Not entirely a solution but: Suggest you create a series of 'Mailing Lists' that equate to given 'interests' currently stored in 'Other' fields. This has helped me to have several preselected lists based on data otherwise contained in 'other'. If someone has more than one interest, they can be placed in more than one mailing list. It seriously speeds up work throughput once created.

The ability to perform advanced search on additional fields maybe a good reason for an enhancement request in a bug report. Especially since there is no addon available. Use the link below. You will need to register in order to post a bug request. https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/home

Toad-Hall said

Not entirely a solution but: Suggest you create a series of 'Mailing Lists' that equate to given 'interests' currently stored in 'Other' fields. This has helped me to have several preselected lists based on data otherwise contained in 'other'. If someone has more than one interest, they can be placed in more than one mailing list. It seriously speeds up work throughput once created.

The problem is that I would need to go through 270 contact details in my Address Book to see which ones have what details in their 'Other' fields. That is a big task and I would prefer a search facility. If Mozilla thinks some fields are worth seraching, why not more of the obvious ones?

I agree with the second suggestion of a bug report.

wayahead1 said

The problem is that I would need to go through 270 contact details in my Address Book to see which ones have what details in their 'Other' fields. That is a big task and I would prefer a search facility. If Mozilla thinks some fields are worth seraching, why not more of the obvious ones? </blockquote> I think you were told to file a bug requesting the search capability. bugzilla is the only way forward for you. Further labouring of the point will not make anything happen in the support forum. However to save time, do not file a bug. there are plenty filed already.

[https://bugzilla.mozilla.org/show_bug.cgi?id=184483 "Advanced Address Book Search" dialogue: Allow searching any/every/all contact fields like Notes, Custom1 etc. from Other tab, web page, birthday, etc. (should add/unable/cannot match many card fields missing from dropdown in AB's Edit > Search Addresses) ] is probably the granddaddy of them all, being filed 17 years ago.

Work has recently recommended after years in hiatus on an address book re write. I have included the bug above into the meta bug for the rewrite.

I have no idea what information you have in the various other fields, but I think you need to reconsider how you are managing your contacts. Search is currently only available for names and email addresses. I you were to export the address book to a spreadsheet perhaps the manipulation of the data in the other sections may be easier to manage. so you would be able to build mailing lists based on the information if you could see it outside Thunderbird while building the mailing lists.

I have over 2000 contacts and need to be able to search notes (other) and partial or whole phone numbers/addresses. Example, I want to bring up all customers in a certain town, or with a certain product I installed and added to the notes field. MoreFunctionsForAddressBook does not work.

I have just come to TB from em client as I have gone to Linux. I nearly need to go back to windows and emclient because every aspect of the emclient address book could be searched.

CardBook can import TB address books, and offers a full search capability.

hi, that is exactly the type of search functionality I am after, thanks. however vcard says GOOGLE does not conform to VCARD format, so I am loathe to set a remote account in vcard to send data back to gmail contacts. can i just use vcard for searching, and it get it to sync with standard address book which uses gContacts to keep gmail address book in sync?

Yes, I think you can use CardBook for searching or importing vCards, and use gContactSync or TbSync to sync the standard TB address book with Google Contacts.

I have tried few things, but changes in TB address book don't seem to transfer to VCARD. It' s a start though, I can just import the TB address book into VCARD occasionally, or perhaps just use my phone to search contacts which allows a search on any partial string/data. many thanks though, I will be using vcard somehow.