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Glitch resulted in 98 .eml files converted to attachments on a single email

Victoria-nola
Victoria-nola
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I've got TB 115.5.0 on Windows 11, been using TB for some 10-15 years, but not a programmer of any sort. Something weird happened, where the order of the emails in a folder was all wrong, and I pressed the Date header to get it to sort back under Date. No proper response. Rebooted computer. On re-opening, the emails in the same folder are in order except this weird file at the top with a 2015 date, which now contains all of my important .eml files converted to attachments to this email, but without any ability to detach attachments. Those .eml files no longer exist in the folder as emails, they only exist as attachments to this weird email. When I try to delete the file, I get a warning that 98 emails will be deleted, but in fact those emails now only exist as attachments. I right clicked and got an option to "Forward as Attachments", so I sent myself an email that has all those .eml files as attachments (29 MB). Right now I have not collected that email into TB, it's just sitting on the gmail site.

So, if possible, I need to know how to convert those .eml attachments back into active emails in my folder. Does my request and problem make any sense? Is there any way to get my correspondence back? All my other folders appear to be normal.

I have all my files backed up in the cloud. Is it possible to get back a single folder from my TB backup there? And actually, I haven't collected email in a couple of days, so I could just get my entire TB backup if I had to, then collect the most recent email. Need help and advice, please.

Thank you, --Victoria

I've got TB 115.5.0 on Windows 11, been using TB for some 10-15 years, but not a programmer of any sort. Something weird happened, where the order of the emails in a folder was all wrong, and I pressed the Date header to get it to sort back under Date. No proper response. Rebooted computer. On re-opening, the emails in the same folder are in order except this weird file at the top with a 2015 date, which now contains all of my important .eml files converted to attachments to this email, but without any ability to detach attachments. Those .eml files no longer exist in the folder as emails, they only exist as attachments to this weird email. When I try to delete the file, I get a warning that 98 emails will be deleted, but in fact those emails now only exist as attachments. I right clicked and got an option to "Forward as Attachments", so I sent myself an email that has all those .eml files as attachments (29 MB). Right now I have not collected that email into TB, it's just sitting on the gmail site. So, if possible, I need to know how to convert those .eml attachments back into active emails in my folder. Does my request and problem make any sense? Is there any way to get my correspondence back? All my other folders appear to be normal. I have all my files backed up in the cloud. Is it possible to get back a single folder from my TB backup there? And actually, I haven't collected email in a couple of days, so I could just get my entire TB backup if I had to, then collect the most recent email. Need help and advice, please. Thank you, --Victoria

Chosen solution

If you have an email with a .eml attachment:

  • Create a folder on desktop and call it 'EML TB'

In Thunderbird

  • Select email with attachment.
  • Right click on the .eml attachment and use the 'Save as' option
  • Choose where to save it eg: a folder called 'EML TB' on desktop

Repeat this for other .eml attachments so you have a folder on desktop containing a load of .eml files.

Install this addon: ImportExportTools NG 14.0.1 Works with Thunderbird 115.0 - 115.*

How to install addon:

Once addon extension is installed

  • Select a folder in the 'Local Folders' mail account.
  • Tools > ImportExportTools NG > Import all messages from a directory > Just from the directory
  • new window opens so locate desktop and select the 'EML TB' folder.
  • Click on 'Select folder'

All the .eml files in that 'EML TB' folder get imported into the selected Local Folders folder.

Read this answer in context 👍 1

All Replies (3)

Toad-Hall
Toad-Hall
  • Top 10 Contributor
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Chosen Solution

If you have an email with a .eml attachment:

  • Create a folder on desktop and call it 'EML TB'

In Thunderbird

  • Select email with attachment.
  • Right click on the .eml attachment and use the 'Save as' option
  • Choose where to save it eg: a folder called 'EML TB' on desktop

Repeat this for other .eml attachments so you have a folder on desktop containing a load of .eml files.

Install this addon: ImportExportTools NG 14.0.1 Works with Thunderbird 115.0 - 115.*

How to install addon:

Once addon extension is installed

  • Select a folder in the 'Local Folders' mail account.
  • Tools > ImportExportTools NG > Import all messages from a directory > Just from the directory
  • new window opens so locate desktop and select the 'EML TB' folder.
  • Click on 'Select folder'

All the .eml files in that 'EML TB' folder get imported into the selected Local Folders folder.

Victoria-nola
Victoria-nola Question owner
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@Toad-Hall Thank you! I didn't have time today, will do it tomorrow. Will report or ask questions, as needed. This looks like just the thing. Thanks again! --Victoria

Victoria-nola
Victoria-nola Question owner
more options

@Toad-Hall This is really weird, but here's what happened. Before I could tackle this problem, another one of my folders suddenly went "weird"-- but I realized that it was organizing the emails into threads instead of my preferred unthreaded view. I changed the setting (have no idea how it got changed to threaded), and it went back to normal. So I thought, hrmm... I went to the problematic folder that I wrote about for help. I found the setting and yes, it too had been changed to threaded. Upon changing the setting to unthreaded, the folder went back to normal, with all of the "missing" emails back in place, AND the problem email with the 98 .eml attachments disappeared.

How weird? Is there an explanation for this or I should just be happy it seems to be fixed?

Also, thank you so much for the time you spent giving me the above information. I will refer to it in future and I'm really glad to know how to import .eml files. I'm putting a note in my physical TB file that I keep to remind me of solutions I've been given or found. I'm sorry to have wasted your time!

Sincerely, --Victoria