Thunderbird won't stop threading Emails and mishandles threaded messages while compacting
I really hate Gmail's "Conversation" view and Thunderbird's threading. I can get Gmail to turn it off permanently, but Thunderbird seems to stick it back in (perhaps as a default when it installs a new update -- the same way that Windows11 restores its default preferences when it does updates [g]). I've also notice that when Tbird compacts folders, it occasionally deletes messages that were part of a thread. In one case I was able to retrieve the body of the message from the Gmail source; in another case, the message was lost forever.
The way the user settings for Thunderbird's threading is designed is, for me anyway, VERY annoying. It's a bloody pain in the neck when I have to go into every single folder and turn it off and it won't STAY turned off. Life would be a lot easier if Preferences included a "no-threading" option that would override any individual folder choices.
It's just an annoyance when threading organizes stuff in a way I don't like. (The only threading I've ever really liked was that provided by the TapCis front-end for Compuserve in the 1980's and 1990's.) But it becomes really significant when threaded messages can get deleted during compacting.
Thanks for any tips anyone can offer in dealing with this.
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When threading was set as default, I complained a lot. That was then. I still don't like threading, but the fix is so easy that I no longer complain. The setting is in the config editor. Here is everything I know on the topic:
This is the official (to my knowledge) documentation. Well worth the read https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/message-threading-thunderbird
Here is my own documentation on threading, duplicating the above, but it may help: You need to highlight each folder and click View>sort by>unthreaded. If this applies to just a few folders, just repeat the process as necessary. If you have many folders or plan to add many new folders, you may wish a different approach, below:
More info: To change default for *new* folders, In config editor, you can change default that applies to NEW folders you set up: mailnews.default_view_flags 0=unthreaded
Config editor is available at Tools>settings>general and scroll to bottom right.
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To set many *existing* folders, follow these steps: (I creates a crude video that walks through the steps at
https://davidkirk.org/SettingDefaultFolderView.mp4 that demonstrates the following steps:
First, highlight a folder that you have set to unthreaded In the Message List view, in the column header, on the far right, open the options button that shows context menu. : At the very bottom is the option: -> "Apply current view to..." -> "Folder and its children..." -> Hover over an account -> In the next menu don't select a folder. Instead select the account name itself.
ALSO, for future installations of Thunderbird, - install Thunderbird and exit prior to setting up accounts - create a simple text file with name of user.js with these lines:
// Set default threading to UNthreaded ### <== this line is optional, just for documentation
user_pref("mailnews.default_view_flags", 0);
- copy the user.js file into the profile - now, when you start Thunderbird, unthreading will be the default. Problem solved.