened so many times that I'm wondering if there is some config setting that is making the messages always appear in SUBJECT order. So my question is, can I change a config setting so that when she opens her Thunderbird, her inbox will always be in date sequence? She is using Thunderbird on a Windows 7 PC.

I'm helping a friend whose kist of inbox messages keeps getting out of date sequence. I have told her several times how to put them in order by clicking on the DATE header, but she is elderly, has memory problems and keeps forgetting, so I've told her at least a dozen times how to sort the messages. These out-of-sequence messages seem always to be SUBJECT order. I first thought she was somehow clicking on SUBJECT to get them out of date sequence, but it has happened so many times that I'm wondering if there is some config setting that is making the messages always appear in SUBJECT order. So my question is, can I change a config setting so that when she opens her Thunderbird, her inbox will always be in date sequence? She is using Thunderbird on a Windows 7 PC.

All Replies (4)

Matt
Matt
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you could use a batch file or a windows script file to keep replacing the session.json file in the profile with one you have backed up.

Copy the file and then start Thunderbird is all the batch file would need to do.

sfhowes
sfhowes
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If you wanted to make it difficult to change an established sort order, this add-on might help:

https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/addon/no-message-pane-sort-by-mouse/

But if the sort order is not being remembered between sessions, that is a different problem.

Matt
Matt
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  • Top 10 Contributor
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sfhowes said

If you wanted to make it difficult to change an established sort order, this add-on might help: https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/addon/no-message-pane-sort-by-mouse/ But if the sort order is not being remembered between sessions, that is a different problem.

A much better idea than mine.

Patrick
Patrick Question owner
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sfhowes said

If you wanted to make it difficult to change an established sort order, this add-on might help: https://addons.thunderbird.net/en-US/thunderbird/addon/no-message-pane-sort-by-mouse/ But if the sort order is not being remembered between sessions, that is a different problem.

Thanks very much for this suggestion. I'll give the add-on a try. Problem is I'm not sure if the problem is recurring because my friend is accidentally typing on another column header or not. But if the problem disappears after installing this add-on, this will have solved it.