Mail addressing / turning off auto-complete
When composing email the auto-fill pulls from Cardbook. I don't have any emails in the "email section" of each contact I store all emails and phone numbers in the Notes section of each contact since its not unusual to have multiple emails and phone numbers for a contact I keep them in the Notes so i can make notes next to them. I have been doing this forever.
When I begin to type an email apparently it matches the text I am typing with all data in the contacts Notes section not the "email section" (which are blank.) What I end up with in the auto-fill drop down menu is massive chaos. I have 900 contacts give or take 15 since they fluctuate.
I went into Tools/Options/Composition/Addressing and unchecked all boxes it made no difference. I checked the box Directory Server / None thinking i can fool it into pulling from a non-server but that didn't do anything either. I have two address books each synced online with web based PIM.
I dread having to compose email. The only way I found to stop the auto-fill is uncheck the address book in the left panel in Cardbook but then i cant search inside of cardbook when I need something I would need to keep checking and unchecking the address book before and after sending mail. I opened two windows with cardbook opened twicw tried using one window for email with the adjacent cardbook tab address book unchecked and another windows just for cardbook and calendar functions address book boxes checked but when i checked or unchecked the address book in one window it changed the other window as well so that doesn't work. I would rather type addresses in manually or copy and paste directly from each contact if i can just figure a way to turn off auto-complete. Any suggestions? Thanks.
Modified by user2451484
Chosen solution
spur4 said
I am using the Cardbook add-on. The repeated use of the word plus the capital "C" to reference it would suggest I am not using the word cardbook in a general sense but in an application specific program. My troubleshooting log is over 10 pages long this is probably what you are looking for; CardBook 44.4 true cardbook@vigneau.philippe
That's what I suspected and needed to confirm if it's the case. Now, you should be aware that CardBook has its own Preferences, which are independent of Thunderbird's settings as far as address autocompletion is concerned. Options > Composition > Addressing > Address Autocompletion, uncheck Local Address Books does NOT apply to the address books kept and managed by CardBook. Open CardBook and you should see Preferences in the toolbar, right next to the Write button. When the CardBook Preferences tab opens, under the General > Integration in Thunderbird section, you should see a checkbox for autocompletion of email addresses. This is the option that affects/applies to CardBook's address books. This works as expected.
Read this answer in context 👍 1All Replies (7)
Under Options > Composition > Addressing > Address Autocompletion, uncheck Local Address Books. This works as expected, I just checked and confirmed. You mention cardbook. Are you using a third-party contacts manager add-on and not the native one?
Under Options > Composition > Addressing > Address Autocompletion, uncheck Local Address Books. This works as expected, I just checked and confirmed.
"I went into Tools/Options/Composition/Addressing and unchecked all boxes it made no difference."
You mention cardbook. Are you using a third-party contacts manager add-on and not the native one?
"...the auto-fill pulls from Cardbook."
Modified by user2451484
It seems you're using a third-party contacts (address book) manager and not Thunderbird's native address book manager, hence the "Cardbook" terminology. In fact, there is an add-on called CardBook which you could be using unknowingly. Go to Help > Troubleshooting Information > Copy text to clipboard then paste it in your next reply.
I am using the Cardbook add-on. The repeated use of the word plus the capital "C" to reference it would suggest I am not using the word cardbook in a general sense but in an application specific program. My troubleshooting log is over 10 pages long this is probably what you are looking for;
CardBook 44.4 true cardbook@vigneau.philippe
Chosen Solution
spur4 said
I am using the Cardbook add-on. The repeated use of the word plus the capital "C" to reference it would suggest I am not using the word cardbook in a general sense but in an application specific program. My troubleshooting log is over 10 pages long this is probably what you are looking for; CardBook 44.4 true cardbook@vigneau.philippe
That's what I suspected and needed to confirm if it's the case. Now, you should be aware that CardBook has its own Preferences, which are independent of Thunderbird's settings as far as address autocompletion is concerned. Options > Composition > Addressing > Address Autocompletion, uncheck Local Address Books does NOT apply to the address books kept and managed by CardBook. Open CardBook and you should see Preferences in the toolbar, right next to the Write button. When the CardBook Preferences tab opens, under the General > Integration in Thunderbird section, you should see a checkbox for autocompletion of email addresses. This is the option that affects/applies to CardBook's address books. This works as expected.
I really really really dislike computers. They win 90% of the time.
I saw that preferences and did click it before but it looked like the same screen as Option so I did not look closely to see the differences. Going into General > Integration in Thunderbird I was able to disable all auto fill. Thank you for the help.
You're welcome.